If you or a loved one was injured in a car wreck in Shelby, we can help you file an insurance claim or lawsuit for financial compensation. A personal injury lawsuit may help you receive compensation for your accident-related medical care, income loss, and pain and suffering. We can also help you seek compensation to repair or replace your damaged vehicle.
When our team helps you seek compensation, a Shelby car accident lawyer will guide you through the steps for assigning liability to the at-fault driver, valuing your lawsuit, and proving your right to compensation. We also handle all insurance forms, guide you through the entire personal injury process from start to finish, and ensure compliance with the state’s statute of limitations.
In This Article
How We Build a Strong Case for Financial Compensation
When our team represents you, we aim to fill your case file with evidence of the at-fault driver’s negligence and financial responsibility. We will aim to prove:
- Duty of care
- Breach of duty
- How the liable party’s actions caused the accident
- You suffered damages
To prove these components of negligence, we aim to build a strong case file based on your recollections, witness testimonies, and the evidence we collect. We will also provide you with regular updates on the progress of your case. Our goal is to negotiate a favorable settlement on your behalf. If necessary, we will also represent you in court.
Your Car Accident Report is Key
Per GS § 20-166, a report is required after a car wreck causes injury or death. As soon as yours is processed and ready, we can obtain a copy for your case file. From your car accident report, we can pull the following details to help strengthen your claim or lawsuit:
- Accident location, date, and time
- Driver, insurer, and witness contact information
- Vehicle description and identifying details
- Accident sequence, speed, and narrative
- Potential distractions or other contributing factors
Your car accident report is a key piece of evidence, so our team will obtain this document with all possible speed. We can also help you compile additional evidence in an effort to prove the at-fault driver owes you financial compensation.
Your Medical Records Tell the Story of Your Injuries
The car accident lawyer who represents you in Shelby will help you compile and organize the abundance of medical records and bills that typically follow a car accident. The compilation of your medical records helps us define the cost of your:
- Emergency medical care
- Follow-up medical care
- Future medical treatments
- Assistive medical devices
Our client support team can help you gather these records and use them to value your current and future damages. You do not want to be left paying for ongoing accident-related medical care after the case is resolved.
Supportive Photos and Videos
Your car accident report might contain photos of the accident scene, while photos of your car can help establish points of impact. In addition to these, the evidence file we build may also contain:
- Photos of your injuries
- Smartphone photos and videos
- Surveillance and dashcam footage
Photos can tell the story of an accident. If you or any passengers in your car have additional photos or evidence, we can add this evidence to the case to support your right to financial compensation.
For a legal consultation with a car accidents lawyer serving Shelby, call 828.286.3866
You May Be Entitled to Financial Compensation for an At-Fault Driver’s Negligence
Knowing and proving the recoverable damages you are entitled to after a car wreck can be challenging. Our case evaluation team can help establish your right to the following types of recoverable damages:
- Known and anticipated medical bills
- Known and anticipated loss of income
- Property damage or destruction
- Physical disfigurement or disability
- Physical pain and suffering
- Mental and emotional anguish
- Funeral and burial expenses, where applicable
Our team at Farmer & Morris Law, PLLC wants to ensure your lawsuit receives a thorough and accurate valuation. We can help collect your bills from every medical professional in each facility where you received treatment. On your own, this task can be daunting. While you cope with getting better, we can build a solid case for you.
Fight for Your Recoverable Damages Immediately
Your lawsuit for financial compensation has a time limit, commonly known as the statute of limitations. North Carolina law dictates the amount of time you have to file your personal injury or wrongful death lawsuit. Accordingly, you generally have:
- Three years to file a personal injury lawsuit, according to GS § 1-52
- Two years to file a wrongful death lawsuit, according to GS § 1-53
Filing your lawsuit according to the appropriate timeline is vital. Failure to comply could mean you give up your ability to compel the at-fault driver to compensate you. When you involve our team right away, we work hard to meet this filing deadline.
Prompt Involvement Helps Us Investigate Your Lawsuit
The sooner you contact a member of our team after an accident, the more time we have to investigate its cause thoroughly. With sufficient time, we can:
- Investigate and photograph the accident scene
- Find and interview accident witnesses
- Locate residential and business surveillance videos
Early involvement also gives us time to prove the costs of the accident. That means our team has time to:
- Compile bills and estimates from all relevant sources
- Have your vehicle thoroughly inspected
- Calculate the costs of your non-economic damages
The more time our team has to build a supportive case file on your behalf, the better we can organize the evidence and present it to the at-fault party and their representatives. A solid evidence file can help drive settlement negotiations in your favor and resolve your case without a lengthy trial.
Negotiating a Fair and Just Settlement
The liable party has caused you and your family a great deal of grief and financial distress. They should be the one to pay for your losses, not you.
After collecting all of the evidence described above, we can notify the liable party and their representatives that you are seeking compensation. If the insurance company is open to negotiations – and they often are – your attorney can schedule meeting times to sit down with them and:
- Present your case file
- State how much you are looking to settle for and explain why that is an appropriate amount
- Fight back against any of their attempts to reduce your payout
- Draw up the settlement agreement
Taking the Fight to the Courtroom
Negotiating a settlement is faster and easier for all parties; the insurance company makes the case “go away” sooner, and you do not have to wait as long to get much-needed funds in your pocket.
However, in a minority of cases, the insurance company refuses to offer fair compensation. Instead of settling for a lower amount, we can take your case to trial and seek a jury award instead. A courtroom trial may involve:
- Scheduling court dates
- Selecting an impartial jury
- Preparing and delivering oral arguments
- Preparing witnesses to testify
- Questioning all witnesses on the stand
- Submitting evidence and other important paperwork
Shelby Car Accident Lawyer Near Me 828.286.3866
Who to Sue for Car Wreck Damages
To receive damages from the liable party, you must first identify who the liable party is. In some cases, there may be more than one liable party; if that is true for you, you may be able to get compensation from multiple sources.
Our investigation can determine which of the following parties is legally responsible for your wreck.
- Another driver: Wrecks often happen because a driver failed to obey traffic laws, was distracted by a device, or was intoxicated.
- A mechanic: Either you or the other driver may have relied on a negligent mechanic who failed to spot trouble with the vehicle or did not provide proper service.
- The local government: Depending on what road your wreck happened on, it was a city or municipality’s job to maintain that road. Their failure to address hazards promptly could make them liable in a car wreck lawsuit.
- A maintenance contractor: If the government hired a maintenance team to repair the road, and the maintenance team failed to do their job properly, that team may then be found responsible.
- An auto parts manufacturer: Was the wreck caused or worsened by a faulty auto part, such as a malfunctioning steering column? The manufacturer may be held liable if they failed to test their product adequately or to recall it immediately upon recognizing the problem.
In some cases, the liable party is easy to identify. In others, the wreck is more complex, and it may take time and effort to figure out what happened. Either way, Farmer & Morris Law, PLLC wants to ensure you hold all liable parties to account.
Get Help from a Car Accident Lawyer
After a car wreck in Shelby, you do not have to fight for financial compensation on your own. Contact a Farmer & Morris Law, PLLC team member by calling today for immediate help. Your complimentary case assessment awaits. Reach out to our Shelby, North Carolina office by calling (704) 482-1112.
Call or text 828.286.3866 or complete a Case Evaluation form