Raleigh Car Accident Lawyer

Helping Those Injured in Car Accidents throughout Raleigh

Injured in a car accident? Our Raleigh car accident lawyers are ready to help. Since 2000 alone, we’ve recovered more than $800 million for injured victims across North Carolina (see disclaimer below) and we’d love to help you get the justice you deserve. Our attorneys have more than 220+ years of combined legal experience. We know the law in North Carolina and we fight tirelessly to hold at-fault drivers and insurance companies accountable. We invite you to review our client testimonials and see the Riddle & Brantley difference.

"Every time I've needed them, they were there for me."

-Tyronnie T., Riddle & Brantley client

A car accident attorney at Riddle & Brantley can handle all aspects of your personal injury claim or lawsuit (see details below). We even have investigators on staff to assist in evaluating the crash scene, collecting and preserving evidence, interviewing witnesses, and helping prove liability. We also routinely bring in outside experts like accident reconstructionists to determine who was at fault and strengthen our clients' cases for compensation. If you've been injured in an auto accident and someone else was at fault, talk with a Raleigh car accident lawyer at Riddle & Brantley today — call (919) 876-3020 for a FREE, no-obligation consultation.

There are no upfront costs and no attorney fees unless we win your auto accident case and you receive compensation. We believe Justice Counts and we're ready to help however we can.

Car Accident Statistics in Raleigh

Raleigh is the capital of North Carolina and one of the fastest-growing metropolitan areas in the United States. With more than 1.4 million people living in the Raleigh metro area in 2020, the area is home to some of North Carolina’s busiest highways and interstates. I-40, I-440, I-87, and I-540 all crisscross Raleigh and unfortunately, car accidents are common. According to the North Carolina Department of Transportation's most recently released data, there were 13,481 auto accidents in Raleigh in 2020. 5,570 of these car accidents resulted in injury, and 40 of them were fatal.

If you’ve been injured in a car accident, a car accident lawyer at Riddle & Brantley can help. Injuries suffered in an auto accident often lead to significant medical bills, missed time at work and even permanent disability. If the accident was the result of another’s negligence, accident victims may be eligible to recover compensation through a legal claim.

Types of Auto Accidents We Handle in Raleigh, NC

Since 1985, our car accident lawyers have fought for clients injured in a wide range of car accident cases, including:

• Rear-end accidents
• Head-on accidents
• T-bone accidents
• Hit and run accidents
• Distracted driving accidents (including texting and driving accidents)
• Pedestrian accidents
• Drunk driver accidents
• Lyft and Uber accidents
• Construction zone accidents

In addition to handling car accident claims, we can also assist with truck accidents, tractor-trailer accidents, motorcycle accidents, bicycle accidents, boat accidents, school bus accidents, and more. If you've been injured in a motor vehicle accident in Raleigh (or elsewhere in North Carolina), call Riddle & Brantley today at (919) 876-3020 for a FREE, no-obligation consultation.

In cases involving accidents suffered while on the job, our workers' comp attorneys can help with claims for workers' compensation. In tragic cases in which a car accident results in long-term disability, our disability lawyers can help with appeals for benefits, as well.

Compensation Available in a Raleigh Car Accident Claim

"Damages" are often available in personal injury claims when you've been injured in a car accident due to someone else's negligence. These damages are essentially compensation for the financial and emotional injuries you've suffered. If you've been hurt in an accident, a car accident attorney may be able to help you recover damages including:

• Medical Expenses — Compensation is typically available to reimburse injured victims for their medical treatment, including but not limited to: ambulance transport, hospital stays, doctor's office visits, surgeries, diagnostic testing, medical equipment, and home care.
• Wage Loss — If you've been forced to take time off work during your recovery, you may be entitled to damages for lost wages.
• Future Income Loss — In the most serious cases, a car accident may result in permanent disability, requiring you to retire early or take a different, lower-paying job. In these cases, an attorney can help you calculate your "lost earning potential" and seek fair compensation.
• Pain and Suffering — Not all damages are physical or financial. Some accidents can also result in serious emotional suffering, and compensation may be available for these injuries. Pain and suffering may include compensation for PTSD or other emotional trauma, "loss of consortium" (lost companionship with a spouse or loved one), permanent scarring or disfigurement and subsequent lost quality of life, etc.
• Punitive Damages — These damages are intended to punish the at-fault party in order to discourage similar behavior in the future. Punitive damages are only available in North Carolina when a jury determines that the defendant's actions constitute "gross negligence," which is defined as "willful or wanton" misconduct resulting in injury. An experienced car accident lawyer can help determine if punitive damages may be available and pursue this compensation on your behalf.

