Greensboro Car Accident Lawyer
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Experienced Legal Representation for Your Greensboro Car Accident
Have you or someone you are close to been injured in an auto accident due to someone else’s careless actions? It is scary and the time afterward can be chaotic. Additionally, in this time of crisis, you may find it difficult to think clearly. First and foremost, you need to be aware of your rights. Our Greensboro car accident lawyer, Harry Albritton, is dedicated to seeing that you get the compensation you deserve. In the period after the accident, when you may not be able to get through the steps needed, our team can help you move into the future.
Car Accident Statistics in Greensboro and Nationally
Greensboro is a rapidly growing city. In 2000, the population was 236,732 and in 2022 the population was reported as 298,263. That is an annual growth rate of 1.8%, which means that the number of registered drivers continues to go up each year as well. The more people on the roads, the more accidents occur.
In “Car Accident Statistics for 2023,” Forbes calculated that a fatal car accident happens every 15 minutes in the United States. There are many reasons why accidents occur. This research also showed the number of alcohol-related deaths rising and the number of alcohol-related car collisions causing injuries was higher than the four-year average. Also, distracted drivers are on the rise with a 15% increase resulting in 117 fatalities in 2021.
Common Causes of Fatal Accidents
While drunk driving and speeding are two of the leading causes of fatal accidents, there are other causes that cannot be overlooked.
Intoxicated driving
Speeding
Distracted driving
Reckless driving
Running traffic signals
Tailgating
Drowsy driving
Teenagers
Weather
Night-time driving
Animal crossings
Vehicle defects
Tire blowouts
Potholes
Most Common Types of Car Accidents
There are a variety of types of auto accidents our Greensboro car accident lawyer sees. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) data indicates that head-on collisions are the most common type of accident and then rear-end collisions. Collisions that involve getting hit in the side or at an angle are the third most common type of accident.
- Head-on collisions
- Rear-end collisions
- Side, angle (T-bone) accidents
- Pedestrian accidents
- Bicyclist accidents
What Should You Do Immediately Following a Car Accident?
Immediately after you are in a car accident, you should follow these eight steps:
1 )
Check yourself and your passengers for injuries. Call the ambulance if your injuries are severe.
3 )
Call the police. Tell them everything you can about the accident before they come.
4 )
If you feel comfortable doing so, exchange information with the other driver. This is your insurance information and your IDs.
5 )
Document the scene. Using your phone, photograph everything about the scene–the cars, the accident scene itself, and the license plates of the vehicles.You can also take a video.
6 )
Call the insurance company and tell them everything you can and what you remember about the accident, including your passengers. You can make this call either at the accident scene or after you get home.
7 )
Seek medical attention if you haven’t taken an ambulance from the accident. Do so within 7 - 10 days after the accident.
8 )
Seek legal advice regardless of the type of accident you were involved in. A personal injury attorney won’t charge for the initial consultation so you need to tell them everything about the accident whether you think it was a simple or complex accident.
Compensation for Damages
When you are injured in a car accident that was not your fault, you can get compensation for damages and expenses that you incur as a result. In North Carolina, you can file a personal injury claim against the other driver for damages. Injury claims include medical and hospital bills, lab fees, lost wages, and pain and suffering that are a direct result of the accident.
The law and the specific process of filing a lawsuit can be complicated and time-consuming. Obtaining experienced and knowledge legal counsel is imperative to put you in a good position to win and receive compensation.
What Are Damages?
Damages are the financial and emotional burdens you suffer as a result of the accident for which you are entitled to receive compensation. There are common damages even though each personal injury case is distinct. Common ones are categorized into two categories–General and Special. General damages are non-economic damages and Special damages are economic. In order to get awarded compensation for damages, you must show a distinct, clear connection between a plaintiff’s injury and the defendant’s behavior or actions.
Special Damages
Special damages are calculated by adding the medical bills the plaintiff has paid, the wages lost due to injuries, and the future bills and lost wages they will experience. Special wages encompass items like medical bills, loss of wages, loss of earning power, and property damage–all as a result of the car accident.
General Damages
General damages is the category that relates to the harm done to the plaintiff that does not have a distinct, clear-cut dollar amount attached. These are more intangible and have no receipts as documentation. General damages include pain and suffering, emotional distress, loss of companionship or consortium, lost quality of life, and disfigurement or permanent impairment. The common formula for arriving at a monetary value for these damages is three to four times the amount of the plaintiff’s medical bills, which is then added to the amount that covers the bills.
Damages That Can Be Recovered
Medical Expenses
You can receive compensation for medical bills that result from the injuries sustained in the car accident, including ambulance transport, doctor’s visits, hospital costs, surgeries, diagnostic testing, home care, physical therapy, and more.
Loss of Wages
When you can’t work due to being in an accident that wasn’t your fault and you lose wages, you can be awarded compensation for those wages you would have gotten otherwise. Additionally, you can calculate the future income loss that you anticipate and have those damages awarded also.
Pain and Suffering
Compensation can be awarded when emotional suffering such as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, loss of a loved one, permanent disfigurement, and a decreased quality of life have occurred as a result of the accident.
Punitive Damages
Punitive damages are meant to punish the at-fault party in an attempt to dissuade the same behavior in the future. In N.C., punitive damages are awarded only when a jury by majority decides that the defendant was “grossly negligent” by “willful or wanton” misconduct that resulted in the plaintiff’s injury.
Compensation If You Are a Surviving Family Member
If you have had a loved one killed in a car accident through no fault of their own, you may be entitled to bring a wrongful death lawsuit to court for compensation. Remuneration for any damages the victim endured before their death and compensation for the loss you suffered is awarded in a wrongful death suit. A wrongful death suit is brought as a civil action as defined by state statute. Each case is unique with no average settlement amounts.
Some of the compensation you can be awarded in a wrongful death case are:
- Pain and suffering experienced by the deceased while alive
- Medical bills
- Loss of the deceased’s lifetime income
- Loss of services the deceased provided
- Loss of any inheritance that could have been received
- Loss of companionship and consortium
- Funeral costs
Why You Should Hire a Car Accident Lawyer in Greensboro
You may think your case is obvious and without ambiguity and uncertainty–easily proven that you were not at fault, but this may not be the situation at all. You may still have to prove that you are blameless in order to get the full compensation you deserve. Car insurance companies will typically try to discredit your description of the accident so they don’t have to pay for damages.
Reasons to hire our experienced Greensboro car accident lawyer:
- We will probe and determine what in fact happened in the car accident.
- We will prove your case.
- We will negotiate for the best settlement.
- We will help you collect compensation for your medical bills, car repairs, wages you lose, and pain and suffering.
- We work tirelessly to fight for your rights and get what you deserve.
Contact Our Greensboro Car Accident Lawyer for a Free Case Review
Our Greensboro car accident lawyer Attorney Harry Albritton works tirelessly to advocate for you and your case. He and our team at Irons & Irons P.A. are all dedicated to get compensation you deserve. Through our persistence and unyielding work, we have won our clients millions of dollars in compensation for financial and emotional damages. If your settlement is not received, you don’t pay anything for our services. Call us at 919-899-7200 or fill out the free case review form to learn more about our legal representation services.
