Have you been injured because of someone else’s negligence? Are you looking for a skilled Monroe personal injury lawyer that specializes in tort law? When you are in an accident, regardless of what happened or your injuries, it’s important to have legal representation if you would like to pursue monetary damages. There is often hesitation on the part of victims, fearing the high cost of working with these professionals that can be so helpful.
Fortunately, it’s much easier than you would imagine retaining the very best personal injury attorneys. If you need representation for a workers compensation claim, a dispute regarding workers compensation, or if you were in a car accident, our team at 1 Charlotte can help. You only pay us if we obtain compensation for you!
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What Should You Do After You Are Injured?
When you are injured as a result of an accident at a place of business, or perhaps a car accident caused by a negligent driver, you need to start recording everything. It’s important to take multiple pictures of injuries you have sustained. Getting pictures of your car and other vehicles should also be done immediately. Speaking to witnesses is very important. Gathering their personal information so that you can contact them later is also necessary.
This type of activity is very important, whether this is a car accident, slip and fall accident, or any other incident where you are injured and there are witnesses. Contacting the police would be the next step. It’s important to have an official report to reflect what has occurred. Make sure to never admit fault. Immediately after that, contact a lawyer so that you can also receive legal representation.
Why Do You Need a Personal Injury Attorney?
When you are injured, and you would like to pursue collecting damages for what has occurred, representing yourself in a court of law would likely not work very well. You will not be adept at presenting information to the judge or preparing a case that will make sense in a court of law.
It’s important to work with attorneys that do specialize in tort law, preferably those who have worked on many different types of personal injury cases. They can do all of the paperwork for you, file it, prepare your case, and go through the process of discovery to collect as much information as possible.
Your attorney can negotiate for a favorable settlement. If the case does go to trial, you will know that you are being represented by experienced professionals.
Types of Damages That Can Be Recovered in North Carolina
There are different types of damages that can be recovered in North Carolina. These are broken into three separate categories. The first is called non-economic damages. These are subjective damages, ones that have likely led to emotional distress, loss of consortium, and other damages that are not monetary in nature. You can receive a maximum of $500,000.
The second type of damages is economic damages. This will be the compensation that you will receive to help you pay for your injuries and any damages that have been caused. This will include lost earnings, medical expenses, the cost of repairing personal belongings that have been damaged, and any lost business opportunities or employment.
The third type is punitive damages. These are awarded to the victim by the court to punish the at-fault party for egregious wrongful conduct.
How Will the Court Determine Liability in These Cases?
In order to prove liability and recover damages, your attorney needs to demonstrate that the responsible party was negligent. There are four elements involved in this.
- Duty of care is simply defined as the level of care that the defendant owed you and anyone else that was injured.
- Breach of duty means they didn’t uphold this responsibility.
- Causation refers to what actually caused the accident. The defendant’s actions must be the cause for you to have a case.
- Damages refer to the injuries and losses caused by the accident. You must have experienced damages.
When determining liability, North Carolina follows the contributory negligence standard. This means that a victim cannot recover monetary compensation if they are partially responsible for the accident, even if they are only 1% at fault! This is one reason it’s essential to have a skilled personal injury attorney represent you.
Finally, the damages that are determined are based upon how many people were injured, the level of their injuries, the cost of rehabilitating them, and also the pain-and-suffering that they experienced. That is why every case in North Carolina will often lead to a different compensation amount.
How Long Do You Have to File Personal Injury Claims in North Carolina?
Every person that would like to file a personal injury claim has a maximum of three years from the date of the accident or the time the injury is discovered. If the plaintiff files beyond this date, it will not even be considered. You should contact our skilled personal injury lawyers in Monroe as soon as possible, so we can begin investigating and preparing your case.
Will It Cost Much To Retain a Personal Injury Lawyer?
The cost of a personal injury attorney is typically based upon a contingency fee. You will not pay them upfront. They will simply receive a percentage of the amount of the damages awarded to you for representing their case. This makes it easier on the part of the plaintiff and motivates our law firm to fight for the highest compensation possible.
Call Our Monroe Personal Injury Lawyers for a Free Case Review
If you have been injured at work, in a wreck, or in any kind of accident caused by another’s negligence, you should contact our team at 1Charlotte. We have represented multitudes of people, and we can help you as well. We can help you with car accidents, workers’ compensation claims, and also disputes related to workers comp. Call 704.706.2689 or fill out our online contact form to schedule a free, no-obligation consultation today!
