If you or a loved one suffered injuries in an automobile accident, you may be eligible to pursue compensation for your injuries and related damages. Our law firm helps accident victims of all kinds build personal injury cases and fight for the financial recovery they need and deserve.
If you live in Rutherfordton or a surrounding area in North Carolina, a car accident lawyer from our firm can help you file a personal injury claim. Call Farmer & Morris Law, PLLC, today to discuss your legal options with a member of our team.
In This Article
Damages You May Be Able to Recover in Your Car Accident Case
It can be easy to get overwhelmed by the aftermath of a car accident if your injuries triggered a series of financial, physical, and emotional losses. Our team can review your case to measure the extent of your damages. We do so by categorizing them into economic and non-economic losses, then calculating their values.
Economic Damages
Actual damages are the costs that you incurred because of your injury. You can estimate the amount of economic damages you may be entitled to collect by reviewing receipts, invoices, and bills that are associated with your injury.
Common economic losses that victims of car accidents incur include:
- Medical and hospitalization bills
- Costs to tow a vehicle from the accident scene
- Property damage
- Vehicle repair and replacement costs
- Transportation costs to and from medical appointments to treat injuries
- Prescription medications and medical devices necessary due to injuries
Economic costs can also include lost wages if you are forced to miss work because of your injuries. If you receive unemployment benefits, those can reduce the amount of money you can collect for lost wages. To prove lost wages, you need to provide pay stubs and proof that you lost income or hours because of your injury-related absence from work.
Non-Economic Damages
Non-economic damages compensate for the non-actualized losses you suffered, which can include loss of affection, mental anguish, and a diminished quality of life. GS §90-21.19 does not cap non-economic damages in personal injury cases involving car accidents.
The amount of non-economic damages you may receive is based on a variety of factors, such as:
- Pain and suffering
- Future lost earnings
- Ability to provide for dependents
- Whether you can continue pursuing professional or educational goals after the injury
- If the injury resulted in mobility impairments
- If the injuries you sustained are chronic
Keep in mind that since these losses are more subjective, you may qualify to receive compensation for other types of damages not listed here. Our team can explain this further in a future consultation.
Contributory Negligence
A car accident lawyer from our firm can help you pursue economic and non-economic damages by filing a personal injury lawsuit in Rutherfordton. While North Carolina typically does not limit the amount of damages you can recover, the state practices a contributory negligence rule that prevents you from collecting damages if you are partially responsible.
Unlike comparative negligence rules, which allow you to recover damages even if you are partially at fault, contributory negligence laws bar plaintiffs from collecting damages if they are found to be at least one percent responsible for the action that resulted in their injuries. Our team may be able to anticipate potential defenses with the at-fault party and fight for compensation on your behalf.
For a legal consultation with a car accidents lawyer serving Rutherfordton, call 828.286.3866
How Our Legal Team Can Help You with Your Car Accident Case
Not sure how to build a car accident claim or lawsuit? Our legal team can manage your case for you. In fact, once you become our client, we offer to:
- Inspect your car accident case: We can review the crash report and conduct a separate investigation into your car accident to identify the liable party or parties, any witnesses who saw the accident, or any evidence that can be used to support your case.
- Represent you in communications and appearances: When you work with a car accident lawyer from our team in Rutherfordton, you gain a legal representative who will advocate for you during all forms of contact. If other parties reach out for a statement, one of our lawyers can speak on your behalf to protect your case information. We will also appear in negotiation meetings and court hearings to present your case.
- Submit paperwork relevant to your case: Our legal team will keep track of the legal paperwork necessary to your case. We can also make sure to file your case within the statute of limitations, dictated by GS §1-52, and any other legal deadlines that apply to your case.
- Keep you updated as your case progresses: Throughout the litigation process, we can update you when you receive new information, court notices, messages, and even settlement offers. Our team will provide legal advice to help you understand these developments and make informed decisions.
Rutherfordton Car Accident Lawyer Near Me 828.286.3866
Different Forms of Negligence Can Cause Car Accidents
Many personal injury claims for car accidents involve negligent and reckless driving behavior. Negligence cases involve injuries that occurred because another person or entity violated their duty of care and acted with poor judgment. Actions are considered negligent if a reasonable person would not have engaged in the behavior.
Motorists have an obligation to follow traffic laws to ensure the safety of passengers and drivers. Some causes of car accidents in North Carolina involve negligent conduct, like:
- Distracted driving
- Speeding
- Improper lane changes
- Failure to stop
- Failure to yield
Intentional Torts Involve More Severe Driving Offenses
Victims of car accidents involving a drunk driver or road rage incident have the right to pursue an intentional tort, as impaired driving is a crime. Injuries caused by intentional torts can allow you to recover compensation. We can help you if you or a loved one was injured by:
- Drunk driving
- Vehicular homicide
- Aggressive driving
Depending on the circumstances of your case, you may be entitled to punitive damages from the at-fault party. Our legal team can explain this further in a future consultation should it apply to your case.
Multiple Liable Parties
Another complication of the civil system is that you may be entitled to compensation from multiple parties. If the other driver involved in your car accident was working when the collision occurred, it may make their employer liable for your losses. Likewise, accidents involving rideshare drivers can involve multiple liable parties.
You May Be Entitled to Compensation if You Suffered Severe Car Accident Injuries
Car accidents can lead to serious or minor injuries. The North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) reported that in 2018, 125,454 individuals sustained injuries in motor vehicle accidents in North Carolina.
Serious injuries may prevent you from working or engaging in the same activities you enjoyed before the accident. Some common examples of severe injuries car accidents can cause include:
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Broken and fractured bones
- Dislocated joints
- Spinal cord injuries
- Neck injuries
- Organ damage
- Trauma
It is for this reason that you may be able to recover lost wages or lost earning capacity. It is important to receive immediate medical treatment following an accident. Medical records can prove your injuries and losses and can be used as evidence during your Rutherfordton personal injury case.
Serious accidents can cause your losses to exceed the amount covered by the involved insurance companies. When this occurs, a car accident lawyer from our firm may be able to pursue damages against the liable party for unreimbursed economic losses.
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Contact Farmer & Morris Law, PLLC, Today
When you suffer injuries that impact your daily life, you can have difficulty living independently or providing for yourself. If you were the victim of tortious conduct, a car accident lawyer from our team in Rutherfordton can pursue economic and non-economic damages against the responsible parties.
If you are interested in building a personal injury case, call Farmer & Morris Law, PLLC, today.
Call or text 828.286.3866 or complete a Case Evaluation form