Rocky Mount Personal Injury Lawyers

The impact of an unexpected and traumatic accident can have a devastating effect on your life. Not only are you likely to deal with emotional drama and debilitating physical injuries, but financial losses could quickly ruin your family financially. Fortunately, if someone else is at fault, you can take action against them and hold them accountable for their negligence. 

In doing so, you can be awarded the financial compensation you need to escape monetary instability and start to rebuild your life. Our experienced Rocky Mount personal injury lawyers at Ricci Law Firm Injury Lawyers can help you demand justice. With our firm by your side, you can build a powerful case against the at-fault party and maximize your award. 

Contact our personal injury attorneys for a 100% free consultation today and learn more about how the personal injury claims process is handled, what to expect from the insurance company, and how much you could recover if we are successful.

Types of Accidents Our Personal Injury Attorneys in Rocky Mount Handle

You need a reputable personal injury attorney by your side, no matter what type of accident you were involved in. Thankfully, Ricci Law Firm Injury Lawyers handles virtually any type of accident and personal injury claim. Some of the most common types of cases we take on include:

  • Premises liabilities
  • Worker’s compensation
  • Motor vehicle accidents
  • Nursing home abuse
  • Defective product claims
  • Wrongful death

Premises Liabilities

Premises liability accidents can include any type of injury that occurs on someone else’s property. In most of these cases, property owners are held accountable because they failed to ensure the safety of the premises for their invited guests and patrons. Some of the most common types of premises liability accidents we handle include:

  • Dog bites
  • Slip and falls
  • Swimming pool accidents
  • Trampoline accidents
  • Supermarket accidents
  • Parking lot accidents
  • Hotel accidents
  • Negligent security
  • Improper maintenance

Worker’s Compensation

When you are injured in a work-related accident, you may be entitled to worker’s compensation benefits. According to North Carolina worker’s compensation laws under N.C. General Statutes Chapter 97: The Workers’ Compensation Act, employers with three or more employees are legally required to purchase worker’s compensation protection coverage. This provides certain types and amounts of benefits to qualifying injured workers.

Generally, as long as your injuries occurred within the scope of your job responsibilities, you may be eligible for coverage of your medical expenses, approximately 2/3 of your average wages in the form of disability benefits, vocational rehabilitation benefits, and death benefits for surviving family members. 

Unfortunately, insurance companies and employers often fight back and attempt to deny work injury victims the compensation they are entitled to. That is where we step in and demand our clients be compensated fairly for their suffering. Some of the most common types of on-the-job accidents and incidents that warrant worker’s compensation benefits include:

  • Construction accidents
  • Factory accidents
  • Oil field accidents
  • Work-related car accidents
  • Delivery truck accidents
  • Garbage truck accidents
  • Repetitive stress injuries
  • Exposure to toxic substances
  • Being diagnosed with respiratory conditions or mesothelioma

Motor Vehicle Accidents

Motor vehicle accidents can involve nearly any type of vehicle on the roads or waters. Some examples of these collisions could include:

Many of these motor vehicle wrecks are caused by speeding, drunk or drugged driving, distracted driving, or other types of traffic violations that can be considered negligent driving. However, car accidents can also be caused by dangerous road conditions and malfunctioning motor vehicle parts. Fortunately, our personal injury law firm will thoroughly investigate the cause of the accident so we can identify the liable party and bring them to justice.

Defective Product Claims 

Any time a product malfunctions or is inherently defective and causes victims substantial injuries, product manufacturers, distributors, designers, corporations, and other at-fault parties can be sued for damages through a product liability claim. Some of the most common types of defective product claims include failure to provide adequate warning labels, design defects, and manufacturing defects.

Wrongful Death

If you lost a loved one in a fatal accident, you may have the authority to pursue a personal injury claim on their behalf. This is commonly known as a wrongful death action. According to North Carolina Civil Code Section 28A-18-2, only the decedent’s personal representative of their estate has the right to file a wrongful death claim. 

You can find out whether you can move forward with a wrongful death claim when you discuss the specific details of your case with a compassionate personal injury lawyer at Ricci Law Firm Injury Lawyers.

Common Injuries Caused By These Accidents

One of the most common reasons more personal injury claims are not filed is because victims have concerns that their cases will not be taken seriously. After everything you have been through, the last thing you want is to be cast aside or accused of pursuing a frivolous claim.

Remember, the type of injury you are dealing with does not impact an attorney’s willingness to take on your case. What does matter is the extent of your injuries and how significantly they have and may continue to affect your life. With that being said, we see a wide variety of catastrophic injuries in personal injury claims, including:

  • Shoulder injuries
  • Dental injuries
  • Lacerations
  • Road rash
  • Traumatic brain injuries
  • Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
  • Neck injuries
  • Concussion
  • Contusions
  • Compound fractures
  • Spinal cord injuries
  • Hip injuries
  • Permanent disability
  • Internal bleeding and organ failure
  • Soft tissue injuries
  • Whiplash
  • Repetitive stress injuries
  • Mesothelioma
  • Depression and anxiety
  • Respiratory conditions, including asthma
  • Certain types of cancers

Grounds for a Personal Injury Lawsuit

Now that you know the type of injury you are dealing with will not prevent you from recovering compensation for your damages, you may be wondering whether your case meets the grounds for a personal injury lawsuit.

