Auto Accident

Plaintiff was seriously injured in a head on motor vehicle collision. Client suffered multiple fractures to his neck, leg, and arms. This award was followed by a one (1) million dollar declaratory judgment against an insurance company granting coverage under one of two motor vehicle policies at issue. Let our devoted car accident injury lawyers handle your claim, so you can focus on your recovery. We offer free, no-obligation consultations, and we don’t get paid unless we win your case.

A company truck traveling at an excessive rate of speed crossed the centerline of travel on New Hope Road and crashed head-on into the Plaintiff. The Plaintiff was rushed to Wayne Memorial Hospital where they received emergency treatment, but tragically succumbed to their injuries. The Defendant driver was also killed in the collision.

A few weeks after the accident, the mother of the deceased hired Gene Riddle because her daughter knew Gene personally. Gene zealously handled this matter and directed an immediate investigation of the accident. Following the investigation, Riddle & Riddle teamed with David Kirby of the Edwards Kirby law firm out of Raleigh, North Carolina. The insurance company for the defendant hired an attorney after the investigations were completed.

Gene Riddle and his team prepared a complaint and advised the defense attorney of their intention to file. Shortly thereafter, mediation was scheduled and, within a couple of months, resulted in a fair settlement.

We were very pleased to have negotiated the $2.25 million settlement without the necessity of a lawsuit and a trial. The deceased left behind an adult child and a minor child who would have found it incredibly difficult to endure protracted litigation and a trial. In addition to securing the settlement, we assisted the family with estate issues and provided guidance on the adoption needs for the minor son.

“This case was very near and dear to our hearts because of Gene’s personal relationship with the family. That personal connection brought them to us, and we worked diligently to get the best result possible under such tragic circumstances.”

While no amount of money can ever replace a loved one, we strive to obtain the best possible results and a sense of justice for our clients during their most difficult moments.

Our client suffered a fractured femur and tibia, a head laceration, concussion, and incontinence when a vehicle in front of her made an illegal U-turn causing a collision. Our client underwent three extensive surgeries leaving multiple scars on her legs. We hired a professional videographer to compose a day-in-the-life video where our client and her mother recounted the struggles of her recovery. We retained a life care planner to identify our client’s residual medical conditions and ongoing care requirements, and an economic loss expert to document past and future wage loss. Through extensive preparation and pre-trial discussions with the responsible insurance carrier, we were able to resolve the claim with a $1.5 million settlement for our client.

Our client was seriously injured in an auto accident with a commercial truck, suffering internal injuries and orthopedic injuries. He incurred approximately $250,000 in medical expenses. Our client was represented by another attorney in North Carolina who reached out to us for help after a suit was filed and the matter was set for trial. The defense attorneys re-opened negotiations with us which resulted in a settlement of $1,450,000 the week of trial.

Our client was injured in an auto accident and the defendant driver was charged with a DWI. Our client suffered soft tissues injuries to the neck and back, and incurred approximately $20,000 in medical expenses. We filed suit after receiving lowball offers from the insurance carrier. We hired an accident reconstructionist and thoroughly investigated the accident to preserve the evidence against the defendant driver. We engaged in extensive written discovery and depositions of witnesses and parties. After a long legal process, we settled at mediation for $1,000,000, which included compensation for punitive damages against the impaired driver. We consider this one of our best results of 2024.

Our client was a resident of Florida who was a passenger in a vehicle with a Massachusetts driver, who was involved in a single vehicle collision in North Carolina. We were associated by Florida counsel in order to file suit in North Carolina, as the collision occurred here. He suffered a back injury which his doctor said was permanent. He incurred over $50,000 in medical expenses and lost 3 months of work. After a hearing in Wayne County Superior Court, we obtained a default judgment in the amount of $1,000,000 plus pre and post-judgement interest and costs.