"How Do I Prove Fault?"

Keep in mind that in auto accident injury claims, you must prove that the other party was at fault in order to recover compensation for your damages. In North Carolina there is an additional obstacle, however: due to the law of "contributory negligence," you must also prove that the defendant was 100% responsible for the accident. Using the contributory negligence defense, if a defendant and/or their attorney can prove that you were even 1% responsible for the accident, you can be barred from recovery.

Fortunately, at Riddle & Brantley, our car accident lawyers have extensive experience overcoming contributory negligence defenses. If the at-fault party, insurance company, or defense counsel is claiming that your actions (or inaction) contributed to your car accident, contact us at (919) 876-3020 right away and let's see how we can help.

What Can a Car Accident Attorney in Raleigh Do for Me?

You aren't required to hire an attorney in a personal injury claim, but research shows that doing so can help you recover roughly 3 times more compensation on average than those who represent themselves. At Riddle & Brantley, an experienced Raleigh car accident lawyer can help you manage all aspects of your case, including:

• Investigating your accident
• Collecting, evaluating, and preserving important evidence, including dash cam and/or surveillance video
• Identifying and interviewing potential witnesses
• Hiring expert witnesses like accident reconstructionists and safety experts
• Preparing you for statements to the insurance company
• Negotiating with the insurance company
• Obtaining the official accident report from law enforcement
• Filing a lawsuit if necessary
• Conducting depositions
• Drafting and filing important court documents
• Representing you at hearing and at trial
• Representing you in arbitration and/or mediation proceedings
• Setting up trusts to ensure long-term care

Investigation Capabilities

At Riddle & Brantley, we pride ourselves on having an in-house team of experienced investigators to assist our clients and attorneys with their cases. These investigators are experienced retired law enforcement officers who know how to investigate car accidents and help prove fault. In the immediate aftermath of your accident, we can even send an investigator directly to you to help navigate the start of your injury claim and begin building your case for compensation.

How Will the North Carolina Contributory Negligence Law Affect My Car Accident Claim?

In every North Carolina car accident lawsuit, to recover compensation for your damages, you must prove by a preponderance of the evidence that the party you are suing was at fault. The "preponderance of evidence" standard used in personal injury lawsuits is less stringent than the "beyond reasonable doubt" standard applied in criminal and civil cases. It means that the evidence must show that your claims are more likely than not.

One challenge many injured parties face is that at-fault parties in North Carolina car accident lawsuits often raise a "contributory negligence" defense to avoid liability for damages. If a defendant can show by a preponderance of evidence that you were even just partially responsible, you can be barred from recovering any damages. Under North Carolina's strict contributory negligence laws, you can only recover your damages at trial if the evidence shows that the defendant was 100% responsible for the accident.

At-fault parties in car accident cases and the insurance companies responsible for reimbursing an injured party's damages often use the state's contributory negligence laws to discourage injured drivers from pursuing their claims.

Fortunately, the car accident lawyers at Riddle & Brantley have extensive experience overcoming contributory negligence defenses. Consider, for example, an auto accident case where we represented an injured motorist driving himself to a hospital on a four-lane road. He used the inside lane because traffic in the outside lanes was backed up. A driver merged into the road and collided with our client. That driver's insurance carrier claimed that our client was not entitled to any damages because he was partially at fault for using the inside lane. We fought that claim, filed and litigated a lawsuit, and settled the matter for $100,000, which was the limit of the other driver's insurance policy (see disclaimer).

When you retain our firm, our personal injury lawyers will thoroughly investigate your accident. We do this to identify potential contributory negligence defenses that an at-fault driver and their insurance company might raise. We will review how fast each car was going, whether both drivers were following traffic laws, what weather and traffic conditions were like, and other factors that might come into play when a contributory negligence defense is made.

When you contact us promptly after your accident, we can conduct this investigation before witness memories fade and other evidence disappears. An investigation conducted soon after the accident will memorialize relevant evidence and give you a better opportunity to fight back against the at-fault driver's defenses.

If the at-fault party, insurance company, or the at-fault driver's defense counsel claims that your actions (or inaction) contributed to your car accident, call 1-800-525-7111 for a FREE, no-obligation case review right away. You will see how our knowledge and experience can help your case.

