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Farmer & Morris Law, PLLC, is a six-attorney firm with years of experience representing injured clients in North Carolina. We investigate pedestrian collisions, deal directly with insurance companies, and pursue compensation for the harm caused by negligent drivers.
Our Fletcher pedestrian accident lawyers have helped injury and disability clients recover more than $100 million. We bring that experience, along with personal attention and clear communication, to every pedestrian injury claim we accept.
Speak with a Fletcher personal injury lawyer from our firm today to schedule a free consultation and learn how we can help.
How Our Fletcher Pedestrian Accident Attorneys Can Help
When our firm represents you, we take responsibility for developing the evidence and communicating with the insurance companies. We may obtain photographs, surveillance recordings, witness statements, vehicle data, medical records, employment documentation, and other evidence that helps establish fault and damages.
Our firm can also determine whether responsibility extends beyond the individual driver. Depending on the circumstances, an employer, commercial vehicle owner, or another party may share legal liability.
We identify the available sources of insurance coverage and prepare a claim that addresses each responsible party.
Common Causes of Pedestrian Collisions in Fletcher
Most pedestrian collisions are preventable and often occur because a driver fails to maintain a proper lookout, approaches an intersection too quickly, or begins a turn without checking the crosswalk and sidewalk.
Frequent causes include:
- Failing to yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk.
- Driving too fast for traffic, weather, or visibility conditions.
- Looking at a phone or another device.
- Turning through an intersection without checking for pedestrians.
- Backing out of a driveway or parking space without looking carefully.
- Driving while impaired by alcohol or drugs.
- Ignoring a traffic light or pedestrian signal.
- Failing to use reasonable care near schools, stores, and residential areas.
Some collisions result from several unsafe decisions rather than one isolated act. A driver may be speeding, distracted, and unable to stop in time after finally noticing a pedestrian.
Our pedestrian accident lawyers serving Fletcher examine the full sequence of events instead of relying only on the driver’s explanation or the initial conclusions in the crash report.
North Carolina Pedestrian Right-of-Way Laws
North Carolina law imposes duties on both motorists and pedestrians. Drivers are generally required to yield to pedestrians who are lawfully within certain crosswalks, and motorists must exercise appropriate care when entering or leaving driveways and other areas that cross a sidewalk.
Pedestrians also have legal responsibilities. A pedestrian who crosses a roadway outside a marked crosswalk or an unmarked crosswalk at an intersection generally must yield to approaching vehicles. Pedestrians may also be required to obey pedestrian-control signals and use available sidewalks under certain conditions.
These rules do not mean that a driver is automatically free from responsibility whenever a pedestrian is outside a crosswalk. The conduct of both parties must be evaluated in light of the roadway, traffic conditions, visibility, speed, and opportunity to avoid the collision.
How Contributory Negligence Can Affect Your Claim
North Carolina applies the doctrine of contributory negligence. Under this rule, a defendant may argue that an injured person’s own failure to use reasonable care contributed to the collision and prevents recovery.
In a pedestrian claim, the insurance company may contend that you crossed against a signal, stepped unexpectedly into traffic, failed to use an available crosswalk, or did not remain attentive to approaching vehicles. Even when the driver’s conduct appears plainly unsafe, the insurer may focus heavily on these allegations because of the effect they can have under North Carolina law.
Our Fletcher pedestrian accident attorneys use extensive evidence to challenge unsupported accusations and present a clear account of why the collision occurred.
Compensation Available After a Pedestrian Injury
Compensation in a pedestrian accident claim depends on the evidence establishing liability and the losses caused by the collision. Every claim must be evaluated individually because two people with similar diagnoses may have very different treatment needs, occupations, and long-term limitations.
Depending on the facts, a claim may include compensation for:
- Emergency care, hospitalization, surgery, and rehabilitation.
- Follow-up treatment, medication, and anticipated medical expenses.
- Lost wages and reduced future earning capacity.
- Physical pain and emotional suffering.
- Scarring, disfigurement, or permanent impairment.
- Damage to clothing and other personal property.
When a pedestrian dies from collision-related injuries, the personal representative of the estate may have grounds to bring a wrongful death action. North Carolina law permits recovery of certain losses associated with the death, including medical expenses, burial expenses, lost income or services, and the loss of the deceased person’s companionship.
Dealing With the Insurance Company
Insurance adjusters often contact injured pedestrians before the full extent of the injuries is known. An adjuster may request a statement, question whether treatment is necessary, or offer a settlement while you are still receiving care. Accepting payment usually requires a release that ends the claim, even if your condition later worsens or additional treatment becomes necessary.
When Farmer & Morris Law represents you, we handle those communications and provide the insurer with organized evidence supporting liability and damages. We also review settlement offers in light of your medical prognosis, financial losses, and future needs rather than considering only the expenses incurred to date.
When an insurer refuses to offer reasonable compensation, we can discuss filing a lawsuit and pursuing the claim through litigation.
How Long You Have to File a Claim
North Carolina generally provides three years from the date of a personal injury to file a lawsuit. Wrongful death claims are generally subject to a shorter period, and additional notice or filing requirements may apply when a governmental entity is involved.
The legal deadline is not the only reason to act promptly. A claim becomes harder to prove when recordings are erased, physical evidence is lost, or witnesses no longer remember the event clearly.
Speaking with an attorney early gives the firm more time to investigate the collision and preserve supporting evidence.
Speak With a Pedestrian Accident Attorney Serving Fletcher
Farmer & Morris Law, PLLC, represents injured pedestrians with the careful preparation and personal attention these claims require.
We handle personal injury cases on a contingency-fee basis, which means attorney’s fees are collected only if we obtain compensation for you. The written representation agreement will explain how fees and case expenses are handled.
Contact our firm today for a free consultation with a pedestrian accident attorney serving Fletcher.
