Winston-Salem Personal Injury Lawyer: Hurt in an Accident in North Carolina?
If you were hurt in an accident in Winston-Salem, Forsyth County, or anywhere else in North Carolina, Thompson Law Firm is here to help.
An unexpected injury can change your life fast. You may be dealing with pain, medical treatment, missed work, medical bills, insurance companies, and stress about what comes next.
If someone else caused your injury, you may be able to recover money for your injuries and other losses. A Winston-Salem personal injury lawyer can investigate what happened, deal with the insurance companies, and fight for the compensation you deserve.
Thompson Law Firm is based in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. We handle personal injury cases in Forsyth County and throughout the entire state.
No matter what city or county in North Carolina your accident happened in, contact us to see if we can help.
What Is A Personal Injury Case?
A personal injury case usually starts when someone is hurt because another person or company did something wrong or failed to act safely.
For example, a driver may cause a crash because they were texting. A business may fail to fix a dangerous condition. A trucking company may put an unsafe driver on the road.
Every case is different. Our job is to investigate what happened, determine who may be responsible, find available insurance coverage, and help our client through the claims process.
What Types of Personal Injury Cases Do We Handle?
Thompson Law Firm handles many different types of personal injury cases throughout North Carolina.
Car Accidents
Car accidents are one of the most common types of cases we handle.
Crashes can happen because of speeding, distracted driving, drunk driving, following too closely, running a red light, failing to yield, or simply not paying attention.
If another driver caused your accident, we can investigate what happened and deal with the insurance companies for you.
Truck and 18-Wheeler Accidents
Truck accidents can be very serious and are often more complicated than regular car accidents.
The truck driver may not be the only person responsible. We may also investigate the trucking company, owner of the truck, maintenance companies, insurance companies, and other businesses involved.
These cases can also involve important evidence such as electronic driving records, truck data, maintenance records, driver files, company records, and video.
Motorcycle Accidents
Motorcycle riders can suffer serious injuries because they have much less protection than someone riding inside a car or truck.
Motorcycle accidents can cause broken bones, head injuries, spinal injuries, road rash, and permanent injuries.
We can investigate the crash, gather evidence, deal with the insurance companies, and help protect your rights.
Wrongful Death
Some accidents tragically result in death.
When someone dies because of another person's or company's actions, the family may have a wrongful death claim under North Carolina law.
Wrongful death cases can involve special rules about who can bring the case and what damages may be recovered.
We understand these cases can be especially difficult for families. We can explain the process and help your family understand its legal options.
Workplace Injuries
If you were hurt while working, you may have rights under North Carolina's workers' compensation laws.
There are also situations where someone other than your employer caused your injury. In those cases, there may be another personal injury claim in addition to workers' compensation.
We can look at what happened and determine whether other people or companies may be responsible.
Injuries at Businesses and Other Properties
Property owners and businesses may be responsible for certain dangerous conditions on their property.
These cases can involve:
- Slip and falls
- Trip and falls
- Dangerous stairs
- Poor lighting
- Unsafe walkways
- Poor maintenance
- Other dangerous property conditions
The fact that you were injured on someone's property does not automatically mean they are responsible. We have to investigate what happened and determine whether there is a valid claim.
Dangerous or Defective Products
Sometimes people are injured because a product is defective or unsafe.
These cases may involve how the product was designed, manufactured, labeled, or sold.
Product cases can be complicated and may require experts and a detailed investigation.
Serious and Permanent Injuries
Some accidents cause injuries that change a person's life forever.
These may include:
- Brain injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Paralysis
- Severe burns
- Amputations
- Broken bones
- Permanent disabilities
- Injuries requiring surgery
- Other serious injuries requiring long-term care
When an injury is permanent, we look beyond today's medical bills. We may also need to consider future medical treatment, future lost income, permanent limitations, pain and suffering, and how the injury will affect the person's life in the future.
What Should You Do After an Accident?
Your health should come first.
Get medical treatment if you are hurt. Even if you do not think you are seriously injured, we recommend getting examined by a medical professional. Many times after an accident, our clients are in shock and do not realize how badly they are hurt until later.
Report the accident when appropriate. Depending on what happened, that could mean calling the police or reporting the incident to a business, property owner, or employer.
If you can, take pictures and videos. Conditions can change quickly, so pictures taken right after an accident may become very important later.
Get the names and phone numbers of any witnesses.
Keep your medical bills, medical records, pictures, insurance letters, accident reports, pay stubs, and other documents related to the accident.
After getting medical attention and reporting the accident, contact a lawyer as soon as possible.
