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Former Insurance Adjuster

Over $500,000,000 in Car Accident Settlements!

Car Accident Injury Attorneys in Greenville, NC

Car accidents in North Carolina happen suddenly, often catching the safest and most prepared drivers off guard. In the blink of an eye, a routine trip home from work on the busiest interstate highway near Greenville, NC, can turn into a life-changing situation. Before you know it, you’re seriously hurt and wondering how you’ll provide for your family.

Dealing with the aftermath of a car crash is a lot to handle, especially when you’re injured due to no fault of your own. Figuring out who will foot the bill for your medical expenses and monthly bills only adds to the stress. You’re left trying to answer questions like, “What happens next, now that I’m injured?” “Am I going to get fired because I can’t go to work?” “How will I pay for my hospital bills?”

Often, auto accident victims can’t handle their responsibilities when they’re hurt or recovering in the largest hospital in Greenville, NC. Without a personal injury attorney in Greenville, NC, to advocate on their behalf, these same victims give official statements to law enforcement and insurance companies by mistake. As a result, many men and women hurt in car crashes accept very low settlement offers without understanding that they deserve more.

If you or someone you love has been injured in a car wreck due to someone else’s negligence, you're probably wondering if there's a legal way to ease your suffering. At Nagle & Associates, our car accident attorneys in North Carolina can review the facts of your case, engage your insurance company, and help get the ball rolling on your personal injury claim so you can begin to heal and get back to a normal life.

Injury-Attorney
Auto Accident and Insurance

Nagle & Associates: The Authority on North Carolina Auto Accident and Insurance Law

Trying to find the top personal injury attorney in Greenville, NC, might seem difficult on the surface, but when you learn that Nage & Associates only handles serious motor vehicle accidents, the choice is easy. With more than two decades of experience only handling North Carolina motor vehicle accident cases, we’ve successfully recovered over $500 million in compensation for our clients.

Our firm is highly focused, with a proven track record in traumatic medicine, insurance regulations, and personal injury lawsuits. Founding attorney Carl Nagle is a former insurance claims adjuster and former insurance company lawyer. He knows exactly how to confront the insurance adjusters who are working now to oppose your claims. We also have two retired North Carolina State Troopers and four licensed NC auto insurance adjusters on staff. Our team stands ready to represent you and helping car accident victims is all we do.

We excel in employing top crash reconstruction experts, working with police to investigate collisions, preserving crucial evidence to establish fault and legal responsibility, and effectively presenting medical evidence to maximize settlements and trial outcomes. Additionally, we are skilled in managing settlements, minimizing external claims on settlement funds, and ensuring the highest tax-free payments for our clients at the conclusion of each case. Like the most popular monument in Greenville, NC, we stand tall for our clients when they’re at their lowest.

We refuse to handle all other types of legal matters because we focus exclusively on cases involving the following:

  • Uninsured Motorist Accidents
  • Unsafe Lane Change Accidents
  • Uber and Lyft Accidents
  • Door Dash Accidents
  • Rollover Accidents
  • Distracted Driving Accidents
  • Work Zone Accidents
  • Fatal Car Accidents
  • Wrongful Death Accidents
  • Uninsured Motorist Accidents
  • Unsafe Lane Change Accidents
  • Uber and Lyft Accidents
  • Door Dash Accidents
  • Rollover Accidents
  • Distracted Driving Accidents
  • Work Zone Accidents
  • Fatal Car Accidents
  • Wrongful Death Accidents
Auto Accident and Random

At Nagle & Associates, we aim to be THE authority on auto accidents and insurance law in North Carolina. We know how to respond to the aftermath of a serious accident and how to approach insurance companies to command their respect. When you choose our law firm, you can rest easy knowing we will collect the highest payment possible for our clients in every case we oversee.