Award-Winning Injury Lawyers

The experienced car accident lawyers at Riddle & Brantley are led by attorney Gene Riddle. In more than 35 years practicing law in North Carolina, Gene has been recognized with many significant and prestigious memberships and awards (see disclaimer below), including:

• Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum
• Million Dollar Advocates Forum
• Super Lawyers
• The National Trial Lawyers Top 100
• The National Association of Distinguished Counsel
• The Litigator Award

He also maintains a prestigious AV Preeminent rating from Martindale-Hubbell — the organization's highest rating for attorneys (see disclaimer below). Other attorneys at Riddle & Brantley have also received awards and memberships recognizing their accomplishments, including Alex Riddle, named one of The National Trial Lawyers Top 40 Under 40 and Molly Schertzinger, named a Super Lawyers "Rising Star" in 2022. Partner Chris Brantley is also a member of Million Dollar Advocates Forum, and Darren Dawson is a member of Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum. Attorney Adam Smith is a member of Super Lawyers and also maintains an AV Preeminent rating from Martindale-Hubbel. These represent just a handful of awards and recognitions our car accident lawyers have received (see disclaimer below).

“This settlement changed me and my family’s lives.”

-Linda B., Riddle & Brantley client

Our Results for Auto Accident Victims

In more than 35 years serving the people of Raleigh and greater North Carolina, we’re proud of the record of five, six and even seven-figure verdicts and settlements we’ve obtained for car accident victims and their loved ones (see disclaimer below).

Recent wins include:

• $9,450,000 | Truck Accident & Wrongful Death — Attorneys at Riddle & Brantley fought for justice for the surviving loved ones of a family of four who were killed in a tragic tractor-trailer crash on a busy North Carolina highway not far from Raleigh. We organized a thorough investigation, subpoenaed data from Google Maps, and proved liability in the case. We filed multiple lawsuits and eventually obtained a total settlement of more than $9 million from multiple parties involved in the accident.
• $2,750,000 | Car Accident — Attorney Donald Dunn successfully recovered more than $3 million in compensation for our client, who suffered serious injuries in a major car accident. He suffered injuries to his legs, arm and neck. The arbitration settlement was immediately followed by a separate $1 million judgment against the insurance company.
• $1,000,000 | Car Accident — Managing partner and attorney Gene Riddle and attorney Adam Smith fought for justice for our client, who was seriously injured in a car accident in central North Carolina. Through extensive negotiations, we obtained $1 million in total compensation for the victim, including a Medicare Set Aside fund to provide for future medical treatments.

“Riddle & Brantley found me all the available money from the insurance companies.”

-David H., Riddle & Brantley client

How to Prove Liability in a Car Accident Case

When a driver fails to abide by the rules of the road, engages in reckless behavior, or intentionally breaks the law behind the wheel, anyone injured as a result may file a personal injury lawsuit against the negligent driver. Personal injury claims must demonstrate negligence in order to receive compensation.

Proving negligence in a personal injury claim for a car accident involves four basic elements:

• Duty — The plaintiff must prove the defendant owed a duty of care to the plaintiff during the given situation. All drivers have a duty of care to follow the traffic laws, heed posted traffic signals, and operate their vehicles safely.
• Breach — The plaintiff must also show the court how the defendant breached this duty of care. For example, running a stop sign or a red light would constitute a breach of duty. Failing to address a known safety issue with a vehicle can also qualify as a breach of duty.
• Damage — The plaintiff must have suffered some injury or measurable economic loss to file a claim. If a defendant was negligent, but the plaintiff did not sustain any injuries or losses, he or she would have no claim.
• Causation — The plaintiff in a personal injury case must also be able to link the defendant’s negligence to the plaintiff’s damages. The plaintiff may only sue for damages directly resulting from the defendant’s negligence, so the plaintiff will need to prove that the injuries did not happen from some other cause.

Car accident injury claims can be complicated, time-consuming, and stressful. Let one of our car accident lawyers handle every aspect of your case so that you can focus on what’s most important — your recovery and improving your quality of life.

For a FREE case review with a car accident lawyer at Riddle & Brantley, please call (919) 876-3020.

There is absolutely no obligation and you won’t pay any attorney fees unless we recover financial compensation for you in your car accident injury claim.

Call (919) 876-3020 and let’s review your claim.

Common Injuries in Car Accidents

Our car accident attorneys have handled all types of cases involving many different kinds of injuries, including:

