When you or a loved one are injured or a loved one is killed due to the negligence of another individual, you may be facing tremendous financial burdens due to medical costs, lost wages, and other expenses. Through a personal injury claim, plaintiffs have a legal right to seek financial compensation for the full extent of their losses. Unfortunately, negligent defendants and their insurers rarely make the claims process easy on injured victims.
At Plyler, Long & Corigliano, LLP, our personal injury attorneys in Monroe understand that the injury or loss of a loved one can have an enormous emotional and financial impact on accident victims and their families. We will fight to protect your rights. If you or your family member was injured in an accident in North Carolina, please contact our Monroe law office for an initial consultation.
We Handle the Full Range of Personal Injury Claims in North Carolina
Our team of personal injury lawyers represents clients in all types of personal injury cases. Regardless of the nature and severity of your accident and injuries, we are available to offer support and legal guidance. We have been in business since 1980 and are confident in our abilities to represent victims of serious accidents. We have represented plaintiffs and have collected substantial sums in compensation from defendants and their insurance companies in a wide range of cases involving:
- Car Accidents
- Commercial trucking accidents;
- Pedestrian accidents;
- Motorcycle accidents;
- DUI accidents and dram shop laws;
- Criminal assaults;
- Gunshot wounds;
- Dog bite injuries;
- Premises liability claims;
- Slip/trip and fall accidents; and
- Wrongful death lawsuits.
Personal Injury in North Carolina: Statute of Limitations
After an accident, you have a limited amount of time to take action, known as a statute of limitations. Under North Carolina law, most personal injury claims are subject to a three-year statute of limitations, but not all (N.C. Gen. Stat. section 1-52).
Although that may seem like plenty of time, plaintiffs should never wait to get started on their case. Do not fall behind the insurance company. A successful personal injury claim must be backed by strong and well-organized supporting evidence. Our North Carolina personal injury lawyers will conduct an immediate investigation of your case — obtaining all evidence needed to get you full and fair financial compensation.
How to Prove Liability in North Carolina
In a personal injury case, you must prove several elements to be successful against the wrongdoer, negligent party, or their insurance company. For the most part, personal injury claims are based on the legal theory of negligence. To hold a defendant liable, you must establish that their reckless, careless, or unreasonably unsafe conduct contributed to your injuries. You must also prove that your own negligence did not contribute to your injury.
It is vital to select a personal injury attorney who has the experience and will protect your rights by fighting for you. At the law firm of Plyler, Long & Corigliano, LLP., our personal injury lawyers take the time to understand how an accident has personally affected you, allowing us to provide you with superior representation.
Compensation Available to Injured Victims
In addition to proving liability, plaintiffs must also establish the extent of their damages. With some limited exceptions, personal injury settlements/verdicts are designed to be compensatory in nature. Your compensation will be based on the losses you suffered in the accident. Unfortunately, defendants and their insurance companies make it hard for victims to get the full financial compensation that they are entitled to under the law. Our Monroe, NC personal injury lawyers are here to help. Depending on the nature of your case, you may be eligible to recover financial compensation for:
- Emergency room bills;
- Medical expenses;
- Physical therapy;
- Mental health treatment;
- Lost current and future wages;
- Pain and suffering;
- Permanent scarring;
- Long-term physical impairments; and
- Wrongful death.
Five Things to Know About Child Injury Claims in North Carolina
For a parent or other loved one, nothing is more difficult than seeing a child injured. It is even more challenging when your child was hurt because of the careless or reckless actions/inactions of another party. There are important things you should know about your family’s rights under state law. In this article, our Monroe personal injury attorney explains five of the most important things parents and caregivers should understand about child injury claims in North Carolina.
1. Parents and Guardians Have the Right to Seek Personal Injury Compensation for a Child
A minor cannot file their own personal injury lawsuit in North Carolina. Instead, a personal representative—usually a parent or guardian—is responsible for filing the claim on their behalf. If your child was hurt in an accident caused by negligence, you have the right to bring a claim.
2. Child Injury Claims May Introduce Unique Questions of Liability
Most personal injury cases are based on negligence. What counts as negligence is highly fact-specific. The fact that the victim was a child can have a major impact on the case. Some parties owe heightened legal duties to children.
3. A Child’s Future Medical Costs and/or Long-Term Impairment Must Be Compensated
Through a personal injury claim, you have the right to seek compensation for the full extent of your child’s economic and intangible losses. It is crucial that a child injury claim includes compensation for medical bills incurred by your family and their pain and suffering. Beyond that, the child’s ongoing and future medical needs as well as any long-term impairments must be compensated.
4. The Statute of Limitations has Some Exceptions for Minors
In North Carolina, there is a statute of limitations exception for minors. A person who was injured, while they were under the age of eighteen, may have additional time to bring a claim. That being said, waiting to take action is not the best approach. You should be proactive in a child injury claim.
5. A Personal Injury Settlement for a Minor Must Be Approved By a Court
There are special regulations in place to make sure that a personal injury settlement for a child is truly in their best interests. As explained by a North Carolina court in the 1968 case of Sigmund Sternberger Found., Inc. v. Tannenbaum, a personal injury settlement on behalf of a minor is not legally enforceable unless it has been approved by a court. An experienced North Carolina child injury attorney can help your family reach a proper settlement with the defendant or insurer.
Get Help From Our Monroe, NC Personal Injury Attorneys Today
At Plyler, Long & Corigliano, LLP, our North Carolina personal injury lawyers will help you recover every penny that you rightfully deserve. We know how to hold defendants and their insurance providers accountable. From our law office in Monroe, we represent injured victims throughout North Carolina, including in Union County, Stanly County, and Anson County as well as Waxhaw, Wesley Chapel, Indian Trail, Weddington, Unionville, Mineral Springs, Lake Park, Stallings, Hemby Bridge, and Wingate. For a confidential review of your personal injury claim, please contact our legal team at 704-289-2519 right away.