If you need a Greensboro Car Accident Lawyer, The Bishop Law Firm can help. We offer free case reviews and no fee unless you win. Start your free case review online now.
Greensboro Car Accidents
If you have been injured in a Greensboro or Guilford County car accident, you are not alone.
In 2023, in Greensboro, there were 8,893 automobile crashes, 5,444 injuries, and 10 deaths, per the NC DOT.
Alcohol was involved in 358 of those crashes as well as 115 pedestrians and 20 bicycle riders.
In Guilford County, in 2023, there were 14,576 car crashes, 8,048 injuries, and 57 deaths.
In Greensboro, in 2023, almost 15 people a day were injured in car accidents, while in Guilford County, over 22 people a day were injured.
Unfortunately, most car accident victims discover that recovering the compensation they deserve from an insurance claim against the at-fault driver's insurance company is not as simple as it should be.
Also see Greensboro Car Accident Statistics.
North Carolina Car Accident Law
For a car accident victim to recover their damages, the at-fault party must be negligent and the victim must not be at fault for the accident.
Negligence
Negligence, simply put, is a failure to do what a reasonable person would do under the same circumstances (FindLaw).
A reasonable person would not engage in distracted driving, run a stop light, cause a major car accident, and injure others.
If the at-fault party's failure to act reasonably results in harm to others, negligence has occurred.
To illustrate further, if a driver has a heart attack behind the wheel and causes an accident, negligence may not have occurred due to a sudden emergency.
Read more at Sudden Emergency.
Contributory Negligence
North Carolina is a contributory negligence state, meaning if the injured person is even 1% at fault, they can not recover on a personal injury case (but see Last Clear Chance Doctrine).
For auto accident cases, the officer can issue a citation to the at-fault party at the accident scene, but not always.
In some types of car accidents, it can be challenging to determine who is actually at fault.
If you were injured in Greensboro and need your accident report, you can try the Police Department or the NC Department of Public Safety.
If there are errors on the accident or police report, contact the officer who completed the report as soon as possible to get the mistakes corrected!
Read also What is contributory negligence?
Statute of Limitations
According to N.C.G.S.§1-52 (16), the general rule for filing a negligence action or personal injury case in North Carolina is three (3) years from the date of the accident.
That means that if a victim was injured on February 1, 2025, that person has until February 1, 2028, to file a car accident lawsuit in the appropriate county court.
It does not matter if the person is still receiving medical treatment for their accident-related injuries or is currently in negotiations with the at-fault party’s insurance company.
This is a critical deadline that many North Carolina accident victims are not aware of.
If your loved one was killed in the accident, wrongful death lawsuits have a two-year statute of limitations from the time of death (§ 28A-18-2).
See Statute of Limitations and NC Personal Injury – Ten Bars to Recovery for more information.
What can a victim recover?
In North Carolina, if you have been injured in a car accident through no fault of your own, you can recover the costs of your missed time from work, medical expenses, and be compensated for your pain and suffering.
Punitive damages are awarded in a few cases.
The at-fault party's insurance policy limits also must be considered.
Medical Expenses - Economic Damage
In North Carolina, a victim is reimbursed for the cost of their medical bills.
However, bill amounts are calculated based on the actual payments made, not the medical provider's billed amount. See Rule 414.
In severe injury cases, past, present, and future medical expenses must be included in any settlement demand to the insurance company.
A medical professional must be consulted to determine future medical care needed, and medical records demonstrating the need must be clear.
Medical expenses include medication expenses, medical supplies, EMS rides, diagnostic testing, and any visit to a medical provider regarding the victim's car accident injuries.
Initially, many of our clients file claims with their own health insurance.
If you do not have health insurance, watch our video for ways that you can seek medical treatment after a car accident.
Also see Medical Bills After Car Accident & NC Personal Injury Medical Bills More Than Settlement?
