Do you need a Wake County Car Accident Lawyer? The Bishop Law Firm can offers free case reviews and no fee unless you win. Call us today or start your free case review online now.
Some Statistics on Wake County, NC Car Accidents
If you have been injured in a Wake County car accident, you are not alone! According to the NC Department of Transportation, in 2021, there were 30,105 crashes and 11,831 injuries in Wake County. That was an average of almost 33 injuries a day in 2021 from car crashes. Unfortunately, speeding, distracted and drunk drivers contribute to these numbers.
Also read Raleigh Car Accident Statistics & Raleigh Car Accident Injuries
North Carolina Personal Injury Law
North Carolina is a contributory negligence state, which means that for a motor vehicle accident victim to recover, they must not be at fault for their personal injury. Contributory negligence can create unfair outcomes for victims, but unfortunately, it is the law in NC.
In NC personal injury claims, you generally have three years to file a claim for an injury you sustained due to the negligence of another. A victim can recover medical expenses, pain & suffering as well as lost wages. Punitive damages are rarely awarded.
If you were injured in a car accident while working, you may have a NC Workers' Compensation case as well as a Personal Injury case depending on the circumstances of your accident. If the victim was killed in the car accident, the case becomes a wrongful death claim. Wrongful death claims have a two year statute of limitations. Read our post Raleigh Wrongful Death Lawyer.
Read Twenty Ways to Avoid Raleigh Car Accidents
Who determines fault in an accident in NC?
If you received a ticket from the police officer, the car accident was deemed to be your fault. If no one receives a ticket from the car accident, it may be difficult to determine fault later on. If you are not at fault, you should obtain the at fault party's insurance information, take photos of your vehicle/the at fault party's vehicle as well as seek immediate medical treatment.
You should be able to find a copy of your crash report through the Raleigh Police Department, Wake County Sheriff's Department or NC Highway Patrol (depending on where the car accident occurred). The accident report and circumstances of your injury should be closely examined to determine who is at fault. A Wake County Auto Accident Attorney can help with this.
Also read Raleigh Car Accident Reports & Twenty Steps to Take After a Raleigh Car Accident
What expenses can I be reimbursed for and who reimburses me?
Watch: Medical Bills After Car Accident
You can be reimbursed your accident related (past, present and future) medical expenses, lost wages due to being out of work because of your crash injuries as well as pain & suffering. Please remember that insurance companies have no legal duty to tell you everything that you can be compensated for or to help you be compensated for it. Insurance companies make money by collecting premiums, not paying claims.
After filing a claim with the negligent party's insurance company an adjuster will be assigned to your case. You should inform the insurance adjuster of all your expenses related to the accident. The adjuster may want you to do a recorded statement. This can be tricky. You need to communicate with the insurance for them to pay your claim, but giving too much or incorrect information can actually hurt your personal injury claim.
What if the insurance company won't pay for treatment I need or other expenses?
Quite often, adjusters do not want to pay for medical expenses or other accident related expenses based on technical issues or they can even dispute that your injury was caused by the accident. Even in cases where their insured is clearly negligent, they can delay a claim until the statute of limitations has run or want to rush to settlement to avoid paying for any further necessary medical treatment.
Frequently asked questions
- Should I hire a car accident lawyer for a minor accident? It depends. Did you receive injuries during the car accident? If you were injured in the car accident, hiring an attorney can help you recover the cost of accident related medical expenses, lost wages and pain & suffering. If you did not sustain injuries or sustained injuries so minor that you did not receive medical treatment for them, hiring a personal injury lawyer may not be necessary. Read What not to do after a Raleigh Car Accident.
- How do you know you need a car accident lawyer? If a victim is having trouble attaining a fair settlement from an insurance adjuster or if the adjuster has stopped responding at all, it would seem like a good time to get a car accident lawyer involved.
- When should I hire a personal injury lawyer after a car crash? This depends entirely on the victim. Many times a victim can become frustrated with the insurance adjuster's delays or rushing. This can be too much to handle for someone who is already in recovery for their injury. Some of our clients hire us immediately after the car accident while others wait until they feel they can not handle it on their own. Hiring a personal injury lawyer sooner can help an injury victim avoid early mistakes that can lower the value of a claim.
- How much are Wake County Car Accident Lawyer Attorney Fees? The Bishop Law Firm charges a contingent flat fee of 33.33%. This means that we do not get paid unless you win and if you do win we get 33.33% of your settlement. Read: What does a Raleigh Car Accident Lawyer Do?
Many times, the only recourse that a injured party has is to seek help from Raleigh Car Accident Lawyers to recover their accident related expenses. If this is happening to you, contact a Wake County Car Accident Lawyer as soon as possible to discuss your case.
The Bishop Law Firm represents Wake County car accident victims including those in: Raleigh, Cary, Apex, Garner, Fuquay Varina, Holly Springs, Knightdale, Wendell, Morrisville, Wake Forest, Zebulon and Rolesville. We do not get paid unless you win and we offer free case reviews. Call today, 919-615-3095, or start online now.
Also read Wake County Personal Injury Lawyer& NC Car Accident Lawyer
