Auto Accident Lawyers

Serving Clients Near Raleigh, North Carolina

13,000 people have been injured or killed since 1990 in crashes caused by aggressive driving. If you have been a victim of aggressive driving, tell us about your case by calling 888-666-2446.

Raleigh - North Carolina Motor Vehicle Accident Attorneys

coastal highwayCar crashes, semi-truck collisions, motorcycle wrecks, and other motor vehicle accidents claim the lives of hundreds of people in North Carolina every year. Whether on I-40, I-440, I-85, I-95 or any other road or highway in North Carolina, motor vehicle accidents cause serious injuries, including brain injuries, head injuries, burns, fractures, breaks, dislocations, neck injuries, back injures, nerve injuries and spinal cord injuries.

The personal injury lawyers at White & Stradley help injury victims and families in North Carolina deal with the painful consequences of a motor vehicle accident caused by a negligent, careless or reckless driver. Our main office is located in Raleigh, and we represent clients throughout Durham, Chapel Hill, Fayetteville and other communities in North Carolina.

We handle car accidents, tractor-trailer collisions and motor vehicle wrecks involving:

  • All-terrain vehicle (ATV) accidents
  • Car accidents, car wrecks, auto crashes and collisions
  • Construction zone and highway accidents
  • Driver and passenger injuries
  • Drunk driving accidents and drug-related motor vehicle crashes
  • Motorcycle accidents, motorcycle-truck crashes, and motorcycle-car collisions
  • Rear-end accidents, collisions, and crashes
  • Rollover accidents involving ATVs, cars, motorcycles, semi-trucks, and SUVs
  • Semi-truck accidents, eighteen wheeler collisions, and tractor trailer crashes
  • Sport utility vehicle (SUV) accidents
  • Train accidents, bus accidents, and railroad crossing injuries
  • Wrongful death lawsuits arising out of fatal motor vehicle accidents

To learn more about motor vehicle accidents in North Carolina, please read on.

Motor Vehicle Accidents: An Overview

Cases arising out of automobile accidents are by far the most common type of personal injury case in our court system today. This is not surprising, given that every 10 seconds, someone in the United States is involved in a car accident, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

Except in those states where "no-fault" legislation has been passed, these cases are typically governed by the law of negligence. Generally, people who operate automobiles must exercise "reasonable care under the circumstances." A failure to use reasonable care is considered negligence. A person who negligently operates a vehicle may be required to pay for harm to a person or property, caused by his or her negligence. The injured party, known as the plaintiff, is required to prove that the defendant was negligent, that the negligence caused the accident, and that the accident caused the plaintiff's injuries.

If you have been involved in a motor vehicle accident, do not hesitate to seek legal counsel from a personal injury attorney experienced in automobile accident cases in order to best protect your interests.

Injuries and Compensation

Generally, an individual injured in an automobile accident may bring a claim or lawsuit to recover the actual expenses associated with property damage and medical costs, economic damages, and emotional and physical pain and suffering. Litigation involving motor vehicle accidents can be extremely complicated. Retaining an experienced lawyer familiar with motor vehicle accident damages will place you in the best position to receive the recovery that you deserve.

Insurance Claims Do's & Don'ts

Do call your agent as soon as a covered event takes place. As soon as you get home from the car accident, or even before you go to the doctor, call your agent.

Do review and understand your coverage before talking to your insurer or your agent. Read the "Coverage" and "Exclusion" sections of your policy in particular.

Uninsured or Underinsured Motorists

Many drivers ignore motor vehicle insurance requirements, cannot afford to purchase insurance, or carry insufficient insurance. Uninsured motorist coverage is a form of insurance that pays compensation for bodily injury that results from an accident with a driver who is legally responsible for the injuries, but has no liability coverage. Underinsured motorist coverage pays compensation for bodily injury that results from an accident with a driver who has liability insurance with limits that are lower than the injured party's underinsured motorist coverage limits.

If you have been involved in an accident with an uninsured or underinsured driver, it is important that you contact an attorney at an experienced personal injury law firm immediately so you do not waive valuable legal rights.

No-Fault Insurance

The laws of the state in which the accident occurs determine who pays for the damages from an automobile accident. Basically, in a "no-fault" insurance state, fault is not placed on either party, and each driver generally submits a claim to his or her own insurance company instead of establishing blame. Many states, including Florida, Kansas, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and others, have some form of no-fault insurance laws.

No-fault auto insurance law is widely misunderstood, and is applied differently in every state that offers it. If you are in an automobile accident, you should contact an experienced personal injury firm to discuss how the relevant state law views fault and to determine how fault or no-fault laws may affect your right to recover damages for injuries.

What to Do If You Are in an Accident

If you are involved in an automobile collision, stop. Most states require an individual not to leave the scene of an accident, even a minor one, without first stopping to see whether there are damages or injuries. A person may be criminally prosecuted for leaving the scene of an automobile accident.

If you or a family member has been injured in any kind of motor vehicle accident, we offer no-cost initial consultations and contingency fees, which means that there is never an attorney fee unless we successfully resolve your case. For further information about a motor vehicle accident in North Carolina, please contact us today in Raleigh, North Carolina, by calling 888-666-2446.