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Contact us today for help filing a car accident claim in Marion.
If you or a loved one were involved in a car wreck in Marion, North Carolina, do not hesitate to call us for legal help. A Marion car accident lawyer can assist you in protecting your rights and fighting for fair monetary compensation.
You could qualify for compensation on many grounds, including financial losses, physical pain, and psychological distress. This money can help you and your family, both in the short term and the long term.
Types of Car Accident Claims We Handle
Our personal injury team has the experience and legal training to assist you after any kind of major car accident. Reach out to us if another driver hit you in the following ways:
Rear-End Collision
Drivers cause rear-end accidents at stop signs or red lights or while they’re in stop-and-go traffic. Many rear-end accidents occur because drivers fail to pay attention to the road, looking down at a cell phone or another mobile device, instead.
Head-On Collision
We also step in to help with head-on collisions in Marion, NC. Drivers who cross the center line while passing in an unsafe way or because they fell asleep at the wheel could cause a head-on accident. These accidents also take place when reckless drivers drive the wrong way up a one-way street.
Side-Impact Collision
Some drivers get involved in T-bone (or side-impact) collisions in Marion. These accidents are common in intersections, where drivers may fail to properly stop or yield the right-of-way. They may also happen if a driver makes an improper left turn in front of oncoming traffic.
Rollover Collision
Rollover collisions often involve large vehicles, which have a higher center of gravity. If they take a turn too quickly, they might end up rolling over, blocking lanes of traffic and causing additional collisions.
Steps to Take After Your Car Accident In Marion
Are you wondering what you should do in the moments following a car accident in Marion? Our team can help you go over the next steps you should take. Get started right away by:
- Contacting the police and telling them about the collision
- Pulling your vehicle out of the flow of traffic
- Getting pictures of your injuries and the damage to your vehicle
- Collecting contact information from witnesses and anyone involved in the accident
- Seeking medical care for your injuries
- Reaching out to your car accident attorney for assistance
Also, reach out to your insurance company and provide them with information about your collision. However, do not speak with the other driver’s insurance company until you’ve talked to your lawyer about your situation.
Injuries Associated With Marion Car Wrecks
Car accidents in the Marion area can seriously impact your life and well-being. Many people involved in car accidents in our area end up facing:
- Head and brain injuries
- Broken bones or fractures
- Internal injuries
- Back, neck, or spinal cord damage
Getting medical care right away helps put you on the road to recovery. Additionally, medical professionals generate official records of your injuries, helping to establish that the injuries came directly from your accident in Marion.
Common Causes of Car Accidents In Marion
Marion car wrecks can occur in a variety of ways. In many cases, someone else has made a mistake, error, or failed to take action, thereby causing a collision. Here are a few of the most common causes of Marion car wrecks and their respective culpable parties:
Negligent and Dangerous Driving
Any type of unsafe driving can be considered negligent, as all motorists owe other drivers, bicyclists, and pedestrians a duty of care when operating their vehicle. Some of the more common types of negligent driving include:
- Distracted driving
- Failure to yield
- Impaired driving
- Aggressive driving
- Speeding
- Tailgating
- Driving drowsy
In the vast majority of negligent driving cases, the driver will be held accountable for the victim’s damages. However, if your car accident was caused by a drunk driver, your attorney will also evaluate to determine whether a dram shop could be held accountable as well.
Dram shop liability and social host laws state that when an establishment or party overserves or sells alcohol to someone who is already under the influence, and that party causes a collision, the dram shop or social host could be held accountable.
Vehicle Defects
Motor vehicle defects are quite common. Generally, when an auto part is malfunctioning or defective and a collision occurs, multiple parties could be held accountable. Some examples of motor vehicle defects seen often in car accidents include:
- Tire blowouts
- Fuel system issues
- Airbag inflator trouble
- Issues with the braking system
- Seat belt defects
- Trouble with the wiring system
- Ignition switch issues
Parties that could be named in your car accident case if malfunctioning auto parts are the cause of your collision include:
- Auto parts designers
- Auto parts manufacturers
- Auto parts suppliers
- Safety inspectors
- Executives
- Dealerships
- Car maintenance techs
- Other third parties
Hazardous Roadways
Another common cause of car accidents is dangerous road conditions. When the roads themselves are hazardous, whether due to potholes, debris in the road, failure to secure a road construction zone, or failure to make necessary road repairs, several parties could be partially to blame for your injuries. These include:
- Municipalities
- The North Carolina Department of Transportation
- Safety inspectors
- Government agencies
- Government officials
- Contractors and subcontractors
Suing for Damages After A Car Accident
If someone else’s reckless or negligent behavior caused your accident, they should pay for your injuries and losses, not you. You may be eligible for the following types of damages. You can pursue them by suing the liable party.
