Can I sue for being shot or stabbed in North Carolina?
Often, yes. North Carolina property owners owe a duty to take reasonable steps to protect people on their premises from foreseeable crime. When a business or landlord ignores a known danger and someone is shot or stabbed as a result, North Carolina law can hold the owner financially responsible — through a negligent-security claim. You are not suing for the crime itself; you are suing the property owner for the security failures that made a foreseeable attack possible. This is separate from any criminal case against the attacker.
How North Carolina decides if a crime was “foreseeable”
North Carolina owners owe lawful visitors a duty of reasonable care that can include protecting against foreseeable third-party crime, shown chiefly through prior similar incidents that gave the owner knowledge of the risk (Foster v. Winston-Salem Joint Venture). Owners are not insurers and must guard only against reasonably predictable crime.
Deadlines in North Carolina
- Negligence / personal injury: generally three years from the date of the incident from the date of the incident.
- Wrongful death: generally two years from the date of death.
Evidence like surveillance footage disappears fast, so it’s important to act quickly.
Fault sharing in North Carolina
North Carolina is one of the few pure contributory negligence states: if you are found even slightly at fault, it can completely bar your recovery. This makes skilled, aggressive advocacy especially critical in a North Carolina case.
What you can recover
North Carolina does not cap compensatory damages in an ordinary negligence case (its cap applies only to medical malpractice). For families, a wrongful-death claim can recover funeral costs and the loss of support and companionship.
Why North Carolina victims choose The Haggard Law Firm
The firm has handled nearly 500 negligent-security cases nationwide and secured the largest negligent-security verdict in U.S. history ($102.7 million). We help North Carolina crime victims and their families with no fee unless we win.
How we handle a North Carolina case — working with local counsel
The Haggard Law Firm is based in Coral Gables, Florida, and Michael A. Haggard is licensed to practice law in Florida. Mr. Haggard is not licensed in North Carolina. Negligent security and crime-victim litigation is the firm’s core focus, and because of the national reputation the firm has built in this specific area, Mr. Haggard regularly works on North Carolina cases as co-counsel with a locally licensed North Carolina attorney, seeking admission pro hac vice (for the individual case) where the court’s rules permit. Any North Carolina matter would be handled together with local counsel admitted in North Carolina.
If you were shot, stabbed, or lost a loved one to a preventable crime in North Carolina, you can still reach out to us directly. We will review your case for free and, where appropriate, associate with a qualified North Carolina attorney to pursue it.
This page is attorney advertising and general information only; it is not legal advice and does not create an attorney-client relationship. Michael A. Haggard is licensed in Florida. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
Frequently asked questions
Can I sue for being shot in North Carolina?
Often, yes. If you were shot on a North Carolina property that failed to provide reasonable security against a foreseeable risk, you may be able to sue the property owner for negligent security — separately from any criminal case against the shooter. North Carolina requires foreseeability shown mainly by prior similar incidents that put the owner on notice (Foster). A free case review will tell you whether you have a claim.
Can I sue if I was stabbed on someone's property in North Carolina?
Possibly. A stabbing on a North Carolina property with inadequate security is handled the same way as a shooting — if the attack was foreseeable and the owner failed to provide reasonable security, the owner may be liable. The claim is against the property owner, not only the attacker.
How long do I have to file a negligent-security claim in North Carolina?
Generally three years from the date of the incident from the date of the incident for a negligence claim, and two years from the date of death for wrongful death. Confirm your specific deadline with a lawyer quickly.
Is Michael Haggard licensed to practice in North Carolina?
Mr. Haggard is licensed in Florida, not in North Carolina. Because negligent-security litigation is his firm's core focus and the firm has a national profile in these cases, he regularly serves as co-counsel with a locally licensed North Carolina attorney and, where the court permits, appears pro hac vice for the individual case. You can contact the firm directly, and where appropriate it will associate with qualified local counsel in North Carolina.
How does North Carolina decide if a property owner is liable?
North Carolina requires foreseeability shown mainly by prior similar incidents that put the owner on notice (Foster). If the crime was foreseeable and the owner failed to provide reasonable security, they can be held responsible.
What does it cost to hire the firm?
Nothing up front. We work on contingency — no attorney's fees unless we recover compensation for you.