Workers’ Compensation

Workers’ Compensation in North Carolina is a complex and constantly evolving area of law. Unlike normal personal injury claims, workers’ compensation claims do not require proving negligence and are not subject to defenses such as contributory negligence. Instead, in order to establish a workers’ compensation claim, that person must have sustained an injury in an on-the-job accident. You need someone in your corner who has extensive experience handling these types of cases. By concentrating our skills and focusing in this category, we’ve gained an understanding of the law that truly sets us apart. Our Charlotte workers’ compensation attorneys use their knowledge to maximize the outcome of your case which may pertain to:

• Workplace Accidents
• Spinal Injuries
• Overuse / Repetitive Motion
• Death Benefits
• Toxic Exposure

If you have suffered a workers’ compensation claim in North Carolina, you may be entitled to medical benefits and compensation for lost wages, but unlike negligence claims, you are not entitled to pain and suffering.

There may also be special situations in which you’re entitled to recover additional compensation if someone other than your employer is at-fault for the injury. Our Charlotte Workers’ Compensation attorneys will be able to advise you if this is the case.

Personal Injury

Personal Injury cases require proving that the other party was 100% negligent, or at fault, for causing the accident and resulting injuries and damages. In North Carolina, negligence claims are subject to a number of defenses that may be asserted by the “at fault” party. One such defense is contributory negligence in the “at fault” party claims that the other party was partially at fault for the accident and that party’s injuries and damages. In North Carolina, a person who is even 1 percent responsible for their own injuries recovers nothing from the other party, even though the “at fault” party was 99% responsible for the injuries. Our Charlotte Personal Injury Attorneys will use their extensive trial and legal experience to maximize the outcome of your personal injury case which may pertain to:

• Auto Accidents
• Burn Injuries
• Catastrophic Injuries
• Construction Accidents
• Defective Medical Devices
• Dog Bites
• Head and/or Brain Injuries
• Motorcycle Accidents
• Nursing Home Negligence
• Premises Liability (Slip and Fall)
• Prescription Drug Dispensing Errors
• Products Liability
• Truck Accidents
• Wrongful Death

If you have been injured as the result of another party’s negligence, the damages you may recover normally in these types of actions include reimbursement for the cost of medical treatment, lost income and pain and suffering.

Criminal Defense

A criminal case may seem simple at first glance, but the difference between “guilty” or “not guilty” often depends not on the particular facts of the case but on the quality of the actual defense and the strategy. This is exactly where a Charlotte criminal defense attorney can help you. Our Charlotte Criminal Defense Attorneys handle all types of criminal matters, including felonies and misdemeanors.

There are two types of criminal offenses besides minor infractions: felonies and misdemeanors. Felonies are the most serious charges and carry the stiffest penalties, which can include incarceration and fines. A felony conviction also has more far-reaching implications such as the inability to find gainful employment or the ability to possess a firearm. Misdemeanors carry consequences as well, but on a lesser scale than felonies. SeiferFlatow handles all types of criminal offenses.

Our Charlotte criminal defense attorneys will take your case to trial if it is in your best interest. We will implement individualized strategy depending on the specific facts of your case. If there is a legal argument to be made, our Charlotte criminal defense attorneys will make it.

Traffic Tickets and DWI/DUI

North Carolina has several laws that many citizens are not aware of, which if ignored, could adversely affect your driving record for years and cause your insurance premiums to increase drastically. This is why our Charlotte traffic ticket attorneys can help you and advise you of what your rights are. If you have received a traffic ticket, before putting your ticket in a drawer to deal with later, give the Charlotte traffic ticket attorneys at the law firm of SeiferFlatow a call.

Common types of traffic matters which we deal with are:

• Commercial Driver’s License Violations
• DMV/License Issues
• Driving While License Revoked
• DWI/DUI Charges
• Reckless Driving
• Speeding Tickets

A common example of how these laws can get you in trouble is when a motorist pleads guilty to a moving violation which they received during a period of DMV suspension. A Charlotte traffic ticket attorney will advise you on what to do. Even if the violation is minor, such as a stop sign violation, the motorist would still have their driving privileges revoked for a minimum of a year. You might assume that you have been charged with a simple traffic ticket that you would rather just pay than contest, but you may be causing further damage to your driving record than you realize.

Remember this little known fact: PAYING OFF A TICKET IS AN ADMISSION OF GUILT AND IT IS A CONVICTION ON YOUR DMV RECORD. The insurance premium increases are usually more than the amount it would cost to retain an experienced traffic ticket attorney. A moving violation conviction results in insurance premium increases for 3 full years. The first conviction often results in a 25% increase, the second can be as much as a 60% increase and the third conviction in a 3 year period can result in up to a 100% increase in your premiums. Before you know it, you may end up in a situation where you lose your license because you have too many violations on your record or you are unable to obtain affordable insurance because of your violations. Having a Charlotte traffic ticket attorney at your side will usually make all the difference and could avoid such a situation. Before taking the easy way out and simply paying off a traffic ticket or simply forgetting about it, both of which could have drastic consequences, it makes sense to turn to the Charlotte traffic ticket attorneys at the law firm of SeiferFlatow first.

Furthermore, you may find yourself in a situation in which you have been charged with DWI and need a Charlotte dwi attorney. DWI stands for Driving While Impaired. When you are accused of an alcohol-related offense, there are various reasons to consult with an experienced Charlotte DWI attorney. The process in North Carolina, which is different than the process in many states, can be very daunting. You automatically and immediately lose your license for a period of thirty days even before you are convicted. You are eligible for a limited driving privilege after ten days. A Charlotte DWI attorney can help with the process and compiling the necessary documents.

There are typically various stages involved in a Charlotte DWI arrest, all of which have protocol that the arresting or investigating officer must follow and all of which an experienced Charlotte DWI attorney can help you with. For example, there must be reasonable suspicion to pull you over or to investigate, such as bad driving or violating a traffic safety law, then there must be probable cause to arrest, which is usually based on the officer’s perception of your driving and your behavior, including administering standardized field sobriety tests. Often times, there is a videotape of the pre-arrest scene. Therefore, you may have legal grounds to challenge your arrest, even if you were technically guilty of the actual DWI. Our Charlotte DWI attorneys will leave no stone unturned in exploring your legal defenses. Since a Charlotte DWI conviction has severe consequences such as a loss of license and possible imprisonment, DWI defense should not be taken lightly.