Truck Accidents Truck accidents can cause serious injuries, such as paralysis or traumatic brain injuries, to people with whom the truck driver shares the road. Often, accident victims make claims against the truck driver’s insurance policy, but that policy may not have sufficient coverage for each person’s injuries, particularly if the injuries are catastrophic. It can be important to have an accident reconstruction expert look at the scene of the accident and determine all of the parties responsible for the accident. Sometimes a truck manufacturer can be held accountable for injuries arising from an accident caused by a defective component of the truck. A trucking company may be vicariously liable for a truck driver employee’s negligence, or it may be directly liable for its own negligence in hiring, supervising, or training the driver.
Motorcycle Accidents There is no buffer between a motorcyclist and the road or another vehicle. A helmet can reduce the possibility of traumatic brain injuries, but even motorcyclists and passengers who wear a helmet may be seriously injured or killed in an accident. If a motorcycle accident is caused by another driver, a Charlotte personal injury attorney can help the injured rider seek damages by proving the other driver’s negligence. However, insurance companies may try to look for ways in which the accident was the fault of the motorcyclist so that they can avoid paying damages. This makes it important to hire an attorney who is experienced in handling these cases.
Premises Liability Property owners have an obligation to lawful visitors to keep their property reasonably safe. If you are injured as a result of a dangerous condition on someone else’s property, you may be able to bring a premises liability lawsuit. These cases can be brought due to slip and falls, dog bites, lead poisoning, inadequate security, elevator accidents, and construction accidents, among other events. For example, if you slip on a puddle in a grocery store and fracture your knee and ankle, you may be able to recover damages from the grocery store owner. In a premises liability lawsuit, you can recover damages if you were injured because of a dangerous property condition, and the property owner knew or should have known about the dangerous condition but failed to repair that condition in a reasonable amount of time.
Medical Malpractice When you go to the doctor, you do not expect to be injured. Unfortunately, doctors and other health care providers sometimes make mistakes that cause harm. Not every mistake constitutes medical malpractice. Your Charlotte personal injury lawyer will need to show that the defendant in a medical malpractice lawsuit owed you a professional duty of care, deviated from the professional duty of care, and caused your injuries. There are certain limits on the noneconomic damages that you can recover in a medical malpractice lawsuit, but you can be fully compensated for your economic damages, such as medical bills and lost income.
Nursing Home Negligence Often, people must place a loved one in a nursing home because their options are severely restricted, and their loved one requires significant care. The care may involve making sure that a complex medication regimen is followed, or that mental health problems are treated. Sometimes the nursing home staff is negligent in caring for a patient, and the consequences of this negligence can be catastrophic injuries or even fatal injuries. It is important to be alert to the possibility of nursing home negligence affecting a family member who is in a nursing home. Signs of abuse and negligence can include bedsores, personality changes, depression, and unexplained bruises and fractures. Once you remove your loved one from a home where they have been harmed, you should contact an attorney to find out whom you can hold accountable.
Wrongful Death A personal injury lawyer in the Charlotte area can help you bring a wrongful death lawsuit if your loved one’s death was caused by another party’s negligence, wrongful act, or fault. The defendant’s acts must be such that had the decedent survived, they could have sued for their own injuries. Often, the death of a spouse or parent or other loved one has devastating financial consequences. Suing for wrongful death can allow you to keep your home and make sure that you can pay your bills during this difficult time.
Workers' Compensation The North Carolina Workers’ Compensation Act requires businesses that employ three or more employees to carry workers’ compensation insurance. There are certain exceptions, such as certain railroad employees and federal government employees in the state. If you are injured on the job, you may be able to recover workers’ compensation benefits through your employer’s workers’ compensation insurance. You should notify your employer as soon as possible about your work-related injury, and certainly within 30 days. Benefits can include medical benefits and disability benefits. Disability benefits can be temporary or permanent.
Insurance Disputes When you purchase an insurance policy and pay your premiums, you assume that you are buying coverage for certain events. The insurance company is required to act in good faith in connection with claims that you bring under the policy. Unfortunately, insurers do not always act in good faith, and sometimes they put profits ahead of their policyholders’ rights. It may suggest bad faith if an insurer does not properly investigate your claim, does not promptly investigate, delays paying your claim, fails to communicate with you or unreasonably delays in doing so, or unreasonably interprets the policy language to deny your claim. You may be able to recover damages through a bad faith lawsuit against the insurer.
Consult a Skillful Personal Injury Attorney in the Charlotte Area The Devin Law Firm represents accident victims across North Carolina and has built a strong reputation based on good word of mouth. If settlement negotiations do not produce a favorable result, we will be ready to take your case to trial. Call us at (704) 566-3434 or complete our online form to set up a free consultation.