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North Carolina has long experienced issues with gun violence. Over four years ago, nine people were gunned down during a Bible study at Emanuel AME church in Charleston. More recently, two students were killed and four others wounded by a 22-year-old shooter at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.
Last August, gun control advocates assembled at Johnson C. Smith University. They expressed concern about North Carolina’s comparatively lax gun laws, which do not require a background check when buying a long gun from an unlicensed seller or prohibit the possession or transfer of assault weapons.
In 2017, North Carolina reportedly had the 23rd highest gun death rate among all states. Robeson County is the most dangerous in the U.S. when it comes to gun violence, making it more dangerous than 97% of the country. The homicide rate of Robeson County is also three times the state average.
It’s a nightmare event that no one should ever have to experience: being shot in your home, workplace, school, or church. Unfortunately, it happens too frequently, and the arrest and conviction of the perpetrator does not compensate you for your medical bills, lost wages or earning ability, and other damages that have left you with physical and psychological scars.
Seeking Civil Damages Due To Gun Violence
In North Carolina, when someone commits battery by shooting you, you can seek compensatory and punitive damages. In 2009, a federal jury in Greensboro awarded $1.5 million to a man who had been shot by a Moore County deputy during a traffic stop altercation.
While the police and prosecutors can achieve the arrest and incarceration of the perpetrator, a North Carolina personal injury attorney will help you seek punitive damages against the shooter and any accomplices by proving that you were impacted economically and emotionally by the shooting.
If you were injured on someone else’s property, such as a private business, shopping center, supermarket, or apartment complex, you may also be able to pursue a premises liability claim against the owner or manager for negligent security. Under North Carolina law, these parties have specific duties to protect you when you visit their property. These protections include providing reasonable security and warning visitors about potentially unsafe conditions.
Gun Violence in the Workplace
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics has confirmed that violence is one of the leading causes of workplace injuries. Recently terminated employees have been known to return to their former workplaces with firearms and kill or wound several people before being stopped. In 2012, a disgruntled worker went on a shooting rampage at a lumber company in central North Carolina, killing three people and wounding another.
If you receive shooting injuries at work, you may be entitled to worker’s compensation for your lost wages, medical bills, and disability. A North Carolina worker’s compensation attorney will help you prepare a claim and, if a third party was involved, advise you on how to file a personal injury lawsuit. For example, if your workplace used a private security company to ensure that weapons did not make it onto the premises and a faulty metal detector enabled someone to bring in a gun, you could sue them.
We’re Here For You
When you are a victim of gun violence, you can suffer from physical, mental, and emotional trauma that prevents you from earning a living that affects your relationships with friends and family and impacts your ability to enjoy life. If you survived while others didn’t, the burden can be extra difficult. We understand, and we’re here for you.
At Johnson & Groninger, PLLC, we are committed to helping victims of gun violence receive financial recovery. If you or someone you love has been injured in a shooting attack, we will review the circumstances surrounding the incident and determine the most appropriate course of action to seek damages. To discuss your case with one of our personal injury and worker’s compensation attorneys please contact us.