When drivers change lanes in an erratic fashion or without signaling their intent, their actions might lead to collisions. According to the North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV), 14,191 car accidents were attributed to improper or unsafe lane changes in 2018, including:
- 2,130 accidents that led to injuries
- 12 accidents that led to fatalities
If you or someone you love was injured in a car accident because of another driver’s unsafe lane change, you might have the basis of a personal injury lawsuit. Find out how a Marion unsafe lane change accident lawyer might be able to help you obtain the compensation you might be due by proving the negligence and cause behind your accident. Contact Farmer & Morris Law, PLLC by calling (828) 286-3866 today.
Potential Recoverable Damages
The financial impact of the injuries you sustain in a car accident might be the responsibility of the driver who caused the collision. After our team helps you prove the at-fault driver’s negligence, we may also help you understand the monetary value of your injuries and their resulting expenses.
You might be entitled to recover the financial damages that arise from the accident, including:
- Medical expenses
- Rehabilitation services
- Education costs
- Loss of earnings
- Loss of earning capacity
- Loss of use of property
- Costs of property repair
- Property replacement value
- Substitute domestic services
- Pain and suffering
- Inconvenience
- Physical impairment
- Physical disfigurement
- Mental anguish
- Emotional distress
- Loss of society
- Loss of companionship
- Loss of consortium
If someone you love was fatally injured in an accident caused by unsafe lane changes, you might also be able to recover their reasonable funeral and burial costs. In addition to defining the value of your injuries, we may also be able to help you file your lawsuit in compliance with the statute of limitations.
The Timing of Your Lawsuit Is Important
While valuing your potential lawsuit is critically important, it must also be filed on time. According to the North Carolina General Statutes (GS) §1-52, that generally means filing within three years of the accident. If you do not file within that time, you will most likely not be allowed to file your lawsuit, and it would thus be dismissed.
A Marion unsafe lane change accident lawyer on our team may be able to help you meet the North Carolina statute of limitations. Get our team involved in your personal injury lawsuit as soon as possible to help ensure timely filing. Contact Farmer & Morris Law, PLLC by calling (828) 286-3866 today.
Start Building an Evidence File with Your Crash Report
It is always a good idea to generate a crash report as soon as possible after a car accident. Doing so captures important details of the accident that might help substantiate your right to financial recovery. In fact, the GS §20-166.1 requires the immediate reporting of a car accident. The official crash report may tell our team important accident details, including:
- Accident date, time, and location
- Each driver’s contact details
- Insurance company contact details
- Alcohol or drug involvement
- Points of vehicle contact
- Driver maneuvers and actions
- Crash sequence
- Each driver’s speed
- Accident diagram and narrative
- Apparent property damage
Capturing these details can help tell our team and the at-fault driver’s insurer the story of the accident. That may mean your crash report helps prove the at-fault driver’s negligence and his potential obligation to reimburse you for your accident-related costs.
Complete Your Evidence File
In addition to your crash report, our team may gather additional evidence to help build a solid case file. The supporting evidence we place in your case file might include photos of:
- Your injuries
- Your vehicle
- The accident scene
If it is available, we may also include residential, commercial, or smartphone video footage. We may also identify, locate, and interview pedestrians or other drivers who witnessed the accident. In addition, we will add your medical records and bills to your evidence to help prove the current and future value of your injuries.
Our team members may also request your employment or other financial data to prove the cost of any income you cannot earn when your injuries prevent you from working. We might use this financial information to form the basis of the value of your potential compensation package. It might also help us calculate the starting point of negotiations with the at-fault driver’s insurance provider.
Our Team May Support Your Settlement Negotiations
Our team will fight hard for your financial compensation, even if it means going to court. If possible, we may try to negotiate a financial settlement that lets you avoid a protracted court case. While you, not our legal team, will have the final say in accepting or declining a settlement offer, our team may advise you on the feasibility of each offer you receive.
When you are ready to negotiate a favorable settlement, our team is ready to help. We might be able to ensure you do not inadvertently accept a settlement that does not present an accurate estimation of your lawsuit’s value. We also fight hard to ensure you are not forced to bear out-of-pocket expenses for an accident caused by the at-fault driver’s negligence.
You Do Not Have to Fight Alone
Fighting for the financial compensation you are entitled to can be a long and arduous process. It can be made even more so if your injuries are substantial. While you focus on your physical restoration, our team goes to work on your financial restoration. Our Marion unsafe lane change accident lawyer might be able to help you prove the cause of your injuries, the negligence behind the cause, and the financial impact of the accident.
Our team might also help negotiate a favorable and mutually agreeable financial settlement. When you are ready to pursue the at-fault driver, contact Farmer & Morris Law, PLLC by calling (828) 286-3866 today.