Non-Economic Damages
Non-economic damages will compensate you for physical and mental suffering, including:
- Reduced quality of life: The changes you have had to make to your lifestyle to cope with and accommodate your injuries
- Disability: The loss or loss of use of any part of your body, including but not limited to a limb, an organ, or a function
- Scarring: The permanent and/or painful marks left behind once your injuries have healed as much as possible
- Loss of consortium: The fact that your relationship with your spouse has suffered due to your injuries
- Pain and suffering: The physical and/or emotional difficulties you experienced due to the accident
Economic Damages
Economic damages are direct compensation for the money you lost or expect to lose due to your injuries. They frequently include:
- Medical expenses: The money you spent or expect to spend on emergency room visits, follow-up appointments, tests, treatments, and so on
- Repair expenses: The money you spent to repair the damage your car sustained in the accident
- Loss of wages: The income you would have earned if your injuries had not forced you to take time off
- Loss of earning capacity: The income you expected to earn throughout your career but no longer can due to your injuries
Punitive Damages
You might also be able to recover punitive damages for your car accident. The court may award punitive damages, but only if they find the defendant’s actions to be intolerable. Punitive damages are designed to punish the defendant.
The damages you are initially awarded will be compensable. Punitive damages are designed to send a message to the Marion community that the court system has taken this case seriously and will not allow future conduct to go unpunished.
You could qualify to recover these damages and others if you are filing a personal injury or wrongful death lawsuit. Our team at Farmer & Morris Law, PLLC wants to review your case and help you calculate an equitable settlement.
Your Car Accident Lawyer Can Help You With All Aspects of Your Marion Case
After a car wreck, finding the physical and mental stamina to handle a lawsuit alone is very difficult. Farmer & Morris Law, PLLC can take that burden off your shoulders by taking complete responsibility for your case. We will handle everything, including:
- Investigating your accident, so your lawsuit is supported by as much corroborating evidence as possible
- Communicating with the liable party, so you do not have to speak to them or their representatives on your own
- Quantifying your damages, so you know the compensable losses you suffered and how much you should ask for them
- Filing paperwork, so you can be confident all necessary forms are completed correctly and submitted on time
- Pursuing a settlement, so you have an advocate to negotiate for appropriate compensation on your behalf
- Going to court, so we can continue to fight for the damages you need (even if the liable party’s insurance company will not negotiate)
- Advising you, so you know you have made the best possible decisions throughout your case
To take advantage of your right to sue, you must begin your case within three years of the car wreck. This is the statute of limitations imposed by GS § 1-52. The sooner you call us, the more time we have to put your case together.
Proving Your Need for Damages After A Car Accident In Marion
According to GS § 20-309, all North Carolina car owners must be insured or prove that they can pay for any damages they inflict out of pocket. Therefore, in most cases, whatever compensation you recover will be paid by an insurance company rather than by the liable party directly.
First, however, you (and your attorney) must prove that the other party was responsible for your accident and that they should reimburse you for the resulting injuries. If you have any relevant evidence (for example, if you took pictures of the accident scene), tell your lawyer immediately. Other sources of evidence may include:
- Your doctor’s records: Medical records can demonstrate the severity of your injuries. Also, your lawyer can ask your doctor to write a statement on your behalf.
- The authorities: A car accident report can show what happened before, during, and after the accident.
- Witnesses: Did anyone see (or record footage of) your accident as it happened? Did someone try to help you after the fact? These individuals can provide valuable witness statements and other materials.
- Other experts: For instance, if your injuries prevent you from working, a statement from a vocational rehabilitator can confirm this.
- Surveillance footage: Many buildings are equipped with video cameras that record what happens in their immediate area. Your lawyer can visit the accident scene and find out if any surveillance cameras captured your crash.
While some of this evidence (such as your medical records) will last for years, other types of evidence are more short-lived. For instance, witnesses may forget the details of what they saw or delete photographic evidence, and surveillance footage may be erased. The sooner you call Farmer & Morris Law, PLLC, the more time we have to collect evidence before it is gone forever.
Let Us Help By Providing a Free Car Accident Case Review
Farmer & Morris Law, PLLC can provide you and your family with the peace of mind you need during this trying time. To learn more about how our car accident lawyer can help you with your Marion case, call us. We offer free case evaluations in injury cases.