Be careful about giving detailed statements to an insurance company on your own. What you say can become important later. Do not accept money or sign a settlement before you understand your injuries and your legal options.
How Do We Investigate a Personal Injury Case?
Every case is different, so every investigation is different.
Depending on what happened, we may look for:
- Police and accident reports
- Pictures and videos
- Witness statements
- Surveillance video
- Traffic-camera video
- Vehicle information
- Medical records
- Insurance policies
- Employment records
- Maintenance records
- Company records
- Electronic data
- Other evidence that may help prove what happened
The goal is simple: find out what happened, determine who may be responsible, and preserve the evidence we may need to prove your case.
How Do Insurance Companies Handle Personal Injury Claims?
Insurance companies investigate claims and decide how much money they are willing to offer.
But remember: the insurance company is not your lawyer.
Before accepting a settlement, you should understand your injuries, medical bills, future medical treatment, lost wages, available insurance coverage, and what you may be giving up by settling the case.
Once a case is settled, you normally cannot go back and ask for more money later because your injuries became worse.
That is one reason we recommend speaking with a lawyer before accepting a settlement.
What Money Can You Recover?
Depending on your case, you may be able to recover money for things such as:
- Medical bills
- Future medical treatment
- Lost wages
- Loss of future income
- Pain and suffering
- Permanent injuries
- Scarring
- Property damage
- Other losses that we can discuss during your consultation
There is no simple formula that tells you exactly what a personal injury case is worth.
Every case is different.
What If the Insurance Company Says You Were Partly at Fault?
North Carolina has strict rules about fault.
If the insurance company claims that you helped cause your own accident, that can have a major effect on your case.
But an insurance company saying you were at fault does not automatically make it true.
We look at the evidence ourselves.
That may mean reviewing pictures, videos, witness statements, accident reports, vehicle damage, electronic data, and other evidence to determine what actually happened.
What If There Is Not Enough Insurance?
The person who caused your injury may not have enough insurance to cover your losses.
That does not always mean there is nowhere else to look.
Depending on the case, there may be other insurance policies, companies, property owners, employers, vehicle owners, or other responsible parties involved.
Our job is to investigate all possible sources of recovery.
We will try to find as much available insurance coverage as possible for you.
How Much Does a Personal Injury Lawyer Cost?
You do not have to pay us any money upfront to handle your personal injury case.
At Thompson Law Firm, you pay nothing unless we win, subject to the terms of your representation agreement.
Why Choose Thompson Law Firm?
Thompson Law Firm is a North Carolina personal injury law firm based in Winston-Salem.
We focus on helping injured people.
We investigate accidents, gather evidence, deal with insurance companies, document our clients' injuries and losses, negotiate claims, and file lawsuits when necessary.
We prepare our cases as if they may go to trial.
Our firm has recovered MILLIONS for injured clients.
Most importantly, we want our clients to understand what is happening with their case and know that someone is fighting for them.
Serving Every City and County in North Carolina
Our main office is in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, but our cases are not limited to Winston-Salem or Forsyth County.
We handle personal injury cases throughout North Carolina.
Whether your accident happened in Winston-Salem, Greensboro, Charlotte, Pembroke, Lexington, Raleigh, Durham, High Point, Fayetteville, Wilmington, Asheville, or a smaller town or rural community, contact us to see if we can help.
You do not have to live in Winston-Salem or Forsyth County to hire Thompson Law Firm.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a lawyer after an accident?
You should always consider talking with an attorney after an accident. Learn your legal rights so you are full informed. Many times, it is easier and beneficial to have your attorney take over for you.
Should I talk to the insurance company?
We recommend you do not speak to the insurance company until after speaking with your attorney. If you hire Thompson Law Firm, we will deal with the insurance companies for you.
How long will my case take?
Every case is different.
Some cases settle relatively quickly. Others take longer because the client is still receiving medical treatment, the insurance company disputes fault, there are multiple parties involved, or a lawsuit needs to be filed.
What if I was injured at work?
You may have rights under North Carolina workers' compensation law.
There may also be a separate claim against another person or company if someone other than your employer caused your injury.
Will I have to go to court?
Usually not! Most personal injury cases settle without going to trial.
However, we prepare our cases as if they may go to trial so that we are ready if a lawsuit becomes necessary.
Contact a Winston-Salem Personal Injury Lawyer
If you were injured in Winston-Salem, Forsyth County, or anywhere in North Carolina, contact Thompson Law Firm.
We can talk with you about what happened, explain your options, and help you decide what to do next.
We handle personal injury cases throughout every city and county in North Carolina.
You pay nothing unless we win.