In August of 2016, we were associated by an out-of-state attorney regarding a motor vehicle collision that occurred in North Carolina over a year earlier. The collision was caused by a vehicle owned by a landscaping company, and the insurance company for the landscaper had refused to engage in settlement discussions, claiming that the driver of the vehicle was not authorized to operate the vehicle. Our client suffered serious injuries to both legs requiring surgery. He suffered permanent impairments to his legs. We promptly filed suit against the other driver and his company. We also took depositions of witnesses, parties and medical providers. The insurance company promptly reconsidered its position and invited us to engage in settlement discussions at mediation. The client was on the job at the time of the wreck and had received worker’s compensation benefits, so all of his medical care had been paid for and he had been paid for his time out of work. We attended mediation and were able to settle the claim for $750,000. We also had a worker’s compensation lien seeking reimbursement for $299,000, and we were able to negotiate that lien down to $100,000. The result allowed our client to receive almost $400,000 in his pocket after all medical expenses, costs, and attorney’s fees were paid. This amount was in addition to the recovery he received when we settled his worker’s compensation claim a year earlier.

Our client was walking near his home when he witnessed two vehicles in the road, and an ambulance and fire truck. It appeared to him to be the aftermath of a collision, so he walked over to see if he could help. As he did so, the ambulance pulled away from the collision and struck him in the head with its mirror. Another ambulance was dispatched to the scene. The police and ambulance reports noted that our client smelled of alcohol, and was “in the middle of the road.” The claim was initially denied on the grounds of contributory negligence, sudden emergency, and sovereign immunity. Our client suffered injuries including fractures to his ribs, spine, elbow, and wrist. We argued that the driver of the ambulance left the scene at an unnecessary and excessive speed to have struck our client with such force to cause these serious injuries. We also argued that any contributory negligence would be negated by the doctrine of last clear chance. After significant negotiations, we were able to resolve the claim pre-suit for $625,000.

Our client was involved in a T-bone accident that resulted in a severe pelvic fracture.

To effectively advocate for our client, attorneys Alex Riddle and Darren Dawson conducted a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the accident. Our auto accident investigator secured evidence, including details from law enforcement and witness statements, to establish liability.

Recognizing the potential long-term effects of the injury, our legal team engaged a medical expert to evaluate the permanency of the client’s injuries. The expert provided a detailed opinion on the lasting impact of our client’s injuries on her daily life. Her medical bills were approximately $81,000.

Through diligent negotiations, our attorneys secured a settlement of $490,000.

Our client was the guest passenger in a vehicle when defendant went left of center causing a collision which totaled both vehicles. Both vehicles caught on fire and multiple parties were injured. Plaintiff was visiting North Carolina at the time of the incident. Plaintiff suffered a disc herniation, labral tear and a broken toe. The case was resolved prior to trial for $475,000.

Our client was tragically killed in an auto accident. After a lengthy investigation by our investigators, we helped the heirs press for charges against the defendant driver and we were successful. We also helped press the prosecutor for a conviction on the traffic charges. We did not settle the case until after the traffic charges against defendant were concluded. After that conclusion, we settled the case for the limits of all policies available, which were three separate auto coverage policies. We can stack coverages in North Carolina.

Our client was seriously injured when a tire from an oncoming tractor-trailer detached and struck our client’s vehicle head-on. The truck left the scene of the crash leaving our client wrecked in a ditch. He was airlifted to a trauma center and treated for a sternum fracture and a thoracic back fracture requiring surgery. We conducted a review of our client’s applicable insurance policies to identify all uninsured motorist coverage which might help to compensate our client. This included coverage under policies of family members living in our client’s household at the time of the injury. In total, we obtained $400,000 in insurance coverage.

We successfully represented a woman who was seriously injured in a motor vehicle collision in Rocky Mount, North Carolina. She was a passenger in a motor vehicle that was hit by a farm tractor. There were many issues concerning who was at fault, as the investigating officer found that our client contributed to causing the wreck. We quickly hired an accident reconstructionist to inspect the vehicles, along with the crash site, and help establish liability. The quick investigation helped us settle our client’s case at voluntary mediation.

