Motor vehicle accidents are unfortunately quite common in North Carolina. Did you know that there were nearly 275,067 collisions on the roadways of North Carolina in 2017? This was an increase of approximately 9000 from 2016 and about 40,000 more than from 2012 to 2016.
Statistics also showed that out of 275,067 accidents in 2017, 29.7 percent resulted in injuries to drivers and passengers. As accidents are common state-wide, two of the most dangerous roads in North Carolina declared by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Fatality analysis report are Interstate 40 and North Carolina’s highway US 129.
Also known as the ‘tail of the dragon,’ North Carolina’s highway US 129 is one of North Carolina’s and the US’s dangerous roads. The 11 mile stretch of US 129 features 318 winding curves, making it difficult for drivers to accelerate at a regular speed. Both accelerating and braking on this highway indeed require constant attention and reactions.
Likewise, Interstate 40 is also a dangerous highway in North Carolina. Between 2015 and 2017, there were nearly 61 fatalities reported.
If you or a loved one has been in a car accident, then it is crucial to know who to talk to after it. Many victims go straight to their social media platforms in today’s era to update everyone they know about the accident, but that’s not the right way to go. This is because what you say or do can be used against you by the insurance company and can negatively impact your claim.
Therefore, to protect your rights, here are the three people that you should talk to:
Law Enforcement Officer
It is advisable to talk to a police officer/law enforcement officer if you have been injured severely or are facing a difficult time dealing with the driver at fault or if your vehicle is extensively damaged.
Talking and reporting to a law enforcement officer after the accident can benefit you greatly, such as:
- It will help you detail the accident scene and introductory statements in the accident report, which can later be used as a solid piece of evidence to prove your claim and get the compensation you deserve.
- It will help you rely on facts instead of he-said and she-said when your lawyer is pursuing your compensation claim.
Medical Professional
As soon as you get injured, you must seek medical attention—call 911 for an ambulance. The ambulance service will take you to the hospital for medical assistance. Even if you’re slightly sore, we’d advise you to talk to the medical professional and get a proper evaluation done to determine the injuries’ types and severity.
It’s crucial to discuss your condition with the doctor and get a full-body diagnosis because some injuries have latency periods, worsening over time.
Additionally, by discussing your case with a doctor, you can benefit in two more ways. Firstly, after a thorough check-up and understanding the pain that you might be going through, the doctor will determine the right course of treatment in your case. From surgeries to rehab, physiotherapy, and hospital treatment, they will be able to offer you the proper treatment helping you get back on the road to recovery.
Besides this, when you seek continuous medical treatment from the day of the accident, you’ll have complete medical records and reports. This will further help you pursue compensation with sheer confidence as you’ll have evidence and proof to justify the amount you incurred on treatment that you had to seek because of the car accident caused by someone else’s negligence.
Personal Injury Lawyer
The third and perhaps the most crucial is the assistance of a motor vehicle accident attorney. After the accident, once you start your medical treatment, it is best to contact a seasoned personal injury lawyer with experience in motor vehicle accidents.
A lawyer can review your case and determine options for legal action in your situation. Also, once you have a personal injury lawyer by your side, you can focus on your recovery while managing and handling all aspects of the case.
Furthermore, your injury lawyer can carry out an in-depth investigation of the accident scene to find crucial evidence that can help you prove and justify your claim. Also, soon after the accident, you will be contacted by the defendant’s insurance company with a mission to get answers from you, which could be used to limit the liability claim. However, suppose you have a lawyer for case representation. In that case, you can ask the insurance company to discuss it with your lawyer instead of dealing with the insurance adjuster on your own. All this will help you protect your legal rights and pursue the compensation that you are entitled to.
Contact us today
When you’re already going through the pain, suffering, and stress of how you will pay for the medical expenses, and when you will resume work, it may be too overwhelming and frustrating to find the right legal service that works in your best interest. The last thing that you want is to incur additional expenses in the form of a costly legal service fee before you could move forward with pursuing compensation. But with us, you don’t have to worry about all that as we are committed to protecting our clients’ legal rights and, more importantly, offer services on a contingency basis. Rest assured, we won’t charge you a dime unless you get compensated.
Our motor vehicle accident attorney will work with you relentlessly for the fair and total compensation that we believe you rightfully deserve. At the Law Offices of Jason E. Taylor PC, we go above and beyond for justice and fight to ensure that you get compensated fully, helping you get back on track with financial independence. Call us now to discuss your case.
