North Carolina Car Accidents While on Vacation Attorney
North Carolina Car Accidents While on Vacation Attorney
A vacation can become a difficult challenge when a motor vehicle collision interrupts your journey. Our law firm has offices in Charlotte, Asheville, Wilmington and Raleigh, which are the four most visited towns in North Carolina. We have a great deal of experience helping out-of-state motorists who suffer injuries and losses while visiting North Carolina. If you were injured in a car accident while on vacation, Raleigh car accident lawyer Carl Nagle can help you pursue a claim for compensation and, in most cases, we can handle everything for you via phone calls and exchanged mailings.
Issues specific to car accidents while on vacation may include personal jurisdiction over the parties, insurance coverage, and varying state laws. As a former claims adjuster and insurance defense attorney, Attorney Carl Nagle brings an insider’s advantage to his victim advocacy. Whether you are a North Carolina resident or a visitor from far away, our legal team can provide the guidance and legalrepresentation that you need. While you or your loved ones recover at home or in the hospital, Mr. Nagle can begin immediately contacting insurance carriers, collecting valuable evidence, proving and establishing fault, and building your case to ensure the highest possible settlement or trial verdict. Our firm has helped people who reside in Asheville, Wilmington, and Winston-Salem, as well as people from all over the country who suffer the effects of accidents that take place here in North Carolina.
Protect Your Right to Compensation Following a Car Accident While on Vacation
If you or someone in your family has been hurt due to the negligence of another driver while on vacation, there are important steps to take that may help to protect your injury claim. Typically, personal injury cases are filed in the state where the accident occurred. Thus, if the plaintiff/victim resides outside North Carolina, they usually will still bring their personal injury claim within the state. The trial would occur here, but please know that most cases settle privately with no need for suit filing or court involvement. When a resident of North Carolina vacations outside the state and is hurt by an out-of-state driver, the law of that state will apply. In other words, the location of the accident plays a key role in determining which state law applies to determine victims’ rights, who owes damages and compensation, and which insurance coverage levels will be required to compensate victims.
Many car accident claims are based on the legal concept of negligence, which, in the situation of a vehicle collision, is a failure to take proper care in operating a vehicle. If another driver has caused an accident through negligent or reckless conduct, they may be held legally accountable and may be responsible for paying monetary compensation to the victim. For accidents that take place within North Carolina, it is important that the victim not have contributed to the collision because they may be barred from receiving damages as a result.
Following an accident while on vacation, victims should first seek all medical care necessary to properly diagnose their injuries, even if it means going to the local emergency room for medical treatment. You should record the names and addresses of all of the medical providers that you see and describe in detail each symptom that you have experienced. If you continue on your trip after your injury, be aware that the defendant driver’s insurance company may monitor your movements. They may manipulate the story to argue that you were not seriously injured.
Since the first step in a personal injury claim against a negligent driver requires that the victim prove fault to establish legal liability, it is important to secure a police report and to also contact witnesses and investigate the causes of the subject collision. Retrieving a police report soon after the accident may help make the process of filing a claim more efficient. If you need our help securing a copy of your Police Report, simply call us with the collision date and drivers’ names and we will provide a free copy for you immediately.
After establishing the fault of the responsible driver(s), victims will be entitled to recover compensation. These monetary damages often include hospital bills, missed wages from work, and property damage. Since the defendant’s insurance company usually will try to minimize payments, it is important to document all of the costs associated with the accident.
Reviewing medical and insurance policies before leaving home may ensure that you are aware of your coverage. Additionally, there may be particular procedures to follow when reporting medical claims if you are out of state. For example, some insurance companies may not pay to have the damaged car towed, and they may want you to fix the car locally. Since the auto repair shop may not repair the car to your standards, it is important to check the work or, if possible, wait to repair the vehicle until you are home. If the repair is minor, this may be an ideal solution.
If a car accident took place within North Carolina, it is important for the victim to show that they did not contribute to the accident. In our state, if someone contributes even slightly to causing their own accident or injuries (even if they are just 1% at fault), their claims are barred and they have no payment rights. While there are exceptions to this rule, it is vital to be prepared to avoid insurance carriers’ efforts to blame you for your accident. Our legal team can certainly help you to evaluate fault, and to determine your best plan of legal action going forward.
Retain a Skilled Car Accident Attorney in Raleigh or Beyond
Following a car accident while on vacation, it is important to contact a law firm that you trust. Raleigh lawyer Carl Nagle has established himself as a knowledgeable, ethical, and accomplished advocate for victims. We can handle all of the communications with insurance companies and any potential litigation that ensues from the crash. Nagle & Associates has lower legal fees than other law firms, at one-quarter rather than one-third of a settlement award. Contact us to schedule a free consultation with a motor vehicle collision attorney to begin understanding your legal options after a crash. We serve injured individuals in Raleigh, Asheville, Charlotte, Hickory, Wilmington, Winston-Salem, Greensboro, and other areas of Wake, Forsyth, Guilford, Durham, New Hanover, Cumberland, and Catawba Counties. Contact us online or by calling (800) 411-1583 to set up your appointment.