Your Car Accident Injury Attorneys in Greenville, NC: The Nagle & Associates Difference

What makes Nagle & Associates stand out from the crowd? As your personal injury lawyer, we’re passionate about providing the highest level of support when you’re facing some of the most difficult times in your life. We will help solve your problems, and our entire staff truly cares about your financial concerns and your medical recovery. We will work tirelessly to protect and enforce your rights.

Clients recommend our personal injury lawyers to their friends and family members because we provide:

Most law firms in North Carolina accept a wide range of cases. Many handle divorce, tax and business law, criminal defense law, and bankruptcy along with personal injury cases. Firms that “only” handle personal injury law typically handle vehicle injury cases along with slip and fall, premises liability, dog bites, workers compensation and many different types of injury cases.

They don’t focus purely on motor vehicle crash law. Our firm ONLY handles personal injury claims resulting from serious motor vehicle accidents. We are masters of the law in this arena and are prepared to protect your rights, establish fault, identify all at-fault parties, access all available insurance policies/coverage, and secure the maximum tax-free payment on all of your injury claims.

We only handle cases involving genuine injuries resulting from serious accidents. We’re not talking about a fender bender in the parking lot of highest rated fine dining restaurant in Greenville, NC. Our focus on high-value cases enables us to offer a reduced legal fee for settlements and trial verdicts. Nearly all other personal injury attorneys charge 1/3 of the settlement. If we take on your case, our fee is 1/4 of the settlement. With our more equitable fee, your share of the settlement is 75%, which is significantly more than the 66% portion that most firms allow.

Most personal injury law firms tack on additional expenses to their 1/3 legal fee. Those fees can include expenses such as postage, copy costs, administrative fees, and charges to outside vendors to collect medical bills and records. Our reduced 1/4 fee includes all case administration expenses.

Our attorney fees for cases that involve court proceedings are lower compared to what other personal injury lawyers charge. If the insurance company does not offer you fair payment, we will take legal action against all parties responsible and bring your case to trial. Other personal injury lawyers will take 40-44% of your injury claim money if a lawsuit is necessary. However, our fee for litigation is 1/3, which means that a larger portion of your personal injury compensation stays with you at the conclusion of your case.

Carl Nagle’s extensive experience in both plaintiff and defense roles makes him a truly exceptional personal injury attorney in Greenville, NC. He and his legal team now work only for individuals injured in vehicle accidents in North Carolina. Prior to focusing exclusively on representing crash victims, Carl Nagle spent several years working as an insurance claims adjuster in Atlanta. After graduating with top honors from the University of Georgia School of Law, Carl served as an insurance defense attorney. His firsthand experience in representing at-fault drivers and insurance companies enables him to predict and counter insurance defense tactics, and he knows how to push insurance companies to offer generous settlements in all cases.

We have seven offices spread across North Carolina, so there's likely one very close to you. However, if you’re reluctant to drive on the busiest interstate highway near Greenville, NC, or live in a remote area that makes travel inconvenient, we won't charge anything to meet with you at your home. Most things can be sorted out over the phone or by mail. Additionally, most cases are settled and result in payment with no court involvement, and this process can be managed without you having to leave your home. If your case needs to go to trial before a jury, we'll do this in your home county.

Associates Difference
Associates Difference

What Our Clients Say

Do You Really Need a Car Accident Injury Attorneys in Greenville, NC?

You aren't obligated to hire a lawyer to settle an accident claim. However, having a lawyer represent you in negotiations with the insurance company likely will result in a larger settlement. According to a report by the Insurance Research Council, 85% of the funds disbursed for bodily injury claims went to individuals who had retained legal counsel.

Former adjuster Carl Nagle offers this warning – “Insurance adjusters work only for the insurance company, and their goal is to minimize payment in every case. They are cost-control experts and they have no legal obligation to tell you what they truly owe. Whenever possible, they will deny valid claims and pay people less than they deserve”.

NC crash victims with serious injuries legally have nothing more than a “cause of action”, which means a right to sue the at-fault driver. Insurance companies know that victims who handle their cases without a lawyer present do not intend to sue, and likely also have no idea what their case is worth. Unrepresented victims are offered less than they deserve, and many settle for pennies on the dollar.