For any Rocky Mount personal injury claim to be successful, your injury lawyer must show that the elements of negligence are present in your case. These include:

  • The defendant owed you a duty of care
  • The alleged liable party breached their duty of care
  • The defendant’s actions were the causes of your damages or injuries
  • Your life was severely impacted by the accident or your resulting injuries

It may not be clear whether these requirements have been met until you discuss the circumstances of your accident with a proven injury attorney. We can conduct a thorough investigation into the cause of the accident to determine whether someone else’s negligence contributed to your injuries and what legal options are available to you if you meet the criteria for a personal injury lawsuit.

Legal Options for Victims of Personal Injuries in Rocky Mount, NC

Recovering maximum compensation is the best way to get through these difficult times without financial ruin. Fortunately, there are multiple ways to fight for the compensation you are due and ensure the liable party is held accountable across all relevant avenues.

Filing a Claim With the Insurance Company

North Carolina follows fault laws when it comes to accident and injury claims. Filing a claim with the insurance company is one of the best ways to recover a portion of your damages. Since North Carolina adheres to fault laws, you file a claim with the liable party’s insurance provider. 

If the liable party does not have insurance coverage, you may opt to file a claim against your own insurance policy if you have no fault protection. Or, you can move forward with a personal injury lawsuit against them.

Moving Forward With a Personal Injury Lawsuit

When liable parties do not have relevant insurance coverage, filing a personal injury lawsuit is the best way to hold them accountable. You may also need to move forward with a personal injury claim if the liable party has insurance coverage but not enough to fully compensate you.

It is important to remember that insurance is unlikely to pay you for every loss. They will only cover damages included as part of the insurance policy. For instance, if the liable party has auto insurance coverage, the insurance company will typically only cover medical bills and property damages. If the at-fault party has general liability coverage, you may also be able to receive compensation for lost wages.

However, it is a rare occurrence for insurance to provide compensation for many other types of economic damages and any type of non-economic damages. You can find out how much your personal injury lawsuit is worth when you discuss your damages in detail with our injury lawyers.

Compensating Rocky Mount Personal Injury Victims 

Personal injury law firms have an obligation to get the most for their clients. To do this, we must categorize your damages accordingly and account for every loss. You have the right to be awarded compensation for a combination of economic damages and non-economic damages.

Non-economic damages are losses that affect your life and daily living, while economic damages impact you financially. Some examples of recoverable damages in Rocky Mount personal injury claims include:

  • Emotional distress
  • Loss of income
  • Diminished earning potential
  • Loss of enjoyment of life
  • Permanent disability
  • Mental anguish
  • Loss of consortium
  • Diminished quality of life
  • Inconvenience and embarrassment
  • Skin scarring and disfigurement
  • Medical expenses
  • Punitive damages, where applicable

Laws Impacting the Outcome of Your Personal Injury Claim

Multiple personal injury laws in North Carolina could impact the success of your claim. Our injury attorneys are here to reduce the impact wherever possible and prepare you accordingly.

Contributory Negligence

One of the most common ways liable parties attempt to avoid culpability is by blaming the victim for the accident. This is because North Carolina follows pure contributory negligence laws under North Carolina General Statutes, Chapter 1 Section 1-139. 

If you are partially responsible for causing the accident, you will not be allowed to recover compensation for your damages. North Carolina is one of only four states across the country that follow such harsh personal injury laws. 

Even if you do not share the blame, the at-fault party is likely to accuse you of shared liability in the hopes of avoiding financial responsibility for your damages. Injury law firms must be ready to challenge these accusations and prove the defendant’s liability by introducing valuable supporting evidence.

The Statute of Limitations

The sooner you get an injury law firm on your case, the sooner you can dedicate yourself to healing from your traumatic injuries. You will also be able to avoid issues with the statute of limitations if you get started as soon as possible. According to North Carolina General Statutes Section 1-52, you have up to three years from the date of your injury to file your personal injury lawsuit. 

Once this deadline passes, you are prohibited from filing a claim in civil court. Insurance companies often impose even shorter deadlines, so it is crucial to get an experienced legal professional on your side who can ensure your claims are filed in a timely fashion. This way, you can protect your right to maximum compensation for your damages.

Connect With a Rocky Mount Personal Injury Attorney Today

Our dedicated personal injury attorneys in Rocky Mount at Ricci Law Firm Injury Lawyers are committed to helping injury victims across Rocky Mount, Wilmington, Charlotte, Durham, Fayetteville, and surrounding communities fight for total financial compensation. 

No matter how discouraged you may be feeling in the aftermath of your accident and subsequent injuries, our team is here to help guide you through the claims process and come out on top. When you are ready to take action on your case but do not know where to begin, do not hesitate to complete our quick contact form or call our office to schedule a free, no-obligation consultation today.

Visit Us at Our Rocky Mount Office

301 S Church St Suite 3, Rocky Mount, NC 27804