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If you are recovering from injuries you suffered in a car accident in Spindale, N.C., that someone else’s negligence caused, we can help you seek damages that can help you pay your medical bills, repair or replace your vehicle, and compensate you for other losses you have.
A lawyer with Farmer & Morris Law, PLLC, can protect your rights and manage your case for financial recovery from the individual who caused your accident and injuries. We offer a free initial consultation where we learn more about what happened, what injuries and losses were suffered, and what legal options are available to you. You can meet with our team member today to learn more about how we can help you.
We Will Help You Pursue Damages From the Liable Party
As we set out to hold the other party accountable for your accident, we must review the details to determine how much compensation you can seek in your claim or lawsuit. The severity of your injuries and your recovery time, along with other factors, will be weighed as we determine how much your case is worth. We will look at all of your expenses and losses, including ones you may not know you have, and then calculate them to come up with a value for your case.
Why Knowing the Value of Your Case Matters
Having a dollar amount for your case in hand helps you evaluate any settlement offers you may receive from an insurance company. You will want to compare the offer to your case’s value to determine if the proposal is enough to cover your expenses. If it isn’t, you can negotiate for a larger settlement or decide to seek compensation with a lawsuit. We will counsel you on any offers you receive, but you will make the final decision.
Injuries can allow you to recover damages from the other driver and their auto insurance policy. Your damages can likely be split into two main categories called economic damages and non-economic damages. We’ll explain each below.
Economic Damages
Economic damages are expenses that can be documented with receipts, statements, invoices, and other documentation. In many accidents, medical expenses for past and future treatment are the largest expense. This compensation can include:
- Emergency room care
- Hospital stays
- Surgeries and rehabilitation services
- Doctor’s appointments
- Medical devices and prescription medications
- Other related medical care costs, such as transportation to/from appointments
You also may have:
- Lost income, benefits due to missing work to recover from accident injuries
- Reduced earning ability due to injuries that impair you temporarily or permanently from going back to the job you had
- Vehicle damage that requires repairs or replacements
- Other accident-related expenses
Non-Economic Damages
Non-economic damages do not have a fixed dollar amount but can be proven with documentation of how much they affect your quality of life. These damages compensate you for the pain and suffering you will experience throughout your life because of the accident. These losses include:
- Pain and suffering
- Mental anguish
- Loss of a limb or loss of use of a limb
- Disability or disfigurement
- Mental health conditions (anxiety, depression, insomnia)
- Loss of life enjoyment
- Loss of companionship
A jury can consider factors such as the severity of your injury and the impact it has on your ability to work, pursue your goals, and provide for your family when deciding on non-economic damages.
Wrongful Death Damages
When car wrecks cause fatal injuries, surviving family members can file a wrongful death action that allows them to collect compensation on behalf of their loved one. If you recently lost a family member to a car accident in Spindale, we offer condolences to you and your family.
We realize that this is a difficult time, and that legal action may feel like another thing to take care of. We can take this legal matter off your hands while you take care of your family. Our lawyer can identify who can file a wrongful death action for your family under North Carolina’s law. If your case is successful, compensation can help you:
- Take care of your loved one’s funeral and burial expenses
- Pay their final medical bills and other outstanding debts
- Replace the income they contributed to the household
There may be other damages your family may be eligible to receive. We can review your situation and help you move forward with a wrongful death action if that is the next step.
How Our Legal Representation Can Benefit Your Case
Working with our lawyer after a car accident in the Spindale area could make pursuing legal recovery less challenging. Accident victims are understandably focused on their recovery, but they can still seek to hold the negligent party accountable as they heal from their injuries.
Our lawyer can take care of your case from beginning to end. They will:
- File a personal injury claim against the other driver
- Review the evidence you have and collect additional evidence to prove your case
- Interview accident witnesses
- Consult with expert witnesses (e.g., accident reconstructionist, medical experts)
- Build your case for compensation
- Identify liable parties in your accident
- Calculate your economic and non-economic damages to determine your case’s value
- Handle all communications with the liable party’s insurer on your behalf to begin the claims process
- Negotiate a settlement award that compensates you
- Take your case to trial if necessary
We will keep you updated on any changes or developments in your case. We will explain how the laws apply to your case and answer any of your questions or concerns. Having our lawyer seek financial recovery for you sends a message that you are serious about receiving compensation. It also helps you save time and avoid mistakes in the legal process.
Also, because North Carolina is a contributory negligence state, you must prove the other party is 100% at fault for your injuries. Otherwise, you will not be able to pursue compensation from the liable party. You can meet with our lawyer during a free consultation where you can discuss your Spindale-area car wreck.
Car Accident Victims Have a Limited Window to Take Legal Action
If you are thinking about holding the person who hit you accountable with an injury lawsuit, the sooner you act, the sooner we can get to work on proving your case for damages. Like other states, North Carolina limits how long injury victims can seek legal action.
As outlined in G.S. § 1-52, car accident victims in Spindale have three years from the injury’s date to sue the liable party. Those seeking a wrongful death action have two years from the person’s death date, per G.S. § 1-53. Our lawyer will not be able to help you with your case if you miss either of these deadlines set by North Carolina’s statutes of limitations. Our team can help you figure out how much time you have left.
If you hire us to manage your case, we will meet all legal deadlines for essential paperwork, so you won’t have to keep track of another matter while trying to recover from your accident.
We Can Help You Determine Fault in Your Car Accident
We must be able to prove that the at-fault driver caused your accident and injuries. Based on the evidence, we must show:
- The at-fault driver owed you a duty of care on the road.
- The driver failed to meet the duty of care to keep you safe.
- This failure to keep you safe caused your accident.
- You suffered from injuries as a result of the accident.
If you are awarded a settlement, the insurance policy will reimburse you for your economic losses. Damages that exceed coverage limits can be recovered through civil litigation against the driver or by filing a claim with your insurance company. North Carolina requires drivers to maintain underinsured and uninsured motorist (UM/UIM) coverage, which can pay for high economic costs.
Fault is determined by the involved insurance companies. The results of a police investigation can play a role in who your insurance company determines is responsible for the accident. This means that you may want to contact a lawyer if you have been hurt in a car accident in the Spindale, NC, area.
North Carolina’s Contributory Negligence Law Can Affect Your Case
To collect damages in a personal injury lawsuit, North Carolina requires you to prove:
- You did not contribute to the accident, and
- The other party is responsible for the injuries you sustained
This means that if you are 1% at fault for a car wreck, you could potentially be barred from recovery for civil damages from the other driver who hit you.
For example, let’s say you are injured after being hit by a drunk driver. If you failed to use a turn signal and it contributed to the accident, you may not be able to recover damages.
That makes it essential to document the accident and your injuries, as some injuries may support your argument that the other driver was 100% at fault. Our lawyer can use evidence from your accident, such as the police report, photos, video footage, and witness statements, to prove to the jury that the other driver is solely responsible.
Call Farmer & Morris Law, PLLC, Today for a Free Consultation
We can help you pursue compensation against the other driver in your Spindale-area car accident. Our firm works on contingency, which means we do not collect any upfront payment from you to start working on your case. Our attorney’s fees will come out of your settlement or court-ordered award. If you do not collect compensation, you do not owe us anything for our services.
Call Farmer & Morris Law, PLLC today at (828) 286-3866 to speak to a team member about a consultation and case evaluation.