If you hire an attorney, you pay nothing up front and your lawyer beings working for you immediately. We handle all insurance company communications, ensuring that a skilled adjuster cannot misquote you or trick you into forfeiting your rights. We handle crash investigations and the task of gathering all of your medical bills, medical records, lost wage evidence and other case proofs. This is homework you will have to handle if you don’t have legal representation. We assemble the case and highlight the medical evidence which adds value to your settlement We then threaten to file a lawsuit on your behalf, and apply legal and financial leverage to push for the highest settlement offer. After settlement, we negotiate discounts on unpaid medical bills and on health insurance claims against your settlement money. All of these efforts protect your rights and result in the highest possible tax-free settlement payment landing in your pocket. And your attorney is paid only if and when we deliver money to you.

You Really Need

Victims of careless commercial drivers who have high-limits insurance policies and victims who suffer more severe injuries are targeted by insurance companies. Sadly, the more extensive your medical expenses and other losses resulting from a car accident, the greater the likelihood that the other motorist’s insurance company will contest your claim. Victims in high-damage cases should always involve an attorney to build and present their personal injury case.

Insurance companies prioritize safeguarding their profits over fair treatment of crash victims. Attempting to navigate negotiations with insurance adjusters and company lawyers on your own puts you at a disadvantage, as insurance companies have vast experience minimizing claim payments and extensive legal teams helping them oppose your case. Hiring personal injury representation is also a wise idea when you’re trying to deal with one or more of the following situations:

At-Fault Drivers

At-Fault Drivers Who Are Underinsured or Uninsured

Some motorists responsible for accidents don’t have liability insurance or have only bought the lowest amount of insurance mandated by law. If you were involved in an accident caused by a driver without adequate insurance, a lawyer can assist in filing a claim with your own insurance coverage to compensate for the difference. We can often identify several policies that can be stacked together to vastly increase the pool of money available to pay your claims.

Severe Injuries

Severe Injuries

Complex injuries can necessitate costly medical treatment and long-term disability assistance. Without the guidance of a seasoned personal injury attorney, you may not be able to afford continuing care and upcoming medical expenses. Also, severe injuries often result in lasting or permanent symptoms and medical needs. Injury lawyers know how to retain VocReha experts and medical experts to develop the evidence which allows us to collect for future lost wages, future medical needs, and future pain and suffering.

Property Damage

Property Damage

A personal injury lawyer can help you recover compensation for the damage caused to your vehicle, and arrange for an independent assessment to determine repair costs. When a client retains us to handle their injury claims, we handle all property damage claims for free. We never charge to help with vehicle repairs, total loss claims or help securing a rental car.

Contributory Fault Rules

Contributory Fault Rules

In North Carolina, we have the “pure contributory negligence” law. In this state, if a crash victim contributes slightly to causing their accident or injuries, they have no right to present ANY claims. If you are just 1% at fault, you get nothing for your car damage or injury claims. Insurance companies always try to place blame on victims injured in car accidents. By hiring a lawyer early, we make sure you never make a statement that kills your case. We also investigate the crash early and gather evidence proving all other drivers’ fault, and proving that you were innocent and could not avoid the collision.

Wrongful Death

Wrongful Death

Losing a family member in a car accident is horrible, but it’s even more tragic when they perish due to someone else’s negligence. Surviving family members have a right to claim wrongful death benefits, but insurance companies will not simply volunteer fair payment. While you grieve the loss of your loved one, your wrongful death attorney can build the strongest case to help you secure justice and cover financial losses related to the death of your family member.

