Top Best Personal Injury Lawyers | 16224 Available

Brent A. Patterson is a highly regarded personal injury attorney devoted to serving the communities of Kannapolis, Gastonia, and Salisbury, North Carolina. While his roots are in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Brent developed a strong affinity for Franklin, North Carolina during his summers there. He completed his undergraduate studies at Louisiana State University and earned his law degree from Wake Forest University in 1992. Brent began his legal journey in Charlotte with Blakeney and Alexander, focusing in labor and employment defense. In 1994, he relocated his practice to Gastonia, shifting his focus towards representing individuals in personal injury, medical malpractice, workers' compensation, and negligence claims. Over a decade with Harris, Ragan, Patterson & Rodgers, Brent has remained committed to offering personalized legal attention, ensuring individuals' rights are protected across Western North Carolina. An active contributor to the legal community, Brent has taught Continuing Legal Education classes and held leadership roles, including President of both the Gaston and 27A Judicial District Bar Associations. His reputation as a passionate advocate has led to strong referral relationships. Living with his wife, Benet, and two adult children, Brent's firm, Patterson Law, continues to provide trusted, client-centric legal services throughout North Carolina.

Rachel Fuerst, the youngest daughter of Robert L. Fuerst, was born and raised in Rocky Mount, North Carolina. After graduating from Rocky Mount Senior High, Attorney Fuerst received the prestigious Morehead Scholarship to attend the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She graduated with honors in 1998 and went on to earn her Juris Doctorate from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Law in 2001.. After graduation, Rachel practiced law in Atlanta, Georgia for ten years, focusing her practice on catastrophic liability cases, as well as litigating and managing cases in Arkansas, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina and Virginia.. Attorney Fuerst’s practice has been shaped in large part by her close relationship with her grandfather, Dr. Herbert Fuerst, and her concern for the rights and needs of elders and those who live with disabilities related to old age. She continues to work with families of individuals living with Alzheimer’s, dementia and other disabilities.. Through her work, she become involved in Disability Rights NC, North Carolina’s federally mandated non-profit organization charged with protecting the rights of children and adults living with disabilities in North Carolina.. Attorney Fuerst is passionate about making sure her clients have the opportunity to be heard and to receive a fair chance to live the lives they choose. She and her family are staunch advocates for improving the lives of everyone in their community.. Outside of work, she enjoys traveling, especially to Spanish-speaking countries. Rachel and her husband, Kepler D. Knott, lived in Costa Rica for two years, where Rachel learned most of her conversational Spanish. Rachel and her husband have two children, Sylvie and Madeleine, as well as an Australian Cattle dog named Bullet.. She and her family spend their summers swimming at Atlantic Beach and hike through Blue Ridge Parkway in the fall. Rachel enjoys baking and is almost always in the middle of a mystery novel and a new home improvement project.

My father became disabled when my sisters and I were young. Our family nearly lost everything, but my parents got good legal advice and persevered. My mother became a paralegal for the attorney who helped us. My father became our hero who preserved our future through wisdom, frugality and dignity. And I became a lawyer who truly understands when serious personal injuries hit home.. Today, as a father myself, I passionately strive to help those who suffer disabling personal injuries or the loss of a loved one find justice, while working to protect children from carelessness.

I was born and raised in the small town of Salem, Ohio, and then moved to Charlotte, North Carolina in 1980.  I graduated with a degree in Business Administration from Muskingum College in 1982 and earned my Juris Doctor degree from the University of Akron School of Law in 1987.  I am licensed to practice law in both North Carolina and South Carolina.  In North Carolina, I am a state-certified Civil Court Mediator, as well as a Board-Certified Specialist in Workers’ Compensation Law.  In South Carolina I am certified as a Family Court Mediator.. My law practice has been concentrated in the area of personal injury since 1990, during which time I have successfully handled a wide variety of automobile accident, wrongful death, Social Security, worker’s compensation, and family law cases.  In 2012 I was appointed to the Spartanburg County Election Commission by Governor Nikki Haley.  I served in that position for two years.. I am the proud father of twin girls. I am actively involved with my church, community and charitable organizations.  I have also been an enthusiastic rock and mountain climber for forty years and have also immersed myself in whitewater kayaking.. I was a founding member of the Board of Directors of the Access Fund, a national non-profit advocacy group.  I served many years on the Crowders Mountain State Park Advisory Committee, officiated as the President of the Carolina Climbers Coalition, and am a member of the Administrative Council of Gramling United Methodist Church.