Our client, a 17-year-old female, was seriously injured when the defendant driver crossed the center line and hit our client’s vehicle head-on. Our client sustained an open heal fracture with a crush injury and nerve damage. We recovered a policy limits offer of $100,000 from the at-fault driver’s insurance. Our investigation also revealed that the at-fault driver had an umbrella policy that covered him at the time of the accident. We presented a claim to the umbrella policy and were able to secure an additional $250,000 for our client, bringing the total recovery to $350,000.

We successfully represented a woman who was involved in two collisions within 90 days. Prior to the first collision, she had fallen and injured her shoulder. We argued that both collisions significantly aggravated and exacerbated her pre-existing shoulder injury and were able to resolve both of her auto accident claims for a combined $325,000.

Our client was cut off by the defendant who failed to stop at a stop sign, causing a collision. Client had surgery and required significant physical therapy and other treatment. Suit was filed, and the case resolved at mediation for a total settlement of $300,000.

The defendant failed to yield and unexpectedly crossed into the path of our client’s car. The collision caused our client significant injuries, including a liver laceration, rib fractures, and a duodenal injury requiring surgery. Our client incurred more than $135,000 in medical bills. Attorney Darren Dawson at Riddle & Riddle found three separate insurance carriers and negotiated the maximum coverage amount available on each policy. Our client received $298,000 in damages for her injuries prior to suit being filed.

The defendant suddenly turned left in front of our client’s oncoming car resulting in a serious collision. Our client, a guest passenger, suffered permanent injuries to her shoulder and clavicle, as well as broken ribs. Working with her primary doctor, our client received a 20% permanent partial disability rating to her upper extremity. The team at Riddle & Riddle, led by attorney Darren Dawson, searched all available insurance coverages and successfully negotiated the policy limit on both the defendant driver’s policy and an excess liability policy. We then negotiated for additional money under another underinsured motorist policy. In total, our client incurred over $90,000 in medical bills and received $257,000 in damages for her injuries.

She suffered a fractured hand, a fractured first metatarsal in her foot that required surgery, a lumbar compression fracture in her back, and a fractured clavicle. Through aggressive negotiations and a thorough review of all available insurance coverage, our firm secured tenders from both the liability and underinsured motorist insurance policies, resulting in a $250,000 recovery for our client.

The client sustained a shoulder injury that developed into a frozen shoulder and required surgical treatment. Our team secured a $250,000 recovery for the client.

Plaintiff was stopped in a parking lot when defendant driver failed to reduce speed and ran into Plaintiff’s vehicle. Plaintiff suffered constant headaches, tingling to right side of the face and tingling to the right and left hand. Plaintiff eventually had to undergo neck surgery. Defense argued minor impact and that Plaintiff’s problems were related to a pre-existing condition. Suit was filed. Claim settled for $250,000 at mediation.

The client sustained a tibia fracture that required surgical repair. Our team secured a $165,000 recovery for the client.

A 19-year-old driver in a vehicle owned by her father traveled down the wrong side of a highway and struck our client’s vehicle. As a result, our client suffered internal injuries, underwent two surgeries, and endured a long recovery. The total available insurance coverage to compensate our client was limited to $100,000. After securing the $100,000, the Riddle & Riddle Injury Lawyers team further investigated the daughter’s family and found that they owned additional assets and properties in North Carolina. Our attorney negotiated with the representative for the defendant’s father and secured an additional $50,000 for our client.

Client’s driver dozed off and ran out of the road, flipping the car and injuring the client. The case settled before suit was filed for $146,000.

Defendant suddenly turned left in front of our client, resulting in a serious collision. Our client suffered two broken bones and a required surgical repair to her wrist. The insurance carrier paid $145,000 prior to suit being filed.

Our client was seriously injured when a tire from an oncoming tractor-trailer detached and struck our client’s vehicle head-on. The truck left the scene of the crash leaving our client wrecked in a ditch. (Note: This appears as a separate $140,000 entry on the website, distinct from the $400,000 tire-detach case.)