Call a Car Accident Injury Attorneys in Greenville, NC, if You're in One of These Car Accidents

A traffic collision, also referred to as a car accident, happens when a vehicle crashes into another vehicle, pedestrian, animal, road debris, or other obstructions. Vehicle collisions can lead to different levels of vehicle damage, injuries to people inside, and, in some cases, even death. Annual reports from the past few years have indicated a consistent rise in vehicle accidents, injuries, and fatalities in North Carolina. The state recorded over 273,000 car crashes in 2022, leading to in excess of 110,000 injuries.

If you’re in one of the following types of car crashes, you should contact an auto accident lawyer ASAP:

Head-On Collisions

Head-On Collisions

A head-on collision happens when two vehicles’ front ends collide. This type of accident often results in very serious injuries and, sometimes, fatalities.

Rear-End Collisions

Rear-End Collisions

A rear-end collision happens when the front of one automobile crashes into the back of another vehicle. This type of collision happens most often when a driver fails to pay attention or is tailgating another driver.

Sideswipe Accidents

Sideswipe Accidents

When two vehicles are moving parallel to one another and make contact – usually due to an improper lane change – a sideswipe collision happens.

T-Bone Collision

T-Bone Collision

In a side-impact collision, one automobile crashes into the side of another, creating a “T” shape. These car wrecks are known to happen at intersections and typically produce serious injuries.

Multi-Car Pileup

Multi-Car Pileup

These auto wrecks are also known as chain reaction collisions and happen when three or more automobiles collide in a series of collisions. Multi-car pileups are known to happen in dense traffic and on large roadways like the busiest interstate highway near Greenville, NC.

Rollovers

Rollovers

When a vehicle turns over on its side or on its roof, a rollover accident occurs, which can have catastrophic consequences for the driver and also for other motorists.

Regardless of the type of car accident you’re involved in, you should know that North Carolina adheres to a fault-based system for wrecks. That means the driver found responsible for causing the wreck is usually accountable for the resulting damages. However, it’s important to note that North Carolina also follows the pure contributory negligence rule. This means that if a plaintiff is found even partially at fault for the accident, they might be unable to collect payment for their property damage and injury claims.

While insurance companies should provide a lump sum to cover all accident-related expenses, in many cases, the amount they are willing to offer is typically unfair and insufficient without help from an experienced auto accident lawyer like Carl Nagle.

Follow These Steps After an Auto Accident in North Carolina

Whether you’re driving near the the biggest university or college near Greenville, NC or taking a short ride to the store, a car crash can happen in a split second. When it does, it can leave you confused and disoriented. However, taking quick action after an accident can help preserve your rights if you’re injured. Keep these steps in mind if you’re ever involved in a car wreck in North Carolina:

  • Swap insurance info with other drivers involved in the accident.
  • Get treated by a doctor to diagnose injuries caused by the auto accident.
  • If you’re given a treatment plan by your doctor, be sure to follow the recovery instructions.
  • If you undergo treatment or rehab for your injuries, use your health insurance to fund all medical care. This protects your credit and will increase case value.
  • Get a copy of the police report for your auto accident.
  • Save any invoices, bills, and receipts relating to medical costs you have to pay to treat yourself or to repair property damage.
  • If you’re injured in a car accident and have to take time off of work, have a doctor provide a work disability note to show that you are missing work for medical reasons. Also, try to get copies of your pay stubs that reflect your pay prior to your accident.
  • Reach out to a personal injury lawyer as soon as you’re able to do so. Even if you chose not to hire a lawyer, a consultation with a personal injury lawyer is free and can typically be accomplished with a phone call. Learn your rights before you start cooperating with the insurance adjuster who is being paid to oppose your claims.
Follow These Steps

If someone's actions or lack of action caused you harm while driving, you may have a valid personal injury claim. There are many types of physical and emotional injuries that fall into different categories. At Nagle & Associates, P.A., we’ll work with you one-on-one to gather evidence that can prove your case and help you receive the compensation you deserve. Whether you were in a collision involving a drunk driver, hit while walking to work, or sustained injuries in a motorcycle accident, our goal is to help you collect the full amount of compensation that the law allows.

