• Because lawyers assist in making claims, preparing legal documents, and preserving legal rights, family and friends of the deceased are not further burdened
• Frankly, you may not be in the emotional condition to deal with Insurance Adjustors, Claims Agents, and others involved in the processing a claim for losses.
• Attorneys can help in the filing of an Estate
• Lawyers explain things like the Statute of Limitations, Insurance Benefits, and Loss Valuation

Customer service is very, very important, especially when you’re doing personal injury work, because you’re dealing with people who have come to you because they have a major problem – Danny Glover

Download: North Carolina Wrongful Death Statute 2016

See More: Personal Injury FAQs

Things to Consider When Preparing a Claim:

• Are there Damages associated with an injury, such as outstanding hospital bills, surgical procedures, anesthesia, EMT Ambulance and Transport Services?
• What are the Losses for Lost Work, Income, Long-Term care of family?

Calculating Damages associated with the loss of a loved one require careful consideration of a wide range of legal and personal issues. Sometimes that involves the assistance of Financial Experts. Sometimes good-old-fashioned common sense, and compassion, are necessary to help explain the true costs of a lifetime without someone whom was taken too soon – Danny Glover

Modified Transcript of What Do Attorneys Do in Wrongful Death Matters? for the Hearing Impaired

At Glover Law Firm we handle any type of criminal charge in state or federal court in northeastern North Carolina.

Traffic tickets, DWI’s as well. We also handle significant personal injury cases, including car wrecks, truck wrecks, bicycle wrecks, motorcycle wrecks, pedestrian fall-down cases, anything involving a significant, serious permanent injury.

Death cases are unique – Danny Glover

First of all, the family is going through just an absolutely terrible time, and there’s really no way that we can do anything that’s going to do anything that’s going to take the place of their lost loved one, and it’s important, and what I view our main job to be in death cases, is to fully explain the extent of the loss, by going back and looking at old family histories and videos, talking about family vacations, family reunions, family get-togethers, holidays, things that a family can no longer have with their lost loved one, and it’s difficult for the family to express those things, and so that’s what we do.

When a family loses a father and a financial supporter, we utilize economic experts to take a look at the totality of not only the loss of a father but the loss of a supporter, and that has to be quantified by a economists and projected throughout the life of that support.

That can be complicated, but we have done that for years and years with experts that we know and trust and that have been deemed credible by the North Carolina courts.

Customer service is very, very important, especially when you’re doing criminal defense or personal injury work, because you’re dealing with people who have come to you because they have a major problem.

These problems that I’m handling vastly effect my clients’ life, so it’s very important that we be responsive to not only their legal needs but to their questions about their case, to their questions about the impact of their case on their lives and families, and so customer service is very, very important to us.

Danny Glover, Jr.
Glover Law Firm
Danny@DannyGloverLawFirm.com
252-299-5300
Past President, North Carolina Advocates for Justice

According to the American Automobile Association AAA, we should expect another 1,000,000 travelers this upcoming Christmas and New Year’s Holiday from this time last year.

Travel statistics are expected to exceed, by quite a bit, those of 2015 – Danny Glover

While it’s hard to believe, approximately 48,700,000 Americans will travel fifty or more miles from home. Although not everyone will be on the roads, that is up from last year’s high and amounts to an almost 2% overall increase.

What’s up with all this driving?

The quick answer: Gas Prices.

Better said, the decrease in gas prices is one of the more significant reasons people are hitting the roads and traveling more this year.

According to AAA estimates, it looks like Americans have saved more than 28 Billion so far this year on gas prices. Yes, we double-checked that number.

To give you an idea how much money that is, take a look at all the zeroes: $28,000,000,000

AAA President and CEO Marshall Doney adds, “Most will travel on the tried and true holiday road trip, thanks to gas prices that are holding at close to $2 per gallon. Others will fly, take the bus or set off on a cruise to celebrate with their loved ones.”

What are the Three Most Dangerous Days to Drive?

It may surprise you, but the days getting to and from Grandma’s House on Christmas don’t make the cut.

