If you were recently in a vehicle collision and suffered injuries and damages, you may be entitled to compensation. Our personal injury team at Farmer & Morris Law, PLLC, can investigate your case to identify who may be held liable for your damages and then help you build a case against them.
If you live in Hickory or a nearby area, we have a car accident lawyer on our team who may be able to help you. We offer free case evaluations, so once we understand the nature of your case, we can help you pursue the compensation you need.
Our Personal Injury Team Can Manage Your Case While You Recover
Life can feel chaotic after an automobile accident, especially if you are recovering from injuries. If you are considering filing a claim or lawsuit, you might soon realize the amount of work involved with building a case ready for litigation—from collecting evidence to knowing who to contact in the first place.
Our legal team at Farmer & Morris Law, PLLC, can manage your case for you. You do not have to venture into this journey alone, and you certainly shouldn’t have to if you are still coping with other losses in your life. Once you agree to work with a car accident lawyer from our team serving Hickory, we can help you by:
- Reviewing the crash report about your car accident, which might indicate the at-fault party
- Investigating your car accident to see if other parties might have contributed to the collision and thus may be held liable
- Collecting evidence to support your claims about who caused the accident and the damages you experienced
- Handling communications with insurance companies, attorneys, and other involved parties
- Interviewing witnesses who might have seen your car accident happen
- Negotiating a potential settlement deal with the opposing party
- Presenting your case at trial if necessary
Another major aspect of your case involves calculating its value, which we will explain further in the next section.
We Can Help You Calculate the Value of Your Car Accident Case
Though car accident cases may be similar in nature, they are unique in their values because individuals are unique in the ways they build their lives. For example, a leg injury might be more impactful to a person’s career if their work requires them to be on their feet versus sitting at a desk.
When calculating the value of your case, it is crucial that you consider every variable possible. Once your case settles, you will not be able to pursue additional compensation even if new damages come up. Our team understands which damages may be compensable, so we can help you reach an approximate compensation amount to pursue.
First, We Consider Your Economic Damages
Economic damages already have a financial value, so our team might first request any information that can prove the car accident’s financial impact on your life. These damages may involve:
- Costs for medical treatment you had to get to heal your injuries
- Income and benefits you lost as a result of being injured (e.g., taking unpaid time off)
- Mileage costs to travel to medical appointments
- The difference in potential salary if your injuries forced you to take a lower-paying work position or forego job opportunities (referred to as “reduced earning capacity”)
Next, We May Consider Physical and Emotional Damages You Experienced
Other damages that have no monetary value are referred to as your non-economic damages. These damages may have more of a physical, emotional, and mental effect on your life and may include:
- Physical and emotional pain, suffering, and inconvenience
- Permanent disability or loss of bodily function (e.g., vision or hearing loss)
- Psychological trauma
- Emotional anguish
- Physical disfigurement
- Loss of joy in former hobbies and activities due to your injuries
- Diminished quality of life
Keep in mind that you may be qualified to pursue compensation for other damages not mentioned in this article. If you were injured in a drunk driving crash, a DWI accident attorney can help determine what type of damages you may recover.
You May Pursue Additional Damages if You Lost a Loved One in the Accident
If your loved one passed away in a car accident, you and other qualifying surviving family members may be entitled to receive damages as compensation for other grievances. These damages may include:
- Costs to pay for funeral services and the method of choice to lay your loved one to rest (e.g., burial or cremation)
- Loss of income from your loved one if they financially contributed to the family
- Loss of parental guidance and/or companionship
- Loss of consortium
- Loss of society
Car Accident Lawsuits Have a Time Limit
According to GS §1-52, you generally have three years from the date of your car accident to file a lawsuit about your injuries. This is a general timeline, so certain factors might extend or toll this deadline, such as whether your case involves a minor or local government entity.
North Carolina has a separate statute of limitations for cases involving the death of an individual. If you are filing on behalf of your late loved one, you generally have two years to file a wrongful death lawsuit, per GS §1-53.
File Your Case Sooner Rather Than Later
The consequences for failing to file your case on time are straightforward:
- If you fail to meet the statutory deadline, a judge may dismiss your case upon its submission or after the opposing side requests its dismissal.
- If your case gets dismissed, you will be barred from pursuing compensation through litigation.
- If you lose your opportunity to pursue compensation, you would have to cover your damages yourself, including new damages that arise in the future.
It may be in your interest to file as soon as possible, as other aspects of your case may be under time constraints. Key pieces of evidence, such as surveillance footage or witnesses’ memories, may not be available or reliable after a certain amount of time.
Once you become our client, we can take action to retrieve evidence and submit your case on time.
Call Farmer & Morris Law, PLLC, for a Free Consultation on Your Car Accident Case!
If you suffered bodily injuries or property damage in a vehicle collision, you may be eligible to file a personal injury claim or lawsuit against the at-fault driver or another liable party. Let our team at Farmer & Morris Law, PLLC, review your case—which we’ll do for free.
We can have a car accident lawyer from our team start working on your case right after you call us. Our team serves Hickory and surrounding areas in North Carolina, so do not hesitate to start your legal journey with us today.