Charlotte Personal Injury Lawyer

Personal Injury Lawyers… Can they help?  In many cases, they can. After experiencing a personal injury, it is hard to know how to navigate the legal process, pay for medical bills, lost wages, and more. When seeking answers, it is helpful to consult with a Charlotte personal injury lawyer for guidance on how to proceed. If you have been suffered a personal injury in Charlotte, call 1Charlotte today at (704)774-8815 and speak with one of our experienced attorneys. Our office provides free consultations for anyone with questions about an injury they’ve suffered.

Hiring A Charlotte NC Personal Injury Attorney

For all personal injury cases, the state of North Carolina has a statute of limitations in place. This means that the plaintiff has a limited There are numerous steps for consideration when instituting a personal injury claim. One of the first matters is determining who is at fault. This is done by determining what party has a duty to act in the situation leading to injury. A duty to act may be as simple as abiding by traffic laws. Without a duty, there is no possibility of liability. Once a duty is identified, you must then ensure that the defendant actually breached it, leading to injury.amount of time to file suit in a North Carolina court. Failure to file the lawsuit within the set amount of time can bar a victim from ever filing a claim in court. Under North Carolina law, the statute of limitations for a personal injury case is generally three years. In wrongful death claims, the plaintiff has two years from the date of death to file the lawsuit. The statute of limitations for medical malpractice cases is three years from the date of the injury, but no more than six years from the date of product purchase. The best way to measure the statute of limitations and ensure proper filing is to secure a consultation with a knowledgeable attorney.

This image shows a man calling for help after injuring a woman on a bicycle.

If you have been injured in a personal injury case of any kind, call 1Charlotte today for a free case review.
For intentional torts, the determination of fault can prove easier. This is especially true if the incident resulted in a criminal case. If a criminal court determines that the defendant was guilty by a criminal standard, it is probable that a court will find the defendant liable under a civil standard of proof.
Strict liability is rare, but it’s applicable to certain dog bite and product liability cases. There is no requirement for proving negligence. You must only show that the injury was a foreseeable result of the defendant’s actions. Negligence per se is also rare, only applicable to violations of certain state statutes, like traffic laws and building code regulations.

What Damages Can I Recover in a Personal Injury Claim?

The next step in pursuing your case is determining appropriate damage amounts for your specific injuries. A Charlotte personal injury lawyer can help you with this. There are three types of damage awards in personal injury cases. Special damages refer to economic damages that are quantified with documentation and receipts. Examples of special damages are medical bills, pharmaceutical expenses, and lost wages. Property damages and other out-of-pocket expenses that were incurred as a result of the incident leading to injury are also classified as special damages.
General damages are non-economic in nature. Examples of general damages include pain and suffering, as well as mental anguish. Loss of consortium, which deals with the loss of affection between the injured party and loved ones, as well as lower quality of life, are additional examples of general damages.
Punitive damages are a third type of possible damages in a personal injury case. These damages are only applicable to certain cases of recklessness or gross negligence. Courts award punitive awards in order to punish the actions of the defendant or deter the defendant from repeating bad behaviors.

Charlotte Personal Injury Infographic

How Can a Personal Injury Attorney Help My Claim?

The success of your case is largely dependent on your ability to adequately negotiate with the insurance company. One key to completing this task is to quantify your injuries and accurately calculating damage amounts. This is done in different ways, depending on the type of injury:

  • Quantifying medical costs through receipts and statements from your physician. It is useful to keep every document provided to you by medical providers
  • Quantifying loss of income through pay stubs
  • Quantifying property damage through a showing of fair market value
  • Quantifying out-of-pocket expenses through receipts or cancelled checks
  • Quantifying pain and suffering with medical documentation about the extent of your injuries and the amount of necessary treatment
  • Proving general damages with medical documentation regarding sleeplessness or depression
  • Establishing loss of consortium and decreased quality of life through statements from family members and loved ones

