Wilmington Car Accident Lawyer
Car Accident Lawyer in Wilmington, NC
Have you or a loved one suffered injuries in a car accident in Wilmington, North Carolina? You may be entitled to compensation for your medical bills and other damages through a personal injury claim. An experienced Wilmington car accident lawyer at Riddle & Brantley may be able to help you recover the compensation you deserve.
Why Choose Riddle & Brantley for Your Wilmington Car Accident Claim?
Our personal injury lawyers work on a contingency fee basis, which means you won’t ever pay any attorney fees unless we win your case and you receive compensation for your injuries and other damages. Call (910) 889-4064 today and let’s review your claim. Free consultations are available anytime, 7 days per week, by phone, email, text, and video conference. In-person consultations are also available in our convenient Wilmington office by appointment only.
“You’ll walk in the front door as a client but leave as family. They’re the absolute best.”
–Susan S., Riddle & Brantley client
We believe Justice Counts and we are ready to help however we can.
If you are dealing with an ongoing insurance claim involving bodily injuries, you may wonder if the insurance company is offering you a fair settlement. There’s a good chance they’re not. Call the Wilmington personal injury lawyers at Riddle & Brantley. We handle car accident claims daily.
Types of Car Accident Cases We Handle in Wilmington, NC
In more than 35 years serving the people of Wilmington and greater North Carolina, our Wilmington car accident lawyers have handled all types of car accident cases, including:
- Rear-end accidents
- Hit and run accidents
- Head-on accidents
- T-bone accidents
- Side-swipe accidents
- Texting while driving accidents
- Drunk driving accidents
- Lyft and Uber accidents
- Pedestrian accidents
- Construction zone accidents
If you’ve been injured in any of the above accidents, call (910) 889-4064 for a free, no-obligation consultation with a Wilmington car accident attorney in Wilmington at Riddle & Brantley.
Other Motor Vehicle Accident Cases
We also regularly handle other motor vehicle accident cases, including truck accidents, tractor-trailer accidents, motorcycle accidents, bike accidents, boat accidents, school bus accidents, and more. We also have workers’ comp attorneys who can handle those claims in cases where injuries are suffered while driving on the job. Our disability attorneys can also handle appeals for Social Security disability benefits when car accidents result in long-term disability.
In the most heartbreaking cases, a Riddle & Brantley wrongful death attorney can help surviving family members fight for justice, as well.
Do I Have a Wilmington Car Accident Case?
Negligence is the foundation for the majority of personal injury claims, including those related to car accidents. In order for an individual to have a successful car accident case based on negligence, they must establish four key elements: duty of care, breach of duty, causation, and damages.
- Duty of Care: The first element is to prove that the defendant (the party being sued) owed a legal duty of care to the plaintiff (the person bringing the lawsuit). In the context of car accidents, all drivers have a duty to operate their vehicles in a reasonably safe manner, following traffic laws and exercising caution to prevent accidents.
- Breach of Duty: The second element requires showing that the defendant breached their duty of care. This means that the defendant failed to act as a reasonably prudent person would under similar circumstances. Examples of breach of duty in car accident cases include speeding, running red lights, driving under the influence, or failing to yield the right of way.
- Causation: The third element is causation, which requires the plaintiff to prove that the defendant’s breach of duty directly caused the accident and the resulting injuries. In other words, the plaintiff must show that if it weren’t for the defendant’s negligent actions, the accident and injuries would not have occurred.
- Damages: The fourth and final element is damages. The plaintiff must demonstrate that they suffered actual losses or injuries as a result of the accident. These damages can include medical expenses, lost wages, property damage, pain and suffering, and other related costs.
To have a successful car accident case based on negligence, the plaintiff must provide evidence to support each of these four elements. If any one of the elements is not satisfactorily established, the negligence claim may fail. It is essential to work with an experienced personal injury attorney who can help gather evidence, build a strong case, and navigate the legal process to seek appropriate compensation for the damages suffered
What are the Common Causes of Car Accidents?
Car accidents happen for a variety of reasons. While human error frequently plays a part, specific behaviors are also more likely to lead to a collision. Understanding them is valuable for anyone considering a personal injury lawsuit after being injured in a car crash, and include the following:
Impairment
Drivers who are impaired by drugs, alcohol, or a combination of the two are significantly more likely than others to cause a crash. Drunk drivers are one of the leading causes of fatal accidents. Drivers under the influence have reduced reaction times and impaired decision-making ability.
Distraction
Distracted drivers are dangerous in the same way as impaired drivers. They might not have enough reaction time to avoid a crash because they are focused on something other than the road in front of them. At Riddle & Brantley, we’ve handled many tragic cases where clients were injured due to distracted drivers.
There are three different types of distraction:
- Visual distractions pull your eyes away from the road.
- Physical distractions cause you to remove your hands from the wheel.
- Mental distractions cause you to lose focus because you are more concerned with something other than driving.
Each of these distractions could result in a severe accident. Texting while driving is especially pervasive and dangerous, even when using hands-free devices or “talk to text.”