Lost Wages - Economic Damage
A victim is reimbursed for their lost wages, so keeping track of days and hours missed is imperative.
Also, a victim should inform their employer as to why they are missing work, as the employer will be asked later to verify the lost wages.
See Lost Wages and Earning Capacity
Pain & Suffering - Non-Economic Damage
A car accident can leave a victim with physical injury as well as mental injury.
Pain and trauma affect mental disposition.
You could develop depression, vehophobia, anxiety, or post-traumatic stress disorder after your injury.
Pain & Suffering damages attempt to reimburse a victim for the mental anguish they have sustained due to the car accident injury.
Non-economic damages are harder to quantify than lost wages or medical bills.
Read Ways to Prove Pain and Suffering Damages.
Calculating Pain & Suffering
Some personal injury attorneys use medical bills as part of an equation to arrive at a suitable amount for pain & suffering.
The equation is medical expenses + lost wages and accident-related expenses x a multiplier (usually 1.5 – 5).
For example, Minnie Mouse has $15,000 in medical bills and $5,000 in lost wages resulting in losses of $20,000. You then multiply $20,000 X 3, which would result in a request of $60,000 for pain and suffering.
The multiplier increases from 1.5 to 5 based on the severity, longevity, treatment, and residuals of the injury, among other issues.
Insurance adjusters often do not want to pay for non-economic damages.
Read more at Pain & Suffering in North Carolina Personal Injury & Ten Ways to Maximize Recovery in NC Personal Injury Cases.
Punitive Damages - Non-Economic Damage
Punitive Damages can be awarded by a jury if the actions of the at-fault party involved malice, fraud, or willful and wanton conduct.
Success in recovering punitive damages is very fact specific, but a repeat drunk driver who causes an accident and injures others would be a prime example.
See Punitive Damages
Insurance Policy Limits Matter
The insurance policy limits of the at-fault party are imperative to a victim's ability to recover damages.
While it is possible to get a judgment against the at-fault party for damages that are more than policy limits, many people don't have assets that a judgment can attach to.
If the driver who caused the auto accident does not have car insurance, the victim can file a claim against their own uninsured motorist coverage (UM)
If the driver that caused the accident does not have enough insurance coverage, the victim can file an underinsured motorist coverage (UIM) claim.
Uninsured motorist coverage (UM) is mandatory in North Carolina on all auto insurance policies.
Underinsured motorist coverage (UIM) is required when policy limits are greater than the NC minimum coverage.
As of July 1, 2025, the North Carolina required liability insurance limits are: $50,000 Bodily Injury for each person, $100,000 total Bodily Injury for all persons in an accident, and $50,000 for Property Damage.
If your auto insurance has medical payments coverage (Med-Pay), you may be able to recover some of your medical expenses that way.
Read: NC Car Accidents and Insurance Policy Limits
Common Car Accident Injuries:
Unfortunately, under the wrong circumstances, even a relatively minor auto accident can result in serious injuries.
Traumatic Brain Injury, broken bones, spinal injuries, and even wrongful death can result from car accidents.
- Back Injury After Car Accident
- Neck Injury After Car Accident
- Chiari Malformation After Car Accident
- Brain Injury After Car Accident
- Blunt Force Trauma To Head From Car Accident
- Shoulder Injury After Car Accident
- Leg Injury After Car Accident
- Foot Injury After Car Accident
- Skin Injury After Car Accident
- PTSD After Car Accident
- Vehophobia After Car Accident
- Chronic Conditions From Car Accidents
- Delayed Symptoms After Car Accident
*If you were injured in an auto accident while working, you may also have a Greensboro Workers’ compensation case. Workers’ compensation would not apply if you are on your way to work or your way home.*
Also read: How much will my car accident injury settlement be?
Do You Need a Car Accident Lawyer in Greensboro, NC?
Was the car accident in Greensboro your fault?
If you received a citation (ticket) for the accident, law enforcement likely determined you to be at some level of fault for the collision.