Traveling at a high speed, the at-fault driver lost control of his vehicle, crossed the centerline, and struck our client causing serious injuries. The defendant driver was charged with careless and reckless driving but carried no insurance on his vehicle. Our legal staff discovered a $30,000 insurance policy on the vehicle our client was driving. We found an additional $50,000 policy in the name of his mother, a $30,000 policy in the name of his brother, and another $30,000 policy in our client’s name. The total recovery for our client with all combined (stacked) insurance coverages was $140,000.

The client was a passenger in a vehicle that crossed the center line and hit another vehicle head-on. Riddle & Riddle negotiated a settlement of $132,000, which exhausted all available coverage.

Plaintiff was guest passenger in vehicle that was struck head-on when Defendant driver lost control of his vehicle and crossed the center lane. Plaintiff suffered injuries to neck and back. Liability was contested. Suit was filed. Claim settled during process of litigation prior to trial.

Our client was rear-ended and suffered a serious neck injury that required a C4–C7 posterior spinal fusion with bilateral C7 treatment. Our Attorney, Alex Riddle secured a $30,000 policy limits tender from the at-fault driver’s insurance carrier and negotiated an additional $90,000 settlement through the client’s underinsured motorist (UIM) coverage, resulting in a total recovery of $120,000.

Plaintiff was rear-ended by a dump truck while waiting to make a left turn. Plaintiff suffered injuries to head, neck, back, chest and legs. No settlement offers were made and a lawsuit was filed. After the lawsuit was filed, liability was accepted and the case settled prior to trial.

Attorney Will Bartlett successfully secured a $100,000 policy limits settlement for a client who suffered significant injuries as a passenger in a vehicle that was rear-ended at high speed. As a result of the collision, the client sustained back and cervical spine injuries, requiring extensive physical therapy for recovery. Through diligent negotiation and strategic legal advocacy, attorney Bartlett ensured that the client received the maximum available compensation.

Our client was driving himself to the hospital for a collapsed lung and using the inside lane of a four-lane road. Traffic in the outside lane was backed up. Defendant drove onto the highway from an adjoining street and the vehicles collided. The insurance company for the other driver claimed that our client contributed to the accident and denied liability. After the collision, he was taken to the ER where his collapsed lung was addressed. Prior to the wreck, our client suffered from oral cancer which destroyed a large portion of his lower jaw. After removing the tumor, oral surgeons from UNC reconstructed his jaw through the use of bone harvested from other areas of his body. Sometime later, doctors at UNC determined that the wreck fractured his new jaw requiring surgery to rebuild his jaw for a second time. We filed suit and litigated the claim until the insurance company tendered the policy limits of $100,000.

Plaintiff was hit by Defendant who ran stop sign. Plaintiff sustained fractures to the pelvis as well as significant back and neck pain. Liability was accepted and claim settled for all potential insurance coverage, including liability, primary underinsured motorist coverage and excess underinsured motorist coverage.

Plaintiff, a commercial airline pilot, was rear-ended while at a stop light by Defendant-driver who failed to reduce speed. Plaintiff suffered a L5-S1 disc herniation with left-sided S1 radiculopathy and was given a 5% whole body partial permanent impairment rating. Liability insurer was initially unwilling to recognize the significant permanent reduction in the Plaintiff’s earning capacity caused by his back pain and the need for narcotic pain medication, both of which kept him from flying for significant periods of time. Suit was filed. Claim settled during mediation prior to trial.

Another vehicle abruptly changed lanes, causing serious injuries to our client. The insurance carrier paid its full policy limits prior to suit being filed.

Our client was stopped at a red light when he was rear-ended. He had an extensive history of degenerative issues with his lumbar spine, and had previous spinal surgeries including hemilaminectomies and microdiscectomies. Riddle & Riddle obtained an opinion letter from the neurologist which confirmed that the injury was exacerbated by the auto accident. This letter and supporting evidence were critical in pre-litigation negotiations, in which we secured a settlement of $95,000 on behalf of our deserving client.