Speeding
Traveling at unsafe speeds is another common cause of motor vehicle accidents. Speed limits exist for a reason. When a driver is traveling too fast for conditions, they typically don’t have enough time to respond to changing road conditions. For example, a speeding driver might be unable to stop to avoid a collision with a pedestrian entering a crosswalk. Speeding drivers are also more likely to lose control and crash their vehicles.
Tailgating
Following a driver too closely — also known as tailgating — is dangerous. While some drivers do this because they are frustrated at the speed the other driver is traveling, tailgating is likely to cause a rear-end collision. If a driver does not give the vehicle in front of them enough space, it is impossible to stop in time to avoid a crash.
Wrong-Way Driving
Driving the wrong way on a one-way street is not common. However, these collisions frequently result in severe, life-altering injuries. Avoiding drivers traveling the wrong way can be challenging; these accidents typically lead to head-on collisions.
Injured in an accident?
The car accident lawyers in North Carolina at Riddle & Brantley may be able to help. If you’ve suffered injury potentially due to someone else’s negligence, call 1-800-525-7111 for a FREE case review and consultation. There are never any upfront costs, and you won’t pay a dime in attorney fees unless you receive financial compensation in a settlement, judgment, or verdict.
Call 1-800-525-7111 and let’s see if we can help. We believe Justice Counts for all.
How Long Do I Have to File a Car Accident Lawsuit?
All personal injury claims in our state — including car accident injury claims — are subject to the North Carolina Statute of Limitations. The statute of limitations is essentially the deadline by which you must file a claim in order to seek compensation for your injuries and other damages. In most cases, the clock starts ticking immediately from the time of injury or death, and in general, in North Carolina, you must file a claim within:
- 3 years of the date of injury in personal injury cases
- 2 years of the date of death in wrongful death cases
A Wilmington NC car accident lawyer at Riddle & Brantley can consult with you for free and help determine the relevant statute of limitations for your claim. If you decide to hire us, we can help ensure that you don’t lose your right to justice by missing important deadlines. Don’t lose out on potential compensation by missing the statute of limitations — call (910) 889-4064 today and let our Wilmington car accident attorneys review your claim.
What Compensation is Available in a North Carolina Auto Accident Claim?
Several types of compensation may be available to you if you’ve been injured in a Wilmington NC car accident due to someone else’s negligence. A car accident attorney in Wilmington at Riddle & Brantley can help determine these based on the unique facts and circumstances of your case. Types of compensation available in personal injury claims may include:
- Medical Bills — The most common type of compensation will help pay for medical expenses associated with your car accident injuries. This compensation may cover expenses like emergency transport, hospital visits, doctor’s visits, prescriptions, diagnostic testing, surgeries, medical equipment, and home care.
- Lost Wages — Recovering from a car accident often means taking time off work. In these cases, compensation may be available for your lost income.
- Loss of Future Income — In serious cases where your injuries force you to quit your job or retire early, you may be entitled to damages to compensate for the loss of future earning potential. An experienced Wilmington car accident lawyer can help calculate these potential damages.
- Pain and Suffering — In addition to economic losses, you may be entitled to compensation for emotional injury and other “non-economic” damages.
- Punitive Damages — In some cases where the at-fault party’s actions are considered “gross negligence,” a jury may award punitive damages to punish the defendant and discourage similar behavior in the future.
Wilmington Car Accident Statistics
Wilmington is a fast-growing city with more than 120,000 residents, and auto accidents are unfortunately common. According to the most recent data reported by the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT), there were 3,276 auto accidents reported in Wilmington in 2020, including 1,299 resulting in injury. 14 of those crashes resulted in death.
NCDOT also reported that in 2020, roughly 18 percent of auto accidents in North Carolina involved distracted driving, so we can estimate that approximately 590 accidents in Wilmington involved a distracted driver.
Our Results
Riddle & Brantley has served the people of North Carolina for more than 35 years — including many clients in Wilmington and eastern NC.
Riddle & Brantley has secured many significant settlements and verdicts on behalf of injured victims, including (see disclaimer below):
- $3,650,000 | Car Accident — Attorney Donald Dunn with Riddle & Brantley secured a significant settlement on behalf of our client, who tragically died after sustaining serious injuries in a rear-end accident. We filed lawsuits against the driver of the other vehicle and an involved construction company and secured $3.65 million through mediation before the cases went to trial.
- $2,750,000 | Truck Accident — Attorneys Gene Riddle and Adam Smith represented our client who suffered serious injuries when he was hit by a tractor-trailer while driving for work. We filed personal injury and workers’ compensation claims and ultimately secured $2.75 million in compensation through mediation.
- $9,450,000 | Car & Truck Accident / Wrongful Death — When a family of four was killed in a horrific accident involving multiple trucks on a busy NC highway, our firm fought for justice for surviving loved ones. We investigated the accident, proved liability, and filed multiple lawsuits, ultimately securing more than $9 million on behalf of the victims’ families.
- $2,250,000 | Car & Truck Accident / Wrongful Death — A young woman was tragically killed when a truck crossed the center line and hit her vehicle head-on. Attorney Gene Riddle knew the family personally and fought for justice, leading a comprehensive accident investigation and advising defense counsel of our intent to file suit. Mediation was scheduled and attorney Riddle secured a total settlement of $2.25 million. Attorney David Kirby of Kirby Edwards assisted in the matter.