Every year, the number of car accidents in North Carolina is a concern for law enforcement and highway planning agencies. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), highway safety is made a part of the governor’s growth and development plan to ensure that resources are devoted to finding ways of improving driving safety. Unfortunately, there are still many accidents every year that result in serious injuries, property damage, and fatalities.
A car accident can have a big impact on your life by causing injuries and damaging your finances. After a car accident, starting the recovery process can be difficult if you are struggling to pay bills and have extensive debt to cover your other expenses. You may be eligible to take legal action to recover financial compensation that can help with your expenses.
If you or a loved one were injured in a car accident, you may be able to hold the driver who caused your accident liable. To find out what your legal options are, contact a Charlotte car accident lawyer by calling the offices of Ben Crump Law, PLLC at (844) 730-0233 for a free consultation about your case.
Determining Liability
If you are injured in a car accident, the person who caused your car accident may be held liable for your expenses. This is often the case in civil lawsuits, where the at-fault party pays financial compensation to help victims with related costs. Under civil law, you have the right to sue anyone who causes you a physical injury or property damage like what happened in your accident. Their actions resulted in damages and related expenses that they should be held liable for.
Police officers investigate the accident site to try to determine who is responsible. Likewise, as your lawyer builds your case, they will determine if the driver is the only liable party and adjust the lawsuit as necessary if other parties are involved.
For a free legal consultation with a car accidents lawyer serving Charlotte, call (844) 730-0233
Common Costs of Car Accidents
Car accidents happen every day, and many victims each year have to deal with similar costs and expenses during their recovery. Some specific costs that are common to car accidents include:
- Medical expenses: The costs of emergency medical treatment, hospital stays, ongoing treatment, specialist care, and rehabilitation therapy can be claimed in a lawsuit. You may even be able to claim mental health care costs as well.
- Car repairs: Getting your car repaired can be expensive, even if you have good car insurance. In some cases, your car may need to be replaced. Your insurance company may not offer enough compensation to make this easy, but you can claim these expenses in a lawsuit.
- Lost wages: If you have to miss work because you lost your vehicle or you have injuries, you may not be paid for the time that you missed. You can claim those lost wages in the lawsuit.
- Pain and suffering: Compensation for pain and suffering is not awarded in every case, but it can have a major impact on how much compensation is received when it is awarded. It is reserved for cases where the accident had a major emotional or mental impact on the victim, and it can sometimes be several times more than the other types of compensation that are awarded.
There are costs associated with car accidents that may not be covered on this list. You can claim just about any expense in your lawsuit as long as it meets one of the causes of action outlined by civil law. Your lawyer will provide evidence showing that each expense is directly related to your accident. Make sure to document all of your expenses so that your Charlotte car accident lawyer can easily identify them and ensure that you receive correct compensation.
In addition to your lawyer making sure you receive fair compensation, if the judge feels that the at-fault driver acted in a particularly unacceptable way, punitive compensation may be awarded. Its purpose is to punish the at-fault driver in an effort to motivate better behavior in the future.
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Reasons to Hire a Lawyer
If you are involved in a car accident, one of the best choices that you can make for yourself is to hire a lawyer. There are many ways that a lawyer can help you deal with the fallout from a car accident, including negotiating settlements and dealing with insurance companies. Your lawyer can also file a lawsuit to claim compensation for expenses, which can be helpful if insurance will not cover all of your expenses. If this is the path that you decide to take, you should know that there is a legal time limit as to how long you have to file your lawsuit.
This time limit is called the statute of limitations, and every state sets different statutes for different types of lawsuits. In North Carolina, you have three years to file personal injury and property damage lawsuits, according to NC General Statutes (GS) §1-52(16). Make sure that you do not miss your chance to take action by hiring a lawyer as soon as you are able.
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Recovering from a car accident can be difficult if you are struggling with injuries and finances. Since few people have enough in savings to cover their expenses in an emergency, they can end up with long-term debt. Fortunately, you can take legal action to collect compensation that will help solve some of these financial problems.
If you or a loved one were injured in a car accident, you might be entitled to financial compensation for your expenses. Discussing your case with a lawyer may be in your best interest, so that you can find out what your legal options are and get help with starting the process. Contact a Charlotte car accident lawyer as soon as possible to discuss your options. Call the offices of Ben Crump Law, PLLC at (844) 730-0233 to schedule a free consultation and learn what steps you should take next.
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