If you are unable to negotiate a settlement, a court case may prove necessary. The process of negotiating a settlement starts with a letter of notification to the insurance company of the at-fault party. The company will likely respond with a Reservation of Rights letter, stating that no liability is admitted. The next step is a demand letter, detailing your claim amount. Then, the insurance company adjuster will contact you to begin the negotiation process. Negotiations continue back and forth until a settlement agreement is reached.
This image shows a woman analyzing a settlement agreement after a neck injury. If you can’t obtain a favorable settlement, having a personal injury lawyer negotiate for you can yield a much more favorable result.
While a settlement agreement is the most desirable outcome, there are several reasons why a trial may prove necessary. These include situations where:

  • The insurance company denies your claim, without good cause
  • The insurance company ignores your claim and does not respond to your demand letter
  • The claims adjuster is uncooperative and unreasonably difficult
  • The statute of limitations is fast approaching and you have no expectation of a settlement

During the time between your injuries and the settlement of your claim, medical bills pile up and require attention. There are several ways that you may choose to handle these medical expenses. You may speak with your insurance company and seek payment for these bills. However, it’s important to note that the insurance company must be reimbursed once a settlement agreement is reached.
You may also choose to pay these expenses out of pocket, though this can prove a very expensive option. If you find yourself having trouble with these responsibilities, speak with your creditors about a hold agreement, where they will hold off on contacting credit bureaus about your overdue accounts. Some claimants choose to pursue personal injury loans. However, there is some level of controversy surrounding these loans and caution is necessary.

Concluding Your Negotiations 

Once you and the insurance company reach a settlement agreement, the company will send you and your Charlotte personal injury lawyer a release for your signature. Review this document carefully and do not sign it unless you or your Charlotte personal injury attorney completely understand every provision. The services of an attorney can prove extremely useful in this task as the language of these documents is also highly legal in nature. Signing this release binds you to its statements and you are barred from contesting it later. There is a certain language that is generally included in all release forms. One clause generally states that the settlement agreement is not an admission of guilt. Another common provision is a statement that you waive all of your rights to any additional claims. This is included to prevent you from bringing any additional claims once you receive compensation for the present one.

What Types of Personal Injury Cases Do We Handle?

There are numerous types of personal injury cases due to the countless ways that individuals become injured. Some of the most common personal injury matters are as follows:

Premises Liability Cases

These cases occur when individuals are injured on the property of another individual based on defects in the property. Property owners have a duty to keep their property in proper repair for the safety of visitors. If they fail to do so and a visitor is injured, the injured party can bring a personal injury claim against the owner.

Product Liability Cases

This occurs when a person is injured by a product. These injuries may occur due to the following issues:

  • Design defects, which are problems with the initial design of the product
  • Manufacturing defects, which are problems that arise during the production and manufacturing process
  • Marketing defects, which are problems with product labeling or warnings

Medical Malpractice Cases

These arise when the negligent actions of a medical professional cause injury to a patient. Misdiagnosis of illness, medication mistakes, and surgical errors are all common types of medical malpractice actions.

Auto Accident Cases

These are the most common types of personal injury cases, occurring when the actions of a driver result in injuries to another. Some examples of auto accident cases include pedestrian accidents, bicycle accidents, and incidents involving uninsured motorists.
This image shows a emergency personnel assisting a woman after a car accident, Car accidents are some of the most common types of personal injury cases we handle a 1Charlotte.

Wrongful Death Cases

In these, actions are brought by the surviving family members or estate representatives of a deceased party. They are brought to seek compensation when an individual’s death occurs due to the negligent acts of another. Damage awards may cover loss of income, loss of affection and mental anguish. To prove these cases, the suing party must prove the following elements:

  • The party had a responsibility to act in a reasonable manner in order to prevent injuries;
  • The party failed to act in a responsible manner; and
  • The lack of action was the proximate cause for the death of the victim.

