Car Accident Lawyer Charlotte, NC

If you or a loved one is involved in a car accident in or near Charlotte, it is imperative that you contact a car accident lawyer in Charlotte, NC. At Schehr Law PLLC, we understand the struggles of being involved in a car accident. The injuries, enormous medical bills, lost wages from work, and the pain and suffering are all weighing on your shoulders. Not only have you been through a traumatic experience, but insurance adjusters are calling you nonstop for information. The last thing you want to deal with after an accident is talking to an insurance company.

Car accident cases are extremely complex and hiring a skilled Charlotte, NC car accident lawyer is highly advised. If you have been involved in a car accident, give Schehr Law, PLLC a call today so we can get you the compensation you deserve. Now; there are many reasons as to why car accidents end up happening. For example; one of the reasons why car accidents take place, and one of the main factors, pertains to how careless people are on the road.  Examples of this, pertain to road rage, heavy traffic, people speeding and not looking where other drivers are going or not paying attention to the rules of the road, and more.  For example, it is first important to talk about road rage.  Road rage is when a driver is careless on the road, and they end up being aggressive towards other drivers.  

For example; someone who is carrying out road rage, may be the kind of person who turns carelessly onto a busy street hurting civilians, while other times, road rage might be something else that is serious, such as tailgating.  Tailgating, is when an aggressive driver wants a driver ahead of them to speed up, and because of this, the individual drives close to the driver in front of them, as a means to try and get the individual to speed up.  The problem with tailgating and why it is an example of potential accidents, is because if the driver ahead has to make a sudden stop, the driver behind will not have time to stop.  Thus, an accident will occur.  Moreover, when it comes to speeding, there are those that may try to run through a red light, because they are in a hurry, or they attempt to cut someone off, run through a stop sign, and more.

• Personal Injury FAQ
• What to do after a car accident
• What happens if I am injured by an uninsured driver in NC

What to do After Being Involved in a Car Accident

If you or someone you know has been involved in a car accident, it is important that you take action immediately. Here are some steps to take after being involved in a car accident:

Contact Law Enforcement Immediately

Contacting law enforcement after an accident is imperative to start an evidence trail. If you are able to call for help, you should tell the officer everything you know about the accident. If done properly, the officer will be able to draft an accurate crash report. This crash report is valuable in determining who is at fault in the case. If you do not speak English, requesting an officer to the scene who speaks your language is an option that should be taken.

Take Photographs and Videos

If you are able to, take evidentiary photographs and videos of the accident scene. This evidence should include your vehicle, the other driver’s vehicle, the road surface, the location of the accident, your bodily injuries, and any other evidence that may be important. If you are injured and unable to take pictures, ask a friend or loved ones to take the pictures. This evidence is paramount in building your case. Insurance companies and juries want to see a lot of photographic evidence.

Seek Treatment Immediately

If you have been injured or believe you have been injured in the accident, go to the emergency room as soon as possible. This step is the most important as your health and safety is the number one priority. If you do not feel pain immediately after the accident, it may be smart to go get checked out depending on the severity of the property damage. If you do not immediately feel pain, but begin to experience pain later after the crash, go seek help immediately.

Being seen and treated by a doctor or physician provides a paper trail to the accident. The more evidence we can provide the other side, the stronger your case will be.  Moreover, it is also important for people to seek treatment immediately, because of injuries that may not be seen visibly, which can have a major effect over time, in relation to physical health.  An example of this would be whiplash. This is when an individual gets a neck injury after a car accident, and injuries are not visible or felt until later.  If a person waits too late to get assessed, in order to see if there are any fractures or injuries, whiplash may be incurable.  This is why seeking treatment immediately when it comes to a car accident, is essential.

Keep a Diary

As time goes on after the accident, you may begin to forget the details. For example, you may be treating multiple different doctors. You want to ensure that you keep accurate dates of treatment. You may begin to forget accident details. Keeping a journal will allow you to look back and show a jury that you remember important details about the car accident.

Contact a Charlotte, NC Car Accident Lawyer as Soon as Possible

Contacting a car accident lawyer in Charlotte, NC is one of the most important steps you can take. Speaking with an experienced attorney prior to speaking with the insurance company will save you a lot of headaches. Insurance companies are not acting in your best interest, but rather for their own pocket. Never let an insurance company take a recorded statement of you without first speaking to an experienced attorney.

Requesting a Car Accident Report in North Carolina

North Carolina driver’s used to be able to request accident reports directly from the police departments. Due to ongoing litigation, NC residents and others are no longer able to request reports from the police department. Instead, drivers now must file a form with the Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) in Raleigh, NC.

This has caused an issue for drivers involved in car accidents. Specifically, drivers are delayed in receiving their crash reports, which can cause liability issues with the insurance companies.

Types of Accident Cases

There are many different types of car accidents that can occur and result in injury. Attorneys generally break these accidents into different types of crashes.