After the crash, medical providers discovered elevated Troponin levels in her bloodstream, indicating stress or damage to the heart muscle. Our firm successfully argued that the trauma from the collision caused the elevated Troponin levels and directly contributed to the client’s subsequent heart attack. Despite medical expenses totaling less than $10,000, we were able to leverage the medical evidence and circumstances of the crash to negotiate a substantial $90,000 settlement on our client’s behalf.

Our client was seriously injured as a passenger in a pickup truck when the driver ran off the road and collided with a tree. The defendant driver was found to be liable for the wreck and we negotiated a settlement with his insurance company, ultimately securing $90,000 in total compensation on behalf of our injured client.

The client sustained a neck injury. Attorney Molly Schertzinger established that the client had control of the roadway at the time of the crash, helping demonstrate liability and secure a $77,500 recovery on the client’s behalf.

The collision caused multiple rib fractures as well as a hematoma on her forearm that later became infected with MRSA, requiring specialized wound care and several months of treatment and recovery. Through successful negotiations with the insurance companies, our firm secured compensation under both the liability and underinsured motorist policies, resulting in a $75,000 recovery for our client.

Our client was hit in a car wreck by a drunk driver. Our client’s vehicle had minor damage, and he sustained very minimal injuries. His passenger hired another attorney and they quickly settled for $4,000. The insurance company made the same offer to us. We filed suit and were able to reach a settlement for $60,000. This case highlights our efforts to maximize compensation for our clients and our hard work which takes time to secure good results for our clients.

Our client was injured in a minor vehicle collision, but the insurance company denied liability immediately after the accident and claimed its insured was not at fault. We claimed that the other driver was at fault even though this was a minor impact with minor property damage. The officer estimated the speed of the other vehicle to be 10 mph. Client sustained a severe wrist injury requiring surgery to repair a torn tendon. The insurance company claimed that the low impact could not have caused this injury. We settled the case two months prior to trial for Defendant’s liability policy limits of $30,000 and client’s underinsured limits of $20,000 for a total settlement of $50,000, representing all the insurance coverage available.

Both drivers claimed to have the green light. Unfortunately, the officer did not identify any of the witnesses he spoke with at the scene so liability was denied by the insurance carrier for the other driver. Our client suffered injury to her knees in the collision. She had pre-existing knee arthritis in both knees and a knee replacement had been recommended for one knee prior to the wreck. We filed suit, took depositions and the case settled at mediation for $27,000.

According to the official police investigation, our client’s unoccupied vehicle was parked on the street in front of his house where it was clipped by a drunk driver, causing minor damage. According to our client, he was actually in his vehicle, bent over in the passenger seat looking for his wallet. The insurance company denied and claimed they had an independent witness that would testify that our client was not in his vehicle at the time of collision. We filed suit and the defense attorney revealed the identity of their witness. We contacted this witness and she denied having observed the collision. We learned that the defendant driver had actually called the witness after the collision to concoct a story.

We were retained by a woman who was involved in a car accident with modest property damage. She treated at an emergency room then had a few weeks of physical therapy. She tried to handle her claim on her own and the insurance company denied her claim, stating that there was not enough damage to her vehicle to support any injuries. On the day she hired us, the insurance company made a written “early settlement offer” of $3,500. We rejected the offer, obtained photos and repair invoices, and submitted a detailed demand. We settled the claim pre-suit for $24,952. The process took some time (almost a year) but through our hard work and with the trust and patience of our client, we were able to secure maximum recovery for her.

Defendant driver rear-ended Plaintiff’s vehicle causing Plaintiff to collide with another vehicle in front of him. Plaintiff suffered injuries to neck, right shoulder, right knee and right elbow. Claim was initially denied. Suit was filed. Case went to trial and a jury verdict was obtained.