Blog Title: Do You Really Need an Attorney for a Car Accident Claim in North Carolina? (Yes, You Do.)
If you’ve been hurt in a car accident here in North Carolina, you might be wondering: Do I really need an attorney? Can’t I just handle this myself with the insurance company?
Totally legitimate questions. Maybe you can handle this on your own. And, yes, you can try to deal with the claim on your own, I can tell you from experience that it can turn out to be a bad idea.
Insurance Companies Are Not on Your Side
The insurance adjuster may sound friendly on the phone, but their job is not to take care of you. Their job is to save the company money, which usually means offering you the lowest settlement possible. They have lawyers working for them behind the scenes from day one. If you don’t have an attorney, you’re stepping onto the field without a coach, without pads, and without a playbook.
I wrote before about why you should call an attorney right after an injury, and car accident claims are one of the clearest examples of why timing matters.
North Carolina’s Harsh Contributory Negligence Rule
One of the toughest things about auto injury claims in North Carolina is our contributory negligence rule. Here’s what it means: if the insurance company can prove you were even 1% at fault, you could be barred from recovering anything.
That’s right—1%. Even if the other driver was 99% at fault.
Insurance companies know this, and they’ll twist facts, statements, and evidence to make it look like you share blame. The adjusters are trained to ask you questions in a way to get the answers they want. Part of my job is to keep you from making mistakes that can hurt your claim. If you wait too long to get help, I can’t go back in time.
Building the Real Value of Your Claim
Car accident claims aren’t just about paying your medical bills. They’re about your pain, your suffering, your lost income, your long-term health, and the impact on your life. But unless you know how to properly document and present those damages, the insurance company will pretend they don’t exist.
That’s where I step in. I gather the medical records, employment records, expert opinions, and testimony needed to prove the full value of your claim—not just the parts the insurance company is willing to acknowledge.
Don’t Risk Selling Yourself Short
You only get one shot at settling a personal injury claim. Once you sign that release, you can’t go back later if your injuries turn out to be worse than you thought. Having an attorney means you have someone making sure the settlement accounts for not just today’s bills, but tomorrow’s as well.
The Insurance Information Institute has a helpful overview of what to do after a car accident, but when it comes to actually pursuing compensation, you don’t want to go it alone.
If you’ve been injured in a car accident in North Carolina, call me at 919-929-2992.
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