Call Your Car Accident Injury Attorneys in Greenville, NC, for a Free Consultation

At Nagle & Associates, we're proud to provide clients with the highest level of support when they are facing some of the most difficult challenges imaginable. We pledge to provide them with reliable legal representation and treat them with respect, compassion, and empathy. If you’re suffering from the results of a major auto accident in North Carolina, know that we’re here to help in any way that we’re able.

Our team of car accident lawyers will work tirelessly to help you confront and solve your most immediate problems, to build the strongest personal injury case on your behalf, and to collect the highest amount of compensation through settlement or trial. When you or your family’s health and financial security are on the line, don’t settle for less – choose Nagle & Associates, P.A., today.

Case Review

Latest News in Greenville, NC

Greenville chef hauls supplies to NC after Helene, inspired by New Orleans experience

Tiare Solishttps://greenvillejournal.com/community/greenville-chef-conner-hinderks-hauls-supplies-to-nc-after-helene-inspired-by-new-orleans-experience/

On a quiet Wednesday morning on Oct. 2, Greenville-based chef Conner Hinderks was en route to Asheville hauling supplies and food following Hurricane Helene.“As soon as you get on to [Interstate] 26, you stop sharing traffic with most people,” Hinderks said. “It’s just a bunch of trucks and trailers and everybody’s bringing stuff up, which is really nice.”Hinderk...

On a quiet Wednesday morning on Oct. 2, Greenville-based chef Conner Hinderks was en route to Asheville hauling supplies and food following Hurricane Helene.

“As soon as you get on to [Interstate] 26, you stop sharing traffic with most people,” Hinderks said. “It’s just a bunch of trucks and trailers and everybody’s bringing stuff up, which is really nice.”

Hinderks spent most of his career as a chef in New Orleans. His altruism comes from first-hand experience with the havoc hurricanes can cause in a community.

“Having lived in New Orleans and having lived through Hurricane Ida, which was really, really disruptive down there and just seeing the community come together and really helped protect even its most vulnerable people, and just everybody,” Hinderks said. “It really just kind of stuck with me.”

Hinderks and his partner Christina moved to the Upstate in April, searching for a place to put down roots that was near family and close to the mountains. They fell in love with Greenville and started Asian-inspired eatery Little Secret in the kitchen of Eighth State Brewing in August. The brewery closed in late September.

Then Helene hit. Since he already owned a truck and knew where to find food and supplies at discount rates, Hinderks saw an opportunity to help.

He began by bringing supplies to Asheville’s James Beard Award-winning restaurant, Chai Pani. He posted his plans on social media Sept. 30, stating the intent to carry supplies from Chai Pani in Decatur, Georgia, to its sister restaurant in Asheville. Christina’s family is from Decatur, so it was a serendipitous place to begin.

While in Asheville, he and Christina were told Firestorm Books needed additional supplies. They assessed what the bookstore and coffee shop could use, returned to Greenville to hit Costco and Restaurant Depot, then hauled the second truckload north on Oct. 2.

Between drives, Hinderks volunteered at free cookouts, like the one at Comal 864 on Oct. 1. Many Upstate eateries have banded together to help the Greenville community following the hurricane.

He is totaling about 100 miles per day, collecting supplies in Greenville and shuttling them to North Carolina. The key, Hinderks said, is just starting to help.

“You get enough people that do that and then suddenly you have an entire mutual aid organization growing out of nowhere, and people are getting the resources they need,” he said.

How one Greenville helicopter pilot started a massive relief effort for Western North Carolina after Helene

Danielle Johnsonhttps://gvltoday.6amcity.com/volunteer/helene-relief-greenville-downtown-airport

When Greenville-based company Happy Helicopters started a GoFundMe to fly supplies into Western NC, owner Isaiah Burch never expected it to turn into this.“What I’m seeing is people coming with their cars loaded down that still don’t have power at their home... They’re ...