• Broken bones — Bone fractures occur in countless possible ways. While standard fractures may leave a bone in pieces, they do not break the skin. Compound fractures are severe injuries that break the skin, exposing the victim to infections. Any type of bone fracture can require significant medical care, and recovery can take months or longer. Some bone fractures may necessitate physical therapy or result in a permanent limited range of motion.
• Musculoskeletal injuries — Many car accidents involve significant momentum or sudden shifts in momentum that can damage the soft tissues of a driver’s body, such as the muscles, tendons, and ligaments. While most of these injuries will recover in time, they can be extremely painful and limit the victim’s range of motion through recovery. Slipped spinal discs, inflammation, muscle stiffness and various other symptoms can persist for weeks or longer.
• Traumatic brain injuries —A car accident may cause a driver’s head to hit the window or another object during impact, resulting in a potentially fatal head injury. A traumatic brain injury can cause various neurological symptoms such as disorientation, confusion, memory problems, sensory confusion, and more. Some traumatic brain injuries will require immediate emergency surgery to save the victim’s life, and some will result in long-term or permanent disabilities.
• Contusions, cuts, and scrapes —Even minor injuries can cause intense pain and extensive scarring. Some deep cuts may even interfere with the victim’s ability to work as they heal.
• Spinal injuries —Any injury to the spinal cord is permanent, so a driver who sustains such injuries may experience partial or full paralysis. Some of these injuries may result in significant damages to cover the costs of necessary ongoing medical care, physical therapy, and lost income due to the inability to work.
• Internal injuries —Some car accident injuries will not be immediately noticeable. Internal organs may rupture or suffer injuries from the forces acting on the body during an accident or from poorly fitted seatbelts.
• Emotional injuries — Auto accidents can be traumatic and result in serious emotional distress, including diagnosable mental disorders like post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

A car accident lawyer at Riddle & Brantley can assist with you a claim or lawsuit involving any of these types of injuries and more. We are experienced fighting for justice for those injured in auto accidents in the Raleigh area and would love to help however we can. Call (919) 876-3020 for a free, no-obligation consultation with an experienced car accident lawyer.

Seek Medical Attention

Remember, your top priority after any car accident should be medical attention, even if you think you only sustained minor cuts and scrapes. While you may need to wait for the police to allow you to leave the scene of an accident, seek medical treatment as soon as you are free to leave. If you delay, you could allow an existing injury to worsen. Some “delayed onset” injuries may not manifest noticeable symptoms immediately, and the adrenaline rush from the accident may dull pain sensations for a while.

If you delay medical care, you put your health at risk and may jeopardize your chances of succeeding with a lawsuit later, should you choose to pursue one.

Delaying treatment may also cause problems when it’s time to deal with insurance claims, as adjusters may use the delay as justification for lowering or denying your claim. In a personal injury lawsuit, the jury hearing your case may assume that if you did not seek immediate medical care, your injuries couldn’t have been as bad as you claim. Instead of risking your chances of securing legal compensation for your damages or your wellbeing, seek medical care as soon as possible after any car accident.

Experienced Raleigh Car Accident Attorneys

The experienced car accident attorneys at Riddle & Brantley can help you seek the compensation you deserve if you've been injured in a motor vehicle accident. We will listen to you, investigate your claim, and advise you on your best available legal options. If you decide to hire an accident lawyer at Riddle & Brantley, we’ll do everything we can to get you the justice and compensation you deserve.

That’s our promise to you.

For a FREE consultation with an experienced Raleigh car accident lawyer, please call (919) 876-3020.

There are no upfront costs and you won’t pay a dime in attorney fees unless we recover financial compensation for you.

“They made a hard time in my life easier to endure.”

-Melissa C., Riddle & Brantley client

Proving negligence in any type of personal injury case is difficult, so injured drivers need legal representation they can trust to handle these claims. The car accident lawyers at Riddle & Brantley have the experience and resources to handle the toughest car accident claims. Call (919) 876-3020 for a free consultation with one of our Raleigh personal injury attorneys.

We believe Justice Counts for victims of motor vehicle accidents in Raleigh and the greater Triangle and we would love to help however we can.

“I would recommend them to anyone. They fought hard for me.”

-Christine W., Riddle & Brantley client

There is no obligation and there are no attorney fees unless we win your case and you receive financial compensation for your auto accident injuries. The car accident attorneys at Riddle & Brantley would love to help with your car accident injury claim.

Please call (919) 876-3020 and let’s talk.

*** Disclaimer: The results mentioned are intended to illustrate the type of cases handled by the firm. These results do not guarantee a similar outcome, and they should not be construed to constitute a promise or guarantee of a particular result in any particular case. Every case is different, and the outcome of any case depends upon a variety of factors unique to that case.

*** Disclaimer: An attorney must meet certain requirements to join these organizations or receive these awards. For more information on Membership Criteria for Million Dollar Advocates Forum, Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum, Super Lawyers, The National Trial Lawyers Top 100, The National Association of Distinguished Counsel, AV Preeminent by Martindale-Hubbell, the Litigator Award, and other memberships, awards, and accolades, please visit our Membership Criteria page. These awards and memberships should not be construed as a promise or guarantee of a similar result. Each case is different and must be evaluated separately.