Car accidents in Shelby happen every day. But there’s only one that matters: yours. If you or a loved one suffered injuries in an auto accident, you have legal options. One of those options involves partnering with a Shelby car accident lawyer from Farmer & Morris Law, PLLC. With our advocacy, you can recover compensation for medical bills, lost income, and other injury-related losses.
During your recovery, you shouldn’t have to deal with pushy claims adjusters or aggressive third parties. All you should focus on is feeling better. To connect with our law firm and start a free, no-obligation case review with our car accident lawyers team in Shelby, call now.
You Can Recover Financial Compensation if Another Party Acted Negligently
When our team represents you, we support your case with evidence. Why? Because we need to show that the other party acted negligently to secure damages. Our experienced attorneys aim to show:
- The other party owed a duty of care to drive with reasonable caution.
- The other party acted carelessly or recklessly, perhaps by speeding or driving while intoxicated.
- The other party’s actions led to your accident and injuries.
- You suffered damages, such as medical expenses.
To prove these components of negligence, we aim to build a strong case file based on your recollections, witness testimonies, and documentation. 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.
Our Injury Lawyers Operate on Contingency Fees
We want to minimize your financial burden in any way possible. You don’t pay anything upfront or out of pocket to get our lawyers’ help. That’s because we work on a contingency-fee basis. In this arrangement, it costs you nothing to secure legal assistance. We only ask for our attorney’s fees at the conclusion of your claim or civil lawsuit. What’s more, we extend this proposal to every client, no matter how bad their serious injuries are.
We Use the Accident Report to Support Your Right to Damages in North Carolina
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 wreck report, we can pull the following details to help strengthen your claim or lawsuit:
- The wreck’s location, date, and time
- Driver, insurer, and witness contact information
- Vehicle description and identifying details
- Accident reconstruction data
- Potential distractions or other contributing factors
Your car wreck report is a key piece of evidence, so our team will obtain this document on your behalf.
Your Medical Records Prove the Severity of Your Condition
Your Shelby car accident lawyer will compile and organize medical records and bills that typically follow a car wreck. 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 will 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 wreck-related medical expenses after the case is resolved. That should be the responsible party’s obligation––not yours.
A Car Accident Photo Tells a Thousand Words
Your car wreck report might contain photos of the accident scene. Photos of your car can help establish points of impact. In addition to these items, other supporting information in your case may comprise:
- Imaging scan results
- Smartphone photos and videos
- Surveillance and dashcam footage
Photos can tell the story of a wreck. If you or any passengers in your car have additional photos or evidence, we can use this information to bolster your claim.
Our Law Firm Offers Comprehensive Legal Representation to Injured Claimants
From the moment we take on your injury claim, we intend to do everything possible to reach a fair conclusion, whether through a settlement or court award. Our injury team intends to support you by:
Learning Liability for Your Shelby Car Wreck
To recover 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 in your case, you could seek compensation from multiple sources.
Our investigation can determine which of the following parties is legally responsible for your auto wreck:
- Another driver: Human error is the leading cause of traffic accidents. Another driver could be liable for your losses if speeding, intoxication, or failing to follow traffic signals caused your accident.
- 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: Government agencies have an obligation to maintain public roads. This includes filling potholes, posting warning signs, and roping off dangerous areas. Otherwise, a municipality could bear liability for your losses.
- 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 it failed to test a product adequately or recall it immediately.
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 can hold every party accountable for your losses.
Negotiating a Fair and Just Settlement
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, your attorney can schedule a time to meet and:
- Present police reports and other evidence in your case file
- State how much you are looking to settle for and explain why that is an appropriate amount
- Fight back against any 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
Financial Recovery in Your North Carolina Insurance Claim or Lawsuit
Types of damages in your Shelby personal injury case could include:
- 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
- Loss of companionship
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Funeral and burial expenses, where applicable
Our team at Farmer & Morris Law, PLLC wants to ensure your case receives a thorough and accurate valuation. We can 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 personal injury claim on your behalf.
Your Shelby Car Accident Case Benefits From Prompt Legal Action
Filing a personal injury lawsuit comes with a time limit, commonly known as the statute of limitations. 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 within the appropriate timeline is vital. Failure to comply could mean giving up your ability to compel the at-fault driver to compensate you. When you involve our legal 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 a wreck, the more time we have to investigate its cause thoroughly. With sufficient time, we can:
- Investigate and photograph the wreck scene
- Find and interview eyewitnesses
- Locate residential and business surveillance videos
Early involvement also gives us time to prove the costs of the wreck. 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 drive settlement negotiations in your favor and resolve your case without a lengthy trial.
Get Help from Our Personal Injury Lawyers
After a car wreck in Shelby, you do not have to fight for financial compensation on your own. Contact Farmer & Morris Law, PLLC today for immediate help. We’re ready to start advocating for you now.