Adrienne Blocker is the managing trial attorney at DeMayo Law Offices in Charlotte. Actively involved…
Unfortunately, car accidents happen every single day in North and South Carolina. No matter how safely you operate your vehicle, drivers who are reckless, distracted, drunk, or otherwise negligent drivers can cause you to crash. If you’ve been injured in a North or South Carolina car accident that wasn’t your fault, you may be entitled to compensation.
At DeMayo Law Offices, our experienced North and South Carolina car accident attorneys can evaluate your case, and advise you on the best route to take to recover the cost of your car crash injuries.
You may be owed compensation for your medical expenses, missed work, and pain and suffering. Call DeMayo Law Offices Your North Carolina Law Firm™ at (877) 333-1000 to set up your free consultation. The personal injury lawyers at DeMayo Law Offices can help you get the compensation you need.
The moments after a car accident can be harrowing, particularly if you or a loved one has sustained a serious injury. If you can do so safely, exit your car and check on anyone in the other vehicle. Next, call 9-1-1 to report the accident and any injuries so that first responders can get to the scene as soon as possible.
You can take these steps after you’re safe to protect your legal right to compensation:
Don’t be tempted to make statements to an insurance adjuster. Your car accident lawyer knows how to negotiate on your behalf, with your own insurance company as well as the opposing insurance companies.
Unfortunately, you can only count on your car accident attorney to be on your side. Insurance companies look out for their bottom line, so it’s the insurance adjuster’s job to pay you as little money as possible. If you negotiate with them directly, you could be shortchanged or denied compensation altogether.
Insurance policies are confusing, and they’re designed to be that way. Your North or South Carolina car accident attorney will cut through the legal jargon and show you what your coverages are and what you can demand from the at-fault party.
If You Were Involved in a Car Accident, Our Attorneys Can Help. Contact Us
An auto accident claim involves two parts: the personal injury claim and the property damage claim.
The personal injury claim seeks to compensate you for damages resulting from physical injuries from the auto accident. The property damage claim seeks to compensate you for damages that occurred to your car because of the accident.
Car accident victims don’t just deal with property damage, most struggle with injuries or medical problems after a crash. Without a reliable vehicle, victims can suffer even more significant losses.
To receive compensation for damaged property, you can file a claim against your insurance company or the other driver’s insurance company. How you file your claim depends on which driver was liable for the auto accident and what type of insurance coverage you have.
North and South Carolina requires all drivers to carry $25,000 of property damage insurance. This coverage is for direct and accidental loss to your vehicle. There are two types of property damage insurance:
Read your insurance policy carefully before you make a claim. Next, contact a knowledgeable North or South Carolina property damage law firm to discuss liability.
In 2021, North Carolina reported 276,026 traffic crashes, an 11.7% increase from 2020. According to the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT), 23.9% of all fatalities were related to speeding, 22.8% involved alcohol, and 17.9% of the crashes in North Carolina involved distracted drivers.
If you were injured in a DUI accident or by a speeding driver, you might be owed compensation from the drunk or reckless driver’s insurer.
You might be able to seek financial damages for any car accident if another driver, a motor vehicle manufacturer, or another entity caused it through negligence or recklessness. Our North and South Carolina car accident attorneys have experience helping Carolinians get the money they need after being injured in an accident.
The types of car crashes we see often include:
When a driver crashes into you and leaves the scene quickly, a car accident attorney can help you find the responsible party.
Learn MoreDrunk drivers cause many accidents, including serious ones resulting in catastrophic injuries
Learn MoreAn impaired driver may crash into another car when their reflexes are suppressed by the drugs they took.
Learn MoreDistracted drivers take their eyes off the road, so the chances of them hitting other vehicles are high.
Learn MoreOne of the most common types of accidents, rear-end collisions can cause severe whiplash and spinal cord injuries.
Learn MoreSpeeding is a kind of reckless driving that can cause serious injuries. Speeding drivers are unable to stop quickly, making them likely to cause crashes.
Learn MoreIf an uninsured or underinsured driver runs into you, a car accident lawyer can help you get the compensation you need.
Learn MoreSometimes, potholes or other road defects can cause you to lose control of your car and crash, no fault of your own. The negligent municipality in charge of the road may be liable for your wreck.
Learn MoreManufacturer defects can cause cars to stop working correctly, ultimately causing collisions. The manufacturer could be responsible for the damages they cause.
Learn MoreRemember, neither your insurance company nor the other driver’s insurer will look out for your well-being after an accident. They only want to minimize your payout.
If your medical bills exceed the minimum coverage required by North Carolina law, this can be a problem. Minimum coverage requirements in North Carolina are:
The minimum coverage requirements in South Carolina are:
The car accident lawyers at DeMayo Law Offices™, Your North Carolina Law Firm™, can help you seek the maximum compensation you’re owed so that you can recover fully.
North Carolina’s negligence laws are fairly strict because the state is one of the few that adheres to the doctrine of contributory negligence. This means that if you are even partially at fault for the accident, then you can’t file for any damages.