Dog Bite Cases

These claims are also classified as personal injury matters. Under North Carolina law, a person injured by a dog may collect damages from the owner of the dog. Liability is commonly proven under a strict liability theory if injuries occurred while the owner was in violation of the state’s running at large statute. Liability is also proven under a negligence theory if the owner breached his duty of care, resulting in an injurious dog bite.

Negligence

Negligence is the most common basis for personal injury compensation. It is based on the theory that an individual’s actions or inaction’s caused the injuries of another individual. There are four elements to proving a negligence claim:

  • An individual owes a duty to act or not act
  • An individual breached that duty
  • The breach of duty was the proximate cause for the plaintiff’s injury
  • The plaintiff suffered actual damages.

Negligence cases also require a finding of proximate cause between the actions of the defendant and the injury of the plaintiff. In addition, you must prove that the defendant actually possessed a duty.
When dealing with a negligence case, it’s important to note that North Carolina is a contributory negligence state. This means that if a plaintiff contributed to his injuries, he is barred from collecting compensation under a negligence claim.

Intentional Torts

While negligence cases are based on a failure to act, intentional torts are based on purposeful and intentional behavior. Many torts are also criminal offenses, which helps in proving civil liability. Some examples within the state of North Carolina include:

Assault and battery

Assault is the imminent threat of battery or harm. It requires some action, along with words, that place another individual in reasonable fear of injury. Battery is an offensive touching without permission. The elements of the crime include:

  • An act by the defendant that brings about harmful or offensive contact to the plaintiff’s body
  • Intent on the part of the defendant to bring about harmful or offensive contact to the plaintiff’s body
  • The act caused injury to the plaintiff.

False imprisonment

False imprisonment is the intentional and unlawful detainment or restraining of an individual without permission. The court generally considers how long the detainment lasted and emotional suffering, among other factors, when determining damages.

Intentional Infliction of Emotional Harm

This intentional tort applies when a person acts in a particularly outrageous and egregious manner, which results in extreme emotional distress on the part of another party.

Malicious Prosecution

When a person wrongfully institutes a criminal proceeding against another for a reason other than obtaining a legal judgment, the injured party may seek compensation through a malicious prosecution lawsuit.

Defamation

The tort of defamation occurs when an individual purposely makes untrue statements about another party. When these statements are made in writing, it is referred to as libel. Verbal communications are classified as slander. For a successful defamation claim, you must show that the statement in question was, in fact, false.

Fraud

Fraud is a fairly common intentional tort action, often brought in small claims court. It occurs when a person communicates a deliberate lie and another person relies on the lie to his detriment. The fraudulent party may prove liable for tangible injuries incurred by the victim.
This image shows a woman being defauded online. Because intentional tort cases can result in criminal prosecution, a lawyer may find the civil case to be much easier.

Trespassing

Trespass is an intentional tort that occurs when a party interferes with the property ownership interests of another party. It may apply to real property or personal property, also called chattel.

Conversion

Conversion is also an intentional tort to property. It applies when the following elements are present:

  • Plaintiff owned a right of possession at the time of the tort
  • The defendant intentionally interfered with the right of ownership
  • The interference deprived the plaintiff of his rightful possession and use, causing damage to the plaintiff.

Contact 1Charlotte for a Risk-Free Personal Injury Consultation

If you have a suffered a personal injury in Charlotte, you will often need the help of a 1Charlotte personal injury lawyer to get the compensation you deserve for your damages. Personal injury cases involve complex matters such as the burden of proof and contributory negligence and hiring a lawyer gives you the best chance to obtain a fair agreement.
After a personal injury, call the 1Charlotte Workers Compensation Lawyers today at (704)774-8815 and receive a risk-free consultation. Our experts are available 24/7 to answer any questions you may have about your case. Don’t waste another minute, contact our offices today and get started on the road to recovering fair compensation for your damages.

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