So here they are:

1. Memorial Day Weekend – Yep, somewhere around 400 people die during the start of the summer holiday.
2. The Start of Daylight Savings Time – This one may surprise you. Yes, the time change literally can kill you.
3. Black Friday – With an estimated 70+ Million Shoppers hitting the roads, rear-end collisions make up 12 1/2 % of insurance claims on Black Friday. Here’s another surprise, 11% other claims involve wrecks and parked cars.

What to Do After You’ve Been In a Traffic Accident this Holiday Season

There are simple steps to make the holidays more safe for you and your family. Take you time. Be Patient. Expect Delays. Get plenty of rest and most importantly, don’t drink and drive – Danny Glover

What are the best and worst times to drive during Christmas week?

Worst Day to Leave: December 23, 2016 FRIDAY

Best Day to Leave: Wednesday following Christmas, December 28, 2016, assuming you have that much vacation left

Worst Time to Drive: 3 p.m., Traffic will be heaviest during that hour on Friday

Best Time to Leave: 6:00 a.m. or earlier

See More Google Maps TRAVEL TIPS

Looking for a cool Travel App? Check Out Waze

First and foremost, do NOT try to enter information, plot routes, and map your trip while driving.

Don’t worry, there is a passenger mode, and worst-case-scenario, just pull over for a second and enter your information.

It’ll be safer and chances are good that you won’t end up accidentally driving to the Columbia instead of the District of Columbia.

WAZE is a free App that only takes a few seconds to download.

The graphics are pretty self-explanatory and there is not a steep learning curve.

While we would never encourage speeding, Waze users regularly report things like the location of wrecks, disabled vehicles, traffic conditions, and the locations of police on the roadways.

If you get into geeky technology, you can allow Waze access to one or more of your social profiles.

It’ll track you and your Waze friends en route. If you prefer to remain anonymous, Waze works just fine without entering user information, establishing a profile, or otherwise granting socials access.

Put simply, it’s a cool App that adds a fair amount of information to the standard Google Maps overlay.

A Little About Glover Law Firm

With decades of experience serving as legal counsel in Northeastern North Carolina, we encourage you to call if you have questions about legal matters involving:

• Criminal Defense
  • Felonies and Misdemeanors
• Impaired Driving
  • DUI – Driving Under the Influence
  • DWI – Driving While Impaired
  • “Drunk Driving” – N.C.G.S. 20-138.1
• Traffic Offenses
• Car Wrecks
• Insurance Claims
• Accidental or Wrongful Death
• Trucking Fatalities
• Motorcycle Collisions
• Recovery for:
  • Personal Injuries
  • Medical Bills
  • Lost Wages
  • Property Damage

We’re all about helping people through difficult times. That’s what we do day in and day out – Danny Glover

The attorneys at Glover Law Firm provide consultations to clients in Criminal Defense and Personal Injury matters free of charge.

Everything you tell our lawyers is confidential. That means we keep your secrets secret, even if you do not ultimately chose to retain our legal services.

If you or a loved one have a question, please call now.

And we sincerely hope and pray you have a safe, enjoyable Holiday Season in 2016!

Danny Glover, Jr.
Glover Law Firm
Danny@DannyGloverLawFirm.com
252-299-5300
Past President, North Carolina Advocates for Justice

If you have begun searching for lawyers on the Internet or doing research on how insurance issues work, chances are you’ve already begun experiencing the complexities of making a claim.

If you are frustrated with the carrier or the process, that’s OK.

We wouldn’t need lawyers if the process was always simple, fair, made common sense, or was something that only took a couple seconds to do – Danny Glover

That brings up an important point: the time associated with presenting a claim, collecting, assembling, and organizing medical records, histories, and explaining the causation of a wreck, normally takes a long time and a fair amount of experience to do so in a format that insurance companies both understand and recognize as valid.

Furthermore, experienced injury attorneys have a good idea of what a fair settlement amount actually is.

A lot of people get so frustrated with the process they just give up. That’s too bad.