If you’re found even one percent responsible, you can’t recoup any costs, no matter how badly you were injured in the accident.
Due to South Carolina’s “comparative negligence” system, you may be able to recover damages even if you contributed in part to the loss you suffered.
That’s why you need an experienced car accident lawyer.
Make sure you contact a lawyer to file promptly. North and South Carolina’s personal injury laws outline a three-year statute of limitations. After the deadline, you may not be able to recover the compensation you deserve.
To make your personal injury claim go as smoothly as possible, your car accident lawyer will ask you for documentation of all the costs you incurred due to the car accident, including:
Your car accident attorney will negotiate on your behalf and fight to get you the maximum settlement possible for your injury.
Talking too much, saying the wrong things, or entering into hasty agreements after a car crash can prove very costly. Unfortunately, there is a lot of pressure to make those mistakes when you’re caught up in the frenzy of an accident. Too often, people who truly deserve financial compensation for their car accident injuries make statements that prove detrimental to their claim. To prevent that, you’ll want to avoid these common mistakes:
Even a simple sentence like “I’m sorry” can be used against you. Be careful of what you say to anyone else at the scene.
The other driver in the accident will sometimes say that a police report isn't necessary. You should have an officer file a car accident report because you will need it for your insurance claim.
Never talk to an insurance representative until you've consulted with your experienced car accident attorney first. The insurance companies do not work for you, do not represent your interests, and are not on your side.
Agreeing to a settlement – even over the phone — is almost always a mistake. The insurance company’s job is to pay you as little as possible. Their settlement offer is likely far less than you deserve.
Auto accident injury claims are complicated. People who try to handle them on their own usually stumble into critical pitfalls along the way. Talk with a professional instead.
An injured passenger must make a claim against an at-fault driver’s insurance policy to collect compensation.
Like all personal injury claims, liability or fault must be proven. North Carolina practices contributory negligence rules, which prohibit an injured party from collecting compensation if they’re responsible (to any degree) for their injury. However, passengers aren’t typically liable for their injuries since they aren’t behind the wheel.
The negligence system in South Carolina is a “comparative negligence” system, which means you can collect even if you were partially to blame for the harm done to you.
Filing an injury claim as a passenger may involve one or more responsible parties. For example, the passenger’s driver and another driver could share liability for the crash—this would require two separate claims. In some cases, liability may belong to a car’s manufacturer or a car product’s manufacturer.
Insurance companies aren’t eager to pay out passengers; they also know that injured passengers are often friends or family of the at-fault driver. However, compensation will not harm your friend or family member. Don’t let an insurance adjuster undermine the compensation you may be entitled to!
Filing a car accident claim can be a difficult and complicated process. An experienced car accident lawyer can guide you through the process helping to ensure no insurance money is left on the table.
Recovering compensation from a car accident can be very difficult. Below are some frequently asked questions concerning car accidents and the claims process.
You may be able to handle your car accident claim without the aid of a car accident lawyer, but it will be much more difficult. An experienced car accident lawyer will have experience dealing with insurance adjusters and insurance companies.
An auto accident lawyer will also be able to investigate the auto accident and help show that the auto accident was not your fault. Finally, settlements reached with the aid of a car accident lawyer are generally more substantial than settlements reached without an experienced auto accident lawyer.
Yes, even though calling the police after an auto accident is not mandatory in all states by contacting the police after your auto accident, you will be able to obtain a police report about the auto accident.
A police report can be essential to your car accident claim because it should detail the evidence you will need for your claim.
Contact DeMayo Law Offices to schedule your free initial car accident consultation.
Yes. Many times, injuries sustained during an auto accident do not arise for some time after the accident occurred. While you may feel well right now, you may still be injured. You should always seek medical attention after being involved in a car accident.
If you are not liable for the auto accident, you will be able to receive compensation for any medical costs you have to pay following the auto accident.
Insurance adjusters work for insurance companies, and it is their job to save the insurance company as much money as possible from your auto accident. While it is okay to speak with the insurance adjuster about the auto accident, you should always have some sort of witness present, preferably an experienced car accident lawyer.
At DeMayo Law Offices, our car accident lawyers work on a contingency fee basis, which means we do not take an attorney’s fee unless we recover money on your behalf. We don’t get paid until you get paid, so we fight hard to win your case.
Additionally, we offer initial consultations in person or over the phone – completely free of charge.
When you contact our office, you’ll know you have experience and dedication on your side, and you won’t have to pay up front in order to secure the justice you deserve.
When you become a victim of a car crash, you need a lawyer on your side who can help you get the maximum compensation. We know that the time after a car wreck can be very stressful, and we want to help. The financial compensation we may be able to help you receive will benefit you and your loved ones and allow you to recover financially while you heal.
Our car accident lawyers and dedicated team are available if you have questions or concerns. We will work with you to make sure no questions are left unanswered. We focus on you and what we can do to make this time in your life easier.
Call our team at DeMayo Law Offices to schedule a free, no-obligation consultation. We can take your call today at (877) 333-1000.