• Rear end collision – a rear end collision, is when a car is hit from the back, due to a driver tailgating, a driver failing to put on the brakes in time and hitting a car in front of them, and more.  
• T-bone accident – a T-bone accident, is when a car collides with the side of another vehicle. 
• Head-on collision – This is when two cars directly collide with each other, through full frontal collision.
• Sideswipes – A sideswipe, is when a driver ends up scraping the side of a car (such as when they move to a differ lane too soon), and there is scratch damage. 
• Drunk driving accidents – Drunk driving accidents occur, when one is driving under the influence, and they end up getting into an accident, because of their lack of stability on the road.
• Uber/Lyft accidents – These are similar to car accidents, except they are uber and lyft related, causing the uber or lyft driver to be responsible for their actions. 
• Trucking accidents – these accidents are often caused by trucks failing to make wide enough turns, not seeing cars below them, and more. 
• Catastrophic injuries – These injuries refer to life threatening injuries, such as those that cause internal bleeding, head injuries that leave one in a coma, and more. 
• Wrongful death – These involve death related incidents in car crashes, which one can end up suing for. 
• Texting and driving – On the road, it is important to keep focus. With that said, texting while driving can be very distracting, and it can cause accidents, due to people not being aware of cars moving on, the need to slow down on a busy lane, and more. 
• Distracted driving – This is similar to texting and driving, where an individual may be distracted by an activity they are doing in the car, with a consequence being that they end up getting into an accident. 
• Failure to yield – Failure to yield, is when an individual (such as at a stop sign), fails to yield to other drivers and tries to jump ahead, causing an accident.  
• Failure to reduce speed – Failure to reduce speed for certain streets (such as those where kids are walking to school), can have consequences, such as pedestrians being hit.  It is important to always take road speed into consideration.
• Failure to keep a proper lookout – Drivers on the road can be unpredictable.  As such, it is important to keep an eye out for drivers, beyond the basic rules of the road. 
• Reckless driving accidents – Reckless driving accidents often happen, because of people being careless on the road, such as through road rage, speeding and not taking others into consideration, and more. 

What is the Statute of Limitations for a car accident case?

The statute of limitations for a car accident case in North Carolina is three years from the date of crash or injury. It is imperative that the statute of limitations is met, or you will be barred from filing a lawsuit. The statute of limitations for a wrongful death case in North Carolina is two years.

Contact a Charlotte, NC car accident attorney as soon as possible to avoid missing the statute of limitations.

What Does it Cost to Hire a Car Accident Lawyer in Charlotte, NC?

At Schehr Law, PLLC, we work strictly on a contingency fee. A contingency fee is a model in which nothing is paid to the attorney up front. Instead, the attorney will base his fee on a percentage of recovery. If we do not get you a recovery, we do not get paid.

The standard fee in North Carolina for a contingency fee is 33%. However, this fee is often negotiable or can be reduced depending on the settlement size. We have implemented a Fee is Free Guarantee policy and believe that everyone should have equal access to high quality legal representation.

Should I Provide a Statement to an Insurance Adjuster?

In the days after a car accident, you will be contacted by an insurance adjuster. No matter how friendly this person may seem or how concerned they express being for your health, they are not on your side. An insurance adjuster’s job is to gather a statement from you and then use your words against you. They already know what the value of your claim is worth, but they want to find a way to reduce or deny your claim. Victims of car accidents are advised to be wary when speaking with an insurance adjuster and to perhaps have your lawyer take on this call for you instead.

How Does Social Media Affect a Car Accident Case?

As a car accident lawyer Charlotte, NC victims depend on from Schehr Law, PLLC may warn, if you post something on social media after a car accident, watchful eyes may use this content in an effort to doubt your story. For instance, if you claim that you sustained a broken arm but then post content on social media of you cooking dinner, then it will appear as if you are lying about your condition. It doesn’t matter if your social media settings are private either. Do not underestimate the lengths that the opposing party will go to deflect liability and minimize victim’s claims in an attempt to avoid paying a fair settlement. If you can, refrain from social media use entirely until your claim has been handled and officially closed. 

Who Should I Ask To Be Witnesses?

There are many people who can serve as witnesses for your case. Were there passengers in the car with you that were also part of the accident? Your Charlotte car accident lawyer may ask, did someone help you get to the hospital for treatment of serious injuries? Was there a person who saw the accident happen and rushed over to help at the scene? You do not have to get a statement from a bystander in the moments after the crash, but you can ask for their contact so you can gather a statement from them later. 

What Can I Do To Protect My Best Interests?

We are all taught what to do when a car accident happens, but rarely are we told what not to do. To protect your best interests after a serious car wreck, you will need to gather as much evidence as possible that supports your side of the story and the extent of your injuries. Unless you were rushed to the hospital for severe injury, then you should not leave the scene before an officer has taken a report, you have gathered the other driver’s information, and taken pictures of damage to both vehicles. If any of this information provided resonates with what you are going through right now, then we urge you to contact our Charlotte lawyer c

Contact a Charlotte, NC Car Accident Lawyer Today

At our firm, you aren’t just another case, you are family. We are a team, and we are in your corner every step of the way. Through effective and thorough communication and strategy, we will get you back on your feet and put you back into the place you were prior to the accident.

If you or a loved one are injured in an accident, or believe you may be injured, give Schehr Law, PLLC a call today so we can discuss a possible resolution.

Due to North Carolina’s contributory negligence laws, fighting the insurance companies has become extremely difficult. Contacting an experienced car accident lawyer Charlotte, NC will help you get the compensation you deserve.