James Rodriguez is a Senior Partner at Dr. Ted Injury Law and heads the firm's trucking accident and catastrophic injury litigation practice. Known throughout the legal community for his powerful courtroom presence and exhaustive case preparation, James has tried more than 75 cases to verdict and has secured some of the largest trucking accident recoveries in the history of the Carolinas. Born and raised in Greenville, South Carolina, James was the first in his family to attend college. His father worked for decades in the textile mills that once defined the Upstate economy, and his mother was a school bus driver. These humble beginnings instilled in James a deep respect for working people and a fierce determination to fight for those who have been wronged. James earned his undergraduate degree in Criminal Justice from Clemson University, where he was a first-team Academic All-ACC selection on the baseball team. He went on to attend the University of South Carolina School of Law, graduating with honors in 2000. Seeking to sharpen his trial skills, James earned a Master of Laws in Trial Advocacy from Temple University's Beasley School of Law, one of the nation's premier trial advocacy programs. After several years as a prosecutor in the Mecklenburg County District Attorney's Office, where he tried over 50 criminal cases including multiple homicide cases, James joined Dr. Ted Injury Law in 2006. His prosecutorial background gives him a unique edge in personal injury litigation. He understands how to investigate cases thoroughly, how to present evidence persuasively, and how to cross-examine witnesses effectively. James has recovered more than $200 million for his clients over the course of his career. His record-setting results include a $12.5 million jury verdict in a tractor-trailer accident case involving falsified driver logs, an $8.7 million settlement for a family who lost their father when a commercial truck's brakes failed on a mountain road near Asheville, and a $6.3 million recovery for a motorcyclist struck by a distracted delivery driver on Interstate 77. He has also handled several high-profile product liability cases, including a $5.1 million settlement involving a defective vehicle safety system. What makes James particularly effective in trucking cases is his deep knowledge of federal and state trucking regulations. He understands the complex web of FMCSA rules governing hours of service, vehicle maintenance, driver qualification, and cargo loading. This expertise allows him to identify violations that other attorneys might miss and to build compelling cases that demonstrate exactly how a trucking company's negligence caused his client's injuries. James has been recognized as a North Carolina Super Lawyer every year since 2010 and has been named to the National Trial Lawyers Top 100 list for six consecutive years. He is a Fellow of the International Academy of Trial Lawyers and a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates. He has also been selected for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America in the field of personal injury litigation. In his community, James serves as a Big Brother through Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Carolinas and coaches youth football in the Charlotte area. He is a board member of the Latin American Coalition of Charlotte and is passionate about mentoring young attorneys from underrepresented backgrounds. James and his wife, Maria, a registered nurse, live in the South End neighborhood of Charlotte with their three children. He enjoys fishing, grilling, watching Clemson football, and spending time with his extended family in Greenville.
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