When Greenville-based company Happy Helicopters started a GoFundMe to fly supplies into Western NC, owner Isaiah Burch never expected it to turn into this.

“What I’m seeing is people coming with their cars loaded down that still don’t have power at their home... They’re still without,” Burch said. “I’ve lived all over the country with my flying career and I’ve never lived in a community that is this giving.”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by GVLtoday (@gvltoday)

Pilots from across the Southeast are landing at Greenville Downtown Airport to fly supplies into communities devastated by Helene. We met a trio of pilots from the Atlanta area who said they are bringing water, diapers, formula, and feminine products to Hands of Hope — a pregnancy resource center in Rutherford County, NC that is in desperate need of supplies.

Swamp Rabbit Moving + Walmart have donated trucks to help transport supplies to communities and other airports accessible by road. We’ve also seen individuals with trucks and trailers to support the effort by hauling supplies to the mountains.

As of the time we’re typing this, ~$180,000+ has been raised to keep this effort going.

You can stop by Runway Park at GMU with:

“There’s no wrong answer of stuff to bring as long as it’s sealed, new, non-perishable, or water, you can’t go wrong,” Burch said. “Anything you can bring is going to good use.” You can also volunteer your time to unload cars, sort items, and load them for transport.

Large-scale, grassroots effort to fly and truck supplies to western NC takes off at Greenville airport

Conor Hugheshttps://www.postandcourier.com/hurricanewire/downtown-greenville-airport-helicopter-helene-wnc/article_9bc05958-8049-11ef-a6b5-777cc9451d0d.html

GREENVILLE — It started with a few Instagram posts.Isaiah Burch, who runs the Happy Helicopters tour company in Greenville, announced Sept. 28 he planned to fly a load of supplies into western North Carolina after the region was devastated by the remnants of Hurricane...

GREENVILLE — It started with a few Instagram posts.

Isaiah Burch, who runs the Happy Helicopters tour company in Greenville, announced Sept. 28 he planned to fly a load of supplies into western North Carolina after the region was devastated by the remnants of Hurricane Helene.

That day, donations started trickling in. On Sept. 29 and 30, they began to flow more steadily, and the group of pilots pitching in grew.

By Oct. 1, the parking lot of the Runway Cafe at the Downtown Greenville Airport was flooded with supplies and volunteers, a long line of loaded-down cars stretching down the road waiting to donate. Walmart and Swamp Rabbit Grocery sent large trucks to haul resources north. The traffic director at New Spring Church stepped in to help create an orderly flow. Often, after drivers dropped off their goods, they'd pull out of line and park, whole families getting out to help in the coordination effort.

A small fleet of personal planes and helicopters were flying in and out of the airport, all laden with diapers, canned food, cases of water, tools and gas on their trips north, said Tracy Roberts, a local realtor who helped grow and organize the grassroots effort.

"Everyone has helped out so amazingly," she said.

And the activity showed no signs of slowing down. Given the response, Roberts said they will continue to accept donations and volunteers at the airport until at least Oct. 11.

Burch was going almost nonstop Oct. 1, loading his Red Robin helicopter, flying it into the hardest hit towns, dropping off resources, flying back, repeat.

His helicopter can get to areas cut off from the outside world, but how much he can carry is limited, while the need is seemingly endless. Western North Carolina was devastated by Helene, with most of the region still without power, dozens dead as the death toll continues to rise and entire towns cut off from the outside world by washed-out roads.

"It's people in desperation," Burch said. "When I go up, they swarm the helicopter. There's a lot of emotions."

The pilots pitching in were both local and from out of town.

Jake Guarino and Jacob Faulkner arrived from Florida on Oct. 1 with a plane full of supplies and set to flying more north.

Matt Kappel, a Greenville defense attorney who keeps his plane at the downtown airport, was also among the small fleet of pilots running supplies over the mountains into North Carolina. Kappel said it's been amazing to watch the effort grow into the sprawling operation that had taken over the airport parking lot.

