Personal Attention, Professional Results

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Personal Injury/ Wrongful Death/ Slander/ Defamation/ Libel

Personal Injury

When you suffer personal injuries as a result of someone else’s negligence or wrongdoing, it is in your best interests to seek an experienced personal injury attorney who can aggressively protect your legal rights. The primary legal goal in a personal injury case is to recover the damages to which you are legally entitled. These damages can include but are not necessarily limited to medical/surgical/therapy bills, pain and suffering, and lost income/wages. Click here for tips on what to do if you have a personal injury case.

Allow the O'Neal Law Office to handle the details of your personal injury case so that you can focus on healing and returning your life to normal. Contact the O'Neal Law Office today for a complimentary consultation to discuss your claims resulting from the following:

  • Auto accident
  • Trip and fall/ Slip and fall
  • Premises liability
  • Inadequate security
  • Medical malpractice
  • Animal/Dog attack
  • Truck accident
  • Misfiled prescriptions
  • Wrongful death
  • Defamation (Libel and slander)
  • Malicious prosecution

Click here for client results for personal injury clients of attorney John O’Neal.

Wrongful Death

Unfortunately, the actions or omissions of one person can result in devastation for many others. Losing a loved one is a difficult transition, and it is even more difficult when it is due to the negligence or actions of another. The added burden of having to figure out the legal details can prove to be too much bear alone.

North Carolina law allows recovery of several types of damages in wrongful death cases, including:

  • Medical and hospital expenses
  • Reasonable funeral expenses
  • Pain and suffering of the deceased
  • Future lost net income of deceased
  • Loss of services, care, and assistance that the deceased provided to his or her heirs
  • Loss of the companionship, guidance, and comfort that the deceased provided to his or her heirs
  • Punitive damages, if appropriate

Click here to view client results for wrongful death clients of attorney John O’Neal.

If you are undergoing the painful loss of a loved one due to the negligence of another, you need an experienced, compassionate lawyer to provide you with direction and advice regarding your legal rights. If you find yourself in this unfortunate situation and would like to discuss your legal rights, contact the O'Neal Law Office today for a free consultation.

Defamation (Libel And Slander)

Your reputation is immensely important and one event can ruin it for a long time. A wrongful arrest, a false story in a newspaper, reckless statements in the media and other untrue statements can be quite damaging. The internet can do widespread and irreparable damage to your reputation.

In North Carolina certain statements will always be considered defamatory and are assumed to harm the plaintiff’s reputation, without further need to prove that harm. In North Carolina, a statement that does any of the following things amounts to libel per se.

  • charges that a person has committed an infamous crime;
  • charges a person with having an infectious disease;
  • tends to impeach a person in that person’s trade or profession; or
  • otherwise tends to subject one to ridicule, contempt, or disgrace

However, while you may not be required to show actual monetary losses to recover damages in a defamation case the lack of actual monetary loss can greatly diminish the damages to which you may be entitled. Defamatory statements, false accusations, and misleading representations by third parties can cause you the following:

  • Loss of your job or business income
  • Cost to hire an attorney to defend against criminal charges or represent you in other legal/administrative proceedings
  • Embarrassment and humiliation

Libel refers to printed or written statements that are false. Slander refers to spoken or verbal statements that are false. Truth is an absolute defense to any defamation claim but other valid defenses also exist. Defamation cases can sometimes involve claims for malicious prosecution or abuse of process.

KEY NOTE: The statute of limitations for a defamation claim in North Carolina is very short—-one year. It takes an experienced attorney to review your situation and discuss with you the prospects for a successful defamation case. If you believe your business, reputation, or other interests have caused you damage contact attorney John O’Neal for a free consultation to discuss your case and any legal options you may have.

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