And that’s one reason why retaining a lawyer can help. We help explain the process.

We do the hard and sometime tedious work behind making a claim. We take on the burden of demanding a proper settlement with the insurance company or at fault party.

Lawyers take the responsibility on of making certain the law is followed, that the responsible party is held accountable, and that the insurance company pays a fair settlement.

When legally appropriate, that sometimes requires preparing a Complaint and filing suit, and as part of the Discovery process, making demands for documents, filing requests for admissions, and taking depositions of witnesses and parties.

Whether you realize it or not, that is a substantial load and responsibility. We tell clients that the most important thing for them to do is focus on getting healthy.

That is not just lip service. Taking the time to focus on things like physical therapy, scheduling appointments, making arrangements for work and childcare for all the above, can be a tremendous job in and of itself.

We have experience helping people through difficult times. That’s what we do. We help people – Danny Glover

Checklist for Making a Claim:

• Provide Notice of a Claim
  • At Fault Carrier
  • Injured Party’s Carrier
  • Employer, as appropriate
  • Employer’s Insurance Carrier
  • Employer’s Worker’s Compensation Carrier, as appropriate
• Assemble Medical Expenses Documentation
  • IMPORTANT NOTE: LIMIT DISCLOSURE OF CONFIDENTIAL AND OTHERWISE IRRELEVANT MEDICAL HISTORIES
  • Do NOT execute a Medical Authorization and Release
    • Talk to an Attorney first
    • Limit the materials that can be sought and disclosed
    • Protect and Preserve HIPAA rights
  • Making a Claim does not require unlimited access to medical histories, prior medical treatments, or disclosure of medical conditions that are not relevant to making a claim
• Assemble Expense Documentation for Lost Wages
• Assemble Expense Documentation for Personal Property Damages
  • Vehicle Repairs
  • Lost Value
  • Rental
  • Personal Items
    • Tag, Title, Registration Fees – If Vehicle Replacement Becomes Necessary

Is a Recorded Statement Necessary or Required?

The quick answer is USUALLY NOT.

In fact, many insurance adjustors just flat get this wrong. While there are certain legal requirements to properly making a claim, providing a recorded statement to any carrier is rarely one of them.

Making a claim does not require you do everything requested by an adjustor. Putting them on notice should be pretty simple. Talking about the facts of the case is often the first step in an insurance company trying to find a way NOT to pay a claim – Danny Glover

People are sometimes floored to find out that insurance companies are not necessarily looking out for the best interests of the injured party.

Make no mistake, insurance companies make money protecting their bottom line.

If they can convince you to accept a very small amount quickly in exchange for a complete release of your claim, they save money in long run. Contrary to what you may see in commercials, insurance companies are in the business of taking in premiums and limiting paying claims.

It is not always a fair system.

In fact, there are regularly lawsuits filed in North Carolina because insurance companies have proceeded in “bad faith.”

You may be surprised to find out that a good number of “bad faith” claims are filed by the insured against their own carriers.

Even if the person whom caused the wreck wants to settle, sometimes the insurance companies just refuse to settle.

They can require a lawsuit to be filed. . .despite the fact that their own “insured” has admitted to doing something wrong and wants the carrier to settle.

We’re not trying to be negative in stating this. Insurance Companies often feel people are making up claims, hoping to recover damages when they were not hurt.

Disputes arise in filing claims. It can be complicated.

What Does It Cost to Hire a Lawyer?

Well, actually, it doesn’t really “cost” anything, if you think of laying out money.

Lawyers in personal injury cases get paid if a case settles. If there is no recovery from a claim, just like the client, the attorney receives nothing.

That is what it means to be a “contingency” agreement.

Legal fees are contingent upon a successful recovery.

Now there can and often are expenses associated with presenting a claim such as:

• Filing Fees
• Service of Process
• Court Reporter – Recording & Transcriptions
• Medical Records / Copy Charges
• Private Investigator Fees
• Expert Witness Fees

While some of those costs of presenting a claim may be advanced by a law firm, ultimately they are the responsibility of the client.