In North Carolina, if you are at fault for the accident, you cannot be compensated due to contributory negligence.
Read: Distracted Driving in NC Car Accidents
Rear-end collisions, multi-car accidents, and fatal crashes can be complicated, to say the least.
It can be challenging to determine who is actually at fault in some car accident cases.
The insurance adjuster may deny that their insured is at fault.
A Greensboro personal injury law attorney can help to determine if you have an injury claim and give you legal advice about recovering your losses from the car accident.
Read NC Rear-End Collision Injuries
Hiring Experienced Car Crash Lawyers
Dealing with the insurance company is not simple, straightforward, or quick.
It is common knowledge that insurance companies aim to minimize payments, ideally to zero, and will employ various tactics to delay, frustrate, and minimize car accident claims.
The choice to hire an experienced car accident attorney to help with your claim can set the tone for how the insurance company treats you.
Without the proper inspiration from an attorney, your personal injury claim may gather dust on an adjuster’s desk or get lost in the shuffle.
Watch our video: Greensboro Car Accident Lawyer.
Unfortunately, insurance adjusters can exploit an injured person’s financial hardship, forcing them to accept little to nothing for their car accident case.
Even worse, some insurance adjusters will hold onto claims until the statute of limitations runs out, leaving the injured with no way to recover for their losses.
Simply put, an auto accident lawyer that handles personal injury cases can make sure your claim goes as smoothly as possible and help you decide if you should take the insurance company’s offer or pursue litigation.
Our Greensboro auto accident attorney handles all types of motor vehicle accidents, including but not limited to the following:
- Car
- Truck (18-wheeler accidents)
- Motorcycle
- Pedestrian
- Wrongful Death
- and more.
Frequently asked questions
- How much compensation do you get from a car crash? The amount of compensation depends on several factors: the severity of your car accident injuries, what types of damages apply to your case, how much insurance the at-fault party has, how much insurance you have, how much you ask for in the demand, and if you hire a car accident lawyer.
- How much are most car accident settlements? The amount that your case settles for can vary greatly. Those with broken bones or long-term disabilities due to an accident will likely receive far more than those with soft tissue injuries. In general, the car accident settlement amount is medical expenses + lost wages + pain & suffering.
- How is fault determined in a car accident in NC? Usually, the law enforcement officer will make an initial determination as to who is at fault in a car accident. Even if the police officer does not issue a citation, the narrative can be used on the accident report to determine fault. If neither of the above is helpful, the insurance adjuster may decide fault (which may not be in the victim's favor).
- How long does an at-fault accident affect insurance in NC? An accident can stay on your driving record for 3-5 years. This will, in turn, affect your insurance based on the length of time your insurance company considers your driving record.
- What happens if the person who is not at fault in an accident has no insurance in NC? If you are not at fault for the accident, as far as personal injury is concerned, that will not affect your case. The at-fault party should be responsible for your medical bills, etc. However, since the victim does not have insurance, they will not be eligible for Med-Pay, UM, or UIM.
- Can you sue an uninsured driver in NC? You can sue anyone for almost anything, but that does not mean you will recover. To recover from an uninsured driver, they must have assets, and you must prove that you are entitled to those assets due to the injuries you have sustained from the car accident that they caused.
- What is the penalty for no insurance in NC? Your license may be suspended, you may be charged fines, or you may receive jail time if you are caught driving without insurance.
Find a Greensboro Car Accident Lawyer Near You
The Bishop Law Firm represents car accident victims on a contingency fee basis, which means that we are motivated to recover maximum compensation for our clients.
Our experienced legal team at The Bishop Law Firm can help if you need a Greensboro Car Accident Lawyer.
Our focus is to protect and maximize car accident victims' legal rights to fair compensation, and we don’t get paid unless you win.
Can the at-fault driver’s insurance company say the same?
Contact us today for more information or start your free case review right now.
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