He has been making trips for two days to Rutherfordton, which is about 30 miles north of Spartanburg, 100 miles west of there to Macon County. Each time he carries hundreds of pounds of food and water.

"Anything to help," Kappel said.

A tiny town just got slammed by Helene. It could massively disrupt the tech industry

Camila Domonoskehttps://www.npr.org/2024/09/30/nx-s1-5133462/hurricane-helene-quartz-microchips-solar-panels-spruce-pine

Spencer Bost A tiny town in North Carolina that’s just been devastated by hurricane Helene could end up severely disrupting the global supply chain for microchips and solar panels.Nestled in the Appalachian mountains, the community of Spruce Pine, population 2,194, is known for its hiking, local artists and as America’s sole source of high-purity quartz. Helene dumped more than 2 feet of rain on the town, destroying roads, shops and cutting power and water.But its reach will likely be fel...

Spencer Bost

A tiny town in North Carolina that’s just been devastated by hurricane Helene could end up severely disrupting the global supply chain for microchips and solar panels.

Nestled in the Appalachian mountains, the community of Spruce Pine, population 2,194, is known for its hiking, local artists and as America’s sole source of high-purity quartz. Helene dumped more than 2 feet of rain on the town, destroying roads, shops and cutting power and water.

But its reach will likely be felt far beyond the small community.

Semiconductors are the brains of every computer-chip-enabled device, and solar panels are a key part of the global push to combat climate change. To make both semiconductors and solar panels, companies need crucibles and other equipment that both can withstand extraordinarily high heat and be kept absolutely clean. One material fits the bill: quartz. Pure quartz.

Quartz that comes, overwhelmingly, from Spruce Pine.

“As far as we know, there’s only a few places in the world that have ultra-high-quality quartz,” according to Ed Conway, author of Material World: The Six Raw Materials That Shape Modern Civilization. Russian and Brazil also supply high-quality quartz, he says, but “Spruce Pine has far and away the [largest amount] and highest quality.”

Conway says without super-pure quartz for the crucibles, which can often be used only a single time, it would be impossible to produce most semiconductors.

“Purity really does matter,” he says. “You're talking about a process to create the silicon wafers that later become silicon chips, where one single atom being in the wrong place” could derail production.

Companies have been pursuing artificial substitutes, but so far, those alternatives can't satisfy the world’s demand for this pure quartz.

According to an annual report from TECHCET, a market research firm, quartz equipment is a $2.12 billion industry and growing.

Spruce Pine received 24.12 inches of rain from Helene, according to the National Weather Service. The massive inundation caused the North Toe River to flood, devastating the downtown area, according to Spencer Bost, the executive director of Downtown Spruce Pine, the local business development association.

“It’s flooded up to the awnings, about 10 feet,” he says of the downtown’s lower street. “Lower street was destroyed.”

The town’s grocery store was also heavily damaged in the flooding. Power, water and cellular service are all down, Bost says. Fallen trees and washed-out roads have left the community isolated from the outside.

“We were there for about three days before we got enough chainsaws together to cut a path out of our neighborhood,” Bost says. He and his fiancée spent nine hours working their way to Greenville, N.C., where they’ve temporarily sought shelter.

The conditions at the mines that produce the quartz remain unclear. “We are in a phase of assessing the situation, and it is far too early to comment on the impact to high-purity quartz production,” Mary Kristin Haugen of the Quartz Corporation told NPR in a statement.

A second major supplier, Sibelco, based in Antwerp, The Netherlands, did not immediately respond to NPR’s email.

Images verified by NPR show that even if the mines are intact, getting quartz out of the region may be a challenge. The main CSX rail line in and out of Spruce Pine runs along the North Toe River and has been heavily damaged. The rail line was the primary shipping point for quartz from the mines.

Conway says he believes chipmakers have stocks of ultra-pure quartz that would prevent a short-term supply chain disruption from hobbling production, but he adds that if Spruce Pine remains cut off from the rest of the world for long, it could have a big impact.