Those costs are often taken from the “settlement proceeds” upon disbursement of funds.

It can be a bit confusing. Talk to us. We’re more than willing to explain how things work. In fact, we will give you a written contract, where everything is set forth in writing.

We want you to understand how things work and what it costs.

The consultation is free.

We do not charge to talk to you, to review a case, and to see if it makes sense to hire a lawyer.

Transcription of “What Are Benefits of Hiring a Lawyer?” for the Hearing Impaired

One of the big benefits of hiring an attorney is that we take all the pressure and workload off of you for everything claims or case-related. You can focus on getting healthy or helping your loved one to recover from their injuries.

We deal with the insurance company, we get all the medical records, we have them reviewed by medical experts. We negotiate with the insurance company.

Remember the insurance company is trying to low-ball you. They may be the nicest people on the phone but they’re trying to make money of off your claim by saving money on your claim.

An attorney can help you avoid making that mistake.

Danny Glover, Jr.
Glover Law Firm
Danny@DannyGloverLawFirm.com
252-299-5300
Past President, North Carolina Advocates for Justice

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), pedestrians are most at risk of suffering fatal injuries in urban environments. That’s where three out of four, or 73 percent, of pedestrian deaths occur. Fatal pedestrian accidents are more likely to occur at non-intersections, where speeds may be higher, and during the evening hours, when visibility is poor. Alcohol is often a contributing factor and played a role in 48 percent of the accidents in which a pedestrian was killed.

As everyone is a pedestrian at some point in their lives, it is important for you and your family members know what driver mistakes are most likely to cause an impact with a pedestrian. That knowledge could help you avoid becoming a statistic in a pedestrian accident.

Driver Mistakes Contributing to Pedestrian Crashes

Driver negligence and errors are one of the main reasons pedestrians are injured or die when hit by a car, truck, motorcycle – or even a bicycle. Pedestrians may themselves the victim of a serious or fatal accident if a driver exhibits any of this conduct:

• Aggressive driving or road rage;
• Driving while alcohol-impaired;
• Failing to back up safely;
• Using a hand-held or hands-free cell phone while driving;
• Sending or reading texts while driving;
• Becoming distracted or inattentive by in-vehicle or out-of-vehicle distractions;
• Driving without the proper experience for the conditions;
• Driving under the influence of drugs, either prescription, OTC or illegal;
• Eating or drinking while driving;
• Failure to yield the right-of-way;
• Driving while drowsy or fatigued;
• Following too close to the vehicle ahead (tailgating);
• Disregarding traffic signals and controls;
• Making improper turns;
• Unsafe lane changing; and
• Improper passing or lane usage.

Tips Pedestrians Can Use to Stay Safe

Although your risk of serious or fatal injury in a vehicle-related accident is significantly greater as a pedestrian, you can be proactive to help to keep you and those you love safe when walking along city streets, roads and highways in Gates County, Dare County, Currituck County and throughout Eastern North Carolina, including the beach roads of the Outer Banks. The following tips may help you avoid injury or death while a pedestrian:

• Cross the street at designated crosswalks or signaled intersections whenever possible.
• When walking along the side of a road, always walk on the sidewalk. If no sidewalk exists, walk along the shoulder of the road facing traffic.
• Before crossing the street, always make eye contact with drivers in approaching vehicles to be sure they see you and are coming to a stop. Never assume you will be seen.
• If you plan on walking at night, wear light or reflective clothing and carry a flashlight.
• Do not walk while texting, talking on your cell phone, listening to music or engaging in any other distracting behavior that could inhibit your ability to be alert to circumstances around you.
• Just as you should never drink and drive, you should not drink and walk either. NHTSA statistics reveal that approximately 37 percent of pedestrians killed in vehicle-related accidents in one year’s time had a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.08 percent or higher.

Sources:

• National Highway Traffic Safety Administration: Safety in Numbers: Everyone is a pedestrian
• Centers for Disease Control, Injury Prevention & Control: Motor Vehicle Safety: Pedestrian Safety