North Carolina § 14-32 - 4. Assault inflicting serious bodily injury; strangulation; penalties.

§ 14-32. 4. Assault inflicting serious bodily injury; strangulation; penalties.

Unless the conduct is covered under some other provision of law providing greater punishment, any person who assaults another person and inflicts serious bodily injury is guilty of a Class F felony. "Serious bodily injury" is defined as bodily injury that creates a substantial risk of death, or that causes serious permanent disfigurement, coma, a permanent or protracted condition that causes extreme pain, or permanent or protracted loss or impairment of the function of any bodily member or organ, or that results in prolonged hospitalization. Unless the conduct is covered under some other provision of law providing greater punishment, any person who assaults another person and inflicts physical injury by strangulation is guilty of a Class H felony. History (1996, 2nd Ex. Sess., c. 18, s. 20.13(a); 2004-186, s. 9.1.) Effect of Amendments. - Session Laws 2004-186, s. 9.1, effective December 1, 2004, and applicable to offenses committed on or after that date, added subsection (b) and designated the previously existing provisions as subsection (a); and rewrote the section heading, which formerly read "Assault inflicting serious bodily injury."