Raleigh Catastrophic Injury Lawyer

Raleigh Catastrophic Injury Attorney

Many people in the Raleigh area suffer personal injuries due to motor vehicle accidents, trip-and-fall or slip-and-fall hazards, and other dangerous accidents or incidents. Although these injuries can often be minor, they can also result in serious long-term damage, especially in truck accidents, medical malpractice injuries, and workplace injuries involving heavy machinery and similar hazards. When you or a loved one is harmed, you need a Raleigh catastrophic injury lawyer to protect your interests.

When a personal injury or catastrophic injury happens because another person or group was acting without proper care for your safety and well-being, you can hold them liable for your damages. They may have acted negligently, recklessly, or maliciously, and you were harmed as a result. You should not be responsible for the costs of your injury when that is the case.

A catastrophic injury can require lifelong medical treatment and prevent you from ever returning to work. Additionally, you may be facing significant pain and psychological and emotional distress. These damages should be compensated. Having an experienced catastrophic personal injury attorney attend to your claim gives it its greatest chance of succeeding.

Raleigh Catastrophic Injury Attorneys Taking Effective Legal Action

A personal injury claim after a catastrophic accident can enable you to recover medical bills, lost income, lost future income, and any other damages caused by the at-fault party. These claims should be filed fairly quickly after an accident, but this isn’t easy when you are in immense physical pain and recovering from an injury. By working with a qualified attorney, you can rest while a professional handles your claim.

At the Law Offices of Wade E. Byrd P.A., we want to work with you to understand your needs so that we can effectively fight for the compensation you deserve. We have more than 40 years of experience in personal injury law, and we can use that to your benefit. Our team can:

• Investigate your accident.
• Determine who is at fault.
• Negotiate with insurance providers on your behalf.
• Take the claim to court if necessary.

We are dedicated to supporting those injured by others’ negligence.

What Is the Claims Process After a Catastrophic Accident?

When you are involved in a catastrophic accident, whether it is a motor vehicle accident or a workplace accident, it can be traumatic and terrifying.

The most important thing after a catastrophic injury and accident is to receive medical care. Although it is also important to protect your rights and a potential claim, it is more important that you take care of yourself and get your injuries treated as soon as possible. Catastrophic injuries can cause lifelong harm, so quick treatment is important.

If you have the time and ability, there are certain steps you should take after a catastrophic accident to protect your interests, benefit your future personal injury claim, and navigate the claims process.

• Take photos. At the scene of the accident, take pictures and videos of the scene, your injuries, and other damage. This information could help prove who was at fault for the accident.
• Collect documentation. Get a copy of a police report if it exists, along with any medical bills and treatment documentation. This evidence is useful for proving fault and proving the cost of your damages.
• Talk with an attorney. Find an experienced catastrophic personal injury attorney in Raleigh who can review your accident. They can help determine if you have a legally valid claim and then begin the process of building the claim and gathering evidence to support it.
• Inform relevant authorities. Depending on the type of accident you suffered, inform relevant insurance providers and/or law enforcement if this applies. For a workplace accident, you should inform your employer. For a car accident, you should inform law enforcement and your auto insurance provider. Your attorney may also tell you to inform the at-fault party that you will be filing a claim.
• Negotiate with insurance. Once your claim is filed, negotiations begin between your attorney and the insurance company. Your attorney can calculate a fair value for a settlement based on your injuries, lost income, and other damages. Your attorney has experience negotiating with insurance providers and can work for the compensation you deserve.
• Enter litigation. If an insurance provider is refusing to provide a fair settlement, your attorney can take the claim to court. If an insurance provider knows that an attorney is willing to take a claim to court, the provider is more likely to allow a fair settlement, but this does not always happen. In litigation, your attorney can advocate for your needs and right to compensation to the judge on the case.

