READ MORE: There really isn’t such a thing as an accident

Liability first and foremost applies to who is at fault in the wreck – Danny Glover NC Wreck Attorney

If you have a car and someone unrelated to you is driving it and they cause it a wreck, it’s possible that you could be held responsible depending on whether they are your employee, perhaps whether you knew they were drunk and still gave them your car, whether you knew they were a habitual reckless driver and you still gave them your car.

But ordinarily just because your name is on the title does not mean you are responsible for the wreck.

It may mean that your insurance company is responsible for the wreck, but that’s because your insurance company insures not only you, but anyone driving your vehicle with your permission.

So, talking about whether or not you’re liable versus your insurance company is liable are two completely separate things.

If you were injured in a car accident in Currituck NC or are looking for an NC injury lawyer, our law office is here to help with your personal injury claim. Seeking money damages for things like lost wages, medical bills, and permanent injuries for Outer Banks accident cases requires careful consideration of what happened on the scene of the wreck.

One of the more important things experienced personal injury lawyers do is determine fault. Who caused the wreck is key to NC injury law cases. That’s because NC accident cases can involve something called contributory negligence.

Not all cases involving semi-truck accidents or motorcycle collisions in North Carolina require a jury trial. In fact, most personal injury cases in North Carolina are “settled” without the need for litigation.

Car insurance companies in NC and insurance adjustors regularly deny claims for personal injuries in wreck cases. They know and understand the personal injury laws. If they think you were at all responsible for the wreck or that even in some small way contributed to causing the accident or your injuries, they will deny your claim.

What should I do if my car accident claim was denied by the North Carolina insurance adjustor?

While lawyers are not always required in NC wreck cases, it certainly doesn’t hurt to call an experienced personal injury lawyer in Currituck NC for legal advice. What some outer banks people don’t realize is that it doesn’t cost anything to talk to a car wreck lawyer.

We offer free legal advice about what we think about how the accident laws in North Carolina will affect and your accident case or claim for money damages. That’s right, even if you choose not to retain our law office for legal representation, you will not get a bill from us unless you chose to retain our legal services.

That’s because on NC accident cases, we work on what’s called a contingent legal fee basis.

Everything you tell us during the legal consultation is strictly confidential. We keep secrets. We don’t share what you tell us with anyone. That is called attorney-client privilege in North Carolina.

What do NC accident lawyers need to know?

Wreck cases in North Carolina can get really complicated really fast. One of the first steps of legal representation by a law office involves figuring out what actually happened. That means your personal injury attorney will want to:

• Gather evidence of the accident scene
• Determine what proof for NC legal claims exists
• Obtaining the law enforcement Accident Report
• Review records of EMP Emergency Medical Personnel
• Get copies of photographs, drawings, video and audio recordings

If you have questions like, “Do I have a case? Can I make a claim for damages in North Carolina for a wreck case,” we’re here to help.

Call NOW for FREE CONSULTATION 252-299-5300

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Last month I began telling you about some very important things that you need to do (and NOT do) immediately at the scene of the wreck. They were:

• Stay calm and breathe! If you have been injured, do not move – call 911 (if possible) and wait for EMS and then go to the hospital.
• Once all people involved in the wreck are accounted for and that situation is stable, have someone gather all of the information possible at the scene, including the names, addresses, phone numbers and license plate numbers of any and all witnesses and other drivers involved in the wreck, and take photographs of everything. Do not rely on law enforcement to do this for you.
• Do not move any vehicles until law enforcement arrives.
• Do not admit fault.

Once you leave the scene, there are still some other important things that you need to do.

First, file all of your medical bills with your health insurance company. Even if the wreck was caused by someone else, your medical bills are your responsibility.

Non-payment or late payment of those medical bills will hurt your credit and lead to late fees, etc. If the wreck was not your fault, you may eventually recover a settlement that includes reimbursement for your medical bills, but injury settlements take time, and it is important that you utilize all available health insurance to pay the bills as soon as possible.

Some health insurance companies are entitled to repayment from your eventual settlement, and some are not.

An experienced injury attorney can assist you in figuring that out as part of your case.

Second, if you are injured, do not speak to any automobile insurance company until you have spoken to an experienced, local injury attorney.

Insurance companies will be trying to take your statement as soon possible, and they will typically then try to use that statement against you later to deny the claim or to try to lowball you on your settlement.

A good injury attorney can make sure that you do everything necessary to make sure that you eventually obtain a complete settlement according to the law and can help you avoid making mistakes that can cost you money.

SEE MORE: What To Do If You’ve Been In A Wreck

Third, if you were given a ticket, do not pay it off. Instead, speak to an experienced, local traffic attorney. Oftentimes an attorney can get your ticket reduced or dismissed and save you DMV points and possibly insurance premium increases.

Fourth, report the collision to your automobile insurance company – hopefully only after you have spoken to an attorney about your injuries or your ticket.

Here’s to hoping that you never need to use this advice!!