Previous disruptions to superconductor supply chains, from earthquakes to fires, have sent ripple effects across the many industries that rely on chips for their products and operations. A 2008 fire at a quartz refinery in Spruce Pine impacted the market.

Likewise, solar expert Johannes Bernreuter, head of Bernreuter Research says that if a disruption went on for “more than a few weeks,” it would “pose a serious problem for the production” of silicon ingots needed in the photovoltaic, or PV, industry.

China is the major producer of solar panels, and it relies heavily on imports of high-quality quartz from Spruce Pine, he says.

Lita Shon-Roy, the president and CEO of market research firm TECHCET, has been tracking the supply chain for semiconductors for two decades. She says it’s amazing that the industry hasn’t been more concerned about the vulnerability created from relying on this one region of North Carolina for a crucial material.

“Every time I’ve asked in the last two decades, the question always comes back, ‘Well, where else are we supposed to get it?’ “ she says.

The United States and China are in a global competition to secure access to raw materials for semiconductors and green technology. Frantic searches are underway for new deposits and new methods, across a range of minerals.

But when it comes to pure quartz?

“I haven’t heard of any viable sources yet to replace what’s in North Carolina,” Shon-Roy says.

NPR's Michael Copley contributed to this report.

People sending relief to Western N.C. by plane

Julia Keenerhttps://www.wspa.com/news/people-sending-relief-to-western-n-c-by-plane/

GREENVILLE, S.C. (WSPA) – People are headed to the Downtown Greenville Airport to fill their planes, helicopters and 18-wheelers with supplies for those affected by Hurricane Helene in western North Carolina.“I don’t think that anyone can understand the gravity or fathom how bad it is,” said volunteer, Tracy Roberts. “What you can imagine, times that by 100,000? That’s truly what’s happening.”Hundreds of people showed up to the airport on Wednesday to help. Isaiah Burch with Happy...

GREENVILLE, S.C. (WSPA) – People are headed to the Downtown Greenville Airport to fill their planes, helicopters and 18-wheelers with supplies for those affected by Hurricane Helene in western North Carolina.

“I don’t think that anyone can understand the gravity or fathom how bad it is,” said volunteer, Tracy Roberts. “What you can imagine, times that by 100,000? That’s truly what’s happening.”

Hundreds of people showed up to the airport on Wednesday to help. Isaiah Burch with Happy Helicopter Tours said Helene’s impact had been “really overwhelming”, but he’s glad to see other’s helping each other in this time of need.

“Just the peoples outpouring of love to bring things here when they don’t have enough, it’s just unbelievable,” Burch said. “We’ve had people deliver things to us without enough of their own.”

Burch said he didn’t have the words to explain the disaster he’d witness. He explained, “It’s just a monumental effort with the size of devastation.”

Roberts explained what it was like to drive through Western Carolina while delivering supplies.

“It’s bad,” she said. “We’re driving on roads that are supposed to be two sides; half the side of the road is gone. You’re hoping that your car doesn’t slide off as your trying to take these supplies.”

Katie Cook, one of the volunteers, described beginning Wednesday morning with people eager to help as “amazing.”

“It’s amazing,” Cook said. “The road was full of cars and we were just overwhelmed with how helpful and willing people have been. Volunteering their time, efforts, resources, and just coming together for the community.”

She said she hopes the experience will show her children that times like this are when community members need each other the most.

“We’re trying to show our kids that community is supposed to come together, help each other and try to be the hands and feet when there are people in much worse cases than we are,” Cook said.

The job isn’t done yet. Burch said people in the effected areas need a lot more help.

“Everything you could imagine, primarily water and food,” Burch said. “People brought generators, survival equipment, clean drinking water. The outpouring has really been phenomenal.”

The Downtown Greenville Airport said that as long as volunteers keep showing up, they will continue to leave the tarmac open. They said anyone who wants to volunteer can just show up.

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