North Carolina Felony Assault Inflicting Serious Bodily Injury

Felony assault inflicting far-reaching bodily trauma entails both an assault as well as the infliction of serious injury. For the state to pursue felony charges, the district attorney must prove that the assault occurred and that it resulted in serious bodily trauma. Grave bodily harm is defined as a life-threatening bodily trauma that results in life-long disfigurement or prolonged disability. Some examples of severe injury include:

• Broken bones
• Internal bleeding
• Traumatic brain injuries
• Spinal cord injuries
• Nerve damage

Since these are life-altering injuries, the state of North Carolina punishment for a conviction is up to 59 months in prison.

When facing any type of assault charge, you want to avoid talking to the police. Even if you are innocent, anything you say can and will be used against you later in court. Instead, ask to speak with your lawyer. This approach will not make you look guilty, and it will help ensure your rights are protected. Don’t make the mistake of thinking you can represent yourself in court.

The state will have a prosecutor who is experienced in handling these types of cases, and you will be at a disadvantage if you try to take on the system alone. The prosecutor understands the law and knows how to play the game. If you try to represent yourself, the prosecutor may take advantage of your lack of legal knowledge and use it against you. 

The stakes are too high for you to take any chances. If you have any doubts about your ability to defend yourself, hire an experienced criminal defense lawyer.

When facing felony assault charges, it is important to have a solid legal defense. Some potential defenses to this felony include:

• Self-defense: You may be able to claim self-defense if you can show that you were only using the amount of force necessary to protect yourself from harm.
• Defense of others: You can claim that you were only using the amount of force necessary to safeguard someone else from harm.
• Lack of intent: You may be able to show that you did not mean to cause serious bodily injury and that the injuries were accidental.
• Mutual combat: In some cases, you can show that the victim provoked you into a fight and that both parties were engaging in mutual combat.
• Insanity: In very rare cases, you may be able to claim that you were not in your right mind at the time of the assault and that you did not know what you were doing.

These are just some of the potential defenses to felony assault inflicting serious bodily injury. An experienced lawyer will evaluate the facts of your case and determine which defenses may be applicable.

Since the laws are complicated and the potential penalties are high, having a well-trained defense lawyer by your side will give you the best chance of success. When you represent yourself, you are essentially playing the role of lawyer, paralegal, and client all at the same time. This is a tall order for anyone, let alone someone with little or no legal training. 

At King Law, once we assign you a defense attorney, they will conduct a thorough investigation of the facts and circumstances surrounding your case, interview witnesses, and gather evidence to support your defense. Our criminal defense lawyers will also file motions to suppress evidence that was illegally obtained or to dismiss the charges against you if there is insufficient evidence. If need be, the lawyer will negotiate with the prosecutor to try to get the charges dismissed. If your case goes to trial, your defense attorney will be by your side every step of the way, fighting for a not-guilty verdict.