 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
COMMON
QUESTIONS ABOUT
PERSONAL INJURY CLAIMS
This
is general information based upon North Carolina
law. Every case is different
and the application or exceptions to the general
laws may be different in your case. You should
always consult an experienced and knowledgeable
North Carolina personal injury attorney if you have specific
questions or if you need any legal advice on these
issues. Our law firm has been in the
business of helping injured people and fighting
insurance companies since 1981.
CLICK
ON YOUR QUESTION
1.
I've been hurt in a car wreck. What should I do?
2. I was recently injured an accident, and an insurance adjuster
wants to take my statement about the accident?
What should I do?
3. Who is responsible for paying my medical bills?
4. If my health insurance company pays my medical bills, can I
still recover from the person responsible for
my injuries?
5. What types of compensation can I get if I am hurt by someone
else?
6. What if the insurance company does not offer me a fair settlement?
7. How long can I wait before making a claim or accepting a settlement
for my injuries?
8. How do I pay the attorney?
| 1. |
I’ve
been hurt in a car wreck. What should I
do? |
|
|
If
you’ve been hurt as a result of someone
else’s negligence or carelessness, you may be entitled to
financial compensation from that person
and/or that person's insurance company. That
process can be complicated, so you
should contact us immediately so that we
can assist you with the process.
You should also immediately gather as much
information about your accident and injury
as you can, including pictures of vehicles
involved and the scene of your injury; a copy of
your vehicle's repair estimate; a copy of
the accident report; information about the
person who caused the accident and his insurance
company; your medical records and bills;
work excuse slips; and anything else that
might help the attorney. |
| |
|
Some
insurance companies have recently begun
trying to convince injured people that they
do not need attorneys and that the insurance
company will assist them with their claims.
In most cases this is simply not true and is
merely an attempt by the
insurance company to settle your
claim for less than its full value. In fact,
many states are now prohibiting insurance
companies from telling injured people that
they do not need attorneys, and several
states have even punished insurance companies
for continuing to do so. top
of page
|
|
2. |
I
was recently injured an accident, and an
insurance adjuster wants to take my statement
about the accident? What should I do? |
|
|
You
should contact our firm immediately before
you speak to any insurance company
representatives.
Insurance companies often obtain statements
from accident victims very shortly after an accident
while they are still in pain, under
medication and before they know the true
extent of their injuries. As a result, victims
are often unable to give full and detailed
explanations or statements concerning the
accident and their injuries. Insurance adjusters
are trained to obtain statements from victims
that will damage their case. The insurance
companies then sometimes later use these
premature statements to try to hurt or
devalue the
victim's case. You should
never give a statement to the responsible
person’s insurance company without first
discussing your case with an experienced
personal injury attorney. top
of page
|
|
3. |
Who
is responsible to pay my medical bills? |
| |
|
You
are always responsible for your own medical
bills. However, if you are injured
by the negligence or carelessness of another person, you
may be entitled to recover the amount of
your medical bills, as well other types
of compensation. However, in most cases
the responsible person’s insurance company
will not pay your bills as you incur them.
Instead, the insurance company will wait
until you have completely finished all of
your medical treatment to make you a settlement
offer. Therefore, you should always
file your bills with your health insurance
provider, including Medicaid/Medicare, to
insure that most of your bills are paid
on time so that your credit is not affected.
If you do not have health insurance or Medicaid/Medicare,
you should attempt to arrange for some type
of payment plan with your doctors until
your settlement is final in order to protect
your credit. Even if someone else is at
fault, if you fail to pay your bills it
can hurt or destroy your credit.
top
of page
|
|
4. |
If
I have health insurance to pay my medical
bills, do I still have a case against the
person at fault? |
|
|
Yes.
However, some health insurance providers (Medicaid;
Medicare; Champus; self-funded ERISA
plans; worker's
compensation) are often entitled to some
reimbursement from your settlement.
However, many times the amount that you have to pay
back to your health insurance company is
less than the amount of the original bill.
Our firm can assist you in dealing with
these reimbursement issues. top
of page
|
|
5. |
What
types of compensation am I entitled to if
I get hurt? |
| |
|
If
you are injured as a result of someone else’s
negligence or carelessness, you may be entitled to any or
all of the following types of compensation.
Our firm
can assist you in making sure that you recover
fair compensation for all of your injuries.
property
damage
loss of the use of your property, i.e.,
rental car
medical bills
future medical bills
lost wages or income
loss of future earnings
loss of future earning capacity
permanent scars
loss of the use of a body part
physical pain
mental suffering and aggravation
future pain and suffering
permanent disability
grief and heartache
funeral bills
burial expenses
loss of relationship with a deceased
family member
top
of page
|
|
6. |
What
if the insurance company does not offer
me a fair settlement? |
|
|
Insurance
companies are supposed to offer injured victims
reasonable and fair compensation in a timely
manner. However, insurance companies are
in business to make money, and they
increase their profits by decreasing their
payments to you and other injury victims.
Our firm can help you stand up to the
insurance company and force it to do what
the law requires it to do - pay fair
compensation to injured people who did not
contribute to their own injuries. |
|
|
Our law firm
has been fighting insurance companies and
filing lawsuits for accident victims all
over Northeastern North Carolina for over
25 years. If we are unable to reach a fair settlement
with the insurance company, then our firm
will file a lawsuit
for you in the proper court to allow the
court or jury to recover all
of the compensation to which you are
entitled.
top
of page
|
|
7. |
How
do I pay the attorney? |
| |
|
Our
firm works on a contingency fee basis, which
means that you pay our attorney’s fees
only after we collect compensation money
for you. In most cases, if we
do not recover compensation for your injuries,
then you do not owe us any attorney’s fees.
Of course, the out-of-pocket expenses necessary
to process or litigate your claim are your
responsibility whether or not you recover
money for your injuries. top
of page
|
|
8. |
How
long can I wait before making a claim or
accepting a settlement for my injuries? |
|
|
If
you are injured by someone else's
negligence or carelessness,
North Carolina law generally allows three
years to file your lawsuit in court. If
your loved one has died as a result of
someone else's negligence or carelessness,
you generally have only two years to file your
lawsuit. If you fail to do so within
the applicable time period, you may well forever lose your
right to file a claim or lawsuit. Of course,
there are exceptions to this rule, and you
should consult with us to get answers about your specific
case. top
of page |
|
|
|
|
|
Copyright
Teague & Glover, P.A.| Personal Injury Attorneys and Criminal Defense
Lawyers | Website by
Consultwebs.com
Concentration in: Personal Injury, Criminal Defense, Traffic Tickets,
Nursing Home Abuse, Medical Malpractice, Dog Bites, Car Wrecks, Boating Accidents, Tractor
Trailer Wrecks, Bicycle Accidents, Motorcycle Accidents, DWI, DMV Matters,
Assault, Attacks, Pedestrian Accidents, Slips, Trips, Falls, Drunk Driving
Serving: Outer Banks, Elizabeth City, Edenton, NC, North Carolina, Northeastern
North Carolina, Dare County, Kitty Hawk, Kill Devil Hills, Nags Head,
Manteo, Corolla, Duck, Hatteras, Currituck County, Chowan County, Edenton,
Perquimans County, Hertford County, Pasquotank County, Camden County,
Gates County |
|
|
|