The exact process of investigating your accident and filing the claim will depend on the type of injury and accident you suffered. A catastrophic injury attorney knows how to handle claims that require different insurance claims, and they can help you navigate the process.

What Are Catastrophic Injuries?

A catastrophic injury can cause a person to become reliant on in-home personal care and the care of loved ones. It may limit their physical or mental capabilities. These are all significant costs from an injury that need to be considered when calculating damages in a civil claim.

Some common examples of catastrophic injuries include:

• Traumatic Brain Injuries: Traumatic brain injuries are often caused by motor vehicle accidents and high falls. A minor traumatic brain injury is a concussion. More severe forms of this injury can result in personality changes and difficulty controlling movement or speech.
• Amputations: Loss of limbs can significantly change how a person lives their life. It can also cause severe frustration and other emotional challenges.
• Internal Organ Damage: In accidents where there are extreme impacts or compression, severe damage to one or several organs is very likely. When not fatal, it can cause long-term functional problems for these organs.
• Fractures and Sprains: When a person sustains multiple injuries across their body, it can result in a significant healing period. They may be in physical pain for the rest of their lives.
• Spinal Cord Injuries: These injuries are often caused by car accidents and premises liability accidents. Spinal cord injuries can result in loss of feeling, partial paralysis, and total paralysis.

In any personal injury case, many injured individuals underestimate the cost of their injuries and other damages from an accident. Fair compensation for your injuries includes future medical costs from your injury and potential future complications.

An attorney with experience in the type of injury you’ve suffered can anticipate and include those costs in your claim. By working with an attorney, you can avoid accepting a lowball settlement amount that will only cover immediate costs and leave you with significant financial costs later in life.

Raleigh Catastrophic Injury FAQs

Q: What Is Considered a Catastrophic Injury?

A: A catastrophic injury is any personal injury that results in permanent damage, pain, or disability to the injured party. In a catastrophic injury claim, another party is responsible for the person’s injury through their negligence or misconduct.

Catastrophic injury claims have much higher value settlements than typical personal injury claims due to the extreme damages. These claims must compensate for:

• Significant long-term medical complications
• All lost income and lost future earning power from being unable to return to work
• In-home care or accommodations

Q: Can I Sue for Emotional Distress in North Carolina?

A: Yes, you can sue for emotional distress in North Carolina, but the claim must typically prove a disabling level of emotional distress, such as chronic and debilitating depression, anxiety, or PTSD. Emotional distress is also a form of noneconomic damages available in claims for personal injury and physical harm. If someone suffered a catastrophic accident, the emotional distress they felt during and after the accident may be compensable in addition to medical costs and other economic damages.

Q: What Is the Statute of Limitations for an Injury in North Carolina?

A: The statute of limitations for personal injury claims in North Carolina is three years. If you file your claim after the three-year statute expires, you lose your right to reclaim compensation for the accident and injury. This countdown begins from the date when the accident occurs or from the date when you knew or should have known that you were injured.

Even though this may seem like a lot of time to file a claim, you want to file one as soon as possible. When you wait, essential evidence could be lost. CCTV or traffic footage could be deleted or lost, and eyewitnesses may be hard to find or be unable to clearly recall what they saw at the scene.

Q: How Much Do Accident Attorneys Charge in North Carolina?

A: Attorneys who handle accident and personal injury cases typically charge based on a contingency fee basis. When you hire an attorney, you do not pay them upfront fees. Instead, they are paid a percentage of your final settlement if they win your claim. In North Carolina, this percentage is typically between 30 to 45% of the settlement.

A personal injury is often a financially stressful situation, and a contingency fee gives you some peace about filing a claim. Always discuss potential fees and costs with your attorney.

Supporting and Representing Raleigh Catastrophic Injury Victims

The Law Offices of Wade E. Byrd P.A. want to provide you with the support you need after a catastrophic accident. We know how difficult it can be for you to deal with the physical and financial complications of this injury. Contact our team today to determine if you have a viable claim.