The Personal Injury Recovery Process In North Carolina
After a car crash or other accident in North Carolina, injured victims can all too easily find themselves struggling financially. In theory, the personal injury claim system exists to stop this. It allows you to claim damages for everything from lost wages to medical expenses from those whose negligence is responsible for your injury.
Unfortunately, in North Carolina, as in the rest of the country, the insurance companies responsible for these payments are reluctant, stubborn, or downright dishonest in an attempt to pay you less.
Here at the Emory Law Firm, we fight to ensure they do not get away with that; our lawyers will advocate for a just and fair personal injury outcome for you or your injured loved one.
North Carolina Personal Injury Claim FAQs
The first step in ensuring a just and fair outcome is bringing you up to speed on the important laws, facts, and procedures of the personal injury process. This is why the first thing we do is answer your questions whether you walk in the door or call us from a hospital bed, we will provide information and answers about:
How Much Is My Claim Worth? How Much Compensation Will I Get?
In the wake of an injury in North Carolina, individuals tend to inquire about potential compensation if they plan to file a personal injury claim. While it’s understandable to anticipate the amount, the reality we are always honest about is that it is challenging to provide an immediate estimate.
This is because there is a broad variety of factors that contribute to the total value of a personal injury claim, such as
- The extent of your injuries,
- Where you are in the course of your medical treatment,
- The existence of any temporary or permanent disability,
- Whether the injury has impacted your earning capacity.
Furthermore, the final determination of claim value will need to include everything from assessing the damage to the car to any psychological impact and possible future medical needs. These can also impact the duration of the personal claim procedure in North Carolina.
How Long Will My Personal Injury Claim Take In North Carolina?
Given the difficulty of your situation after an accident, it is only natural to ask about the duration of the case or claim. Unfortunately, case duration varies, ranging from a few months to several years, primarily based on the severity and complexity of the injury.
How Do I Begin The Personal Injury Claim Process After An Accident?
Starting a personal injury claim process after a serious accident in North Carolina involves filing a report with the insurance company. This procedure is similar across insurance companies, though they each have unique nuances. The key step is reporting the claim, which sets the process in motion.
While it is possible to do so entirely on your own, given insurance companies’ tendencies to try and take advantage of anything and everything they can, it is wise to complete even this step with an attorney who can advise you on how to present your claim.
What Are The Most Common Tactics Insurance Companies Use To Deny Or Limit A Personal Injury Claim?
In North Carolina, we contend with the challenge of a law known as contributory negligence, making it one of the stricter states. This law, originating from Great Britain, states that if you are even 1% at fault for the injury or the accident that caused it, you may be denied the ability to recover at all, even if another party is 99% at fault.
Insurance companies love to try to use this law in their favor to avoid paying our vital personal injury compensation to people like you who need it. We think this is both unjust and unfair, and while it is a major obstacle, we have been consistently successful in challenging this rule and obtaining compensation for injury victims like you, despite its low fault threshold.
When Should I Hire A Personal Injury Attorney?
There’s no predefined timeline for when you should hire a personal injury attorney. However, it’s often beneficial to engage an attorney immediately after the incident. This advice is grounded in the potential risk of contributory negligence. Insurance companies often seek a recorded statement early in the process, and any statement against your interest could prevent recovery from the accident.
As a result, getting an attorney involved from the start can provide invaluable protection and guidance. We can help with everything from directing you to the best doctors to helping with statements. While it’s not obligatory to hire an attorney at a specific time, doing so right after the incident happens is usually the best course of action.
Call The Emory Law Firm Now To Get A Personal Injury Lawyer On Your Side!
It is not uncommon for people to seek legal counsel at various stages of their claim; some even wait until after they have finished their medical treatment. While this is certainly not too late, it may limit our ability to seek a just and fair outcome for your case.
The sooner you call our office in Kinston, North Carolina, at (704) 324-8500 or book an online consultation to discuss your injury and claim, the sooner our personal injury attorney will get to work to ensure you get fair and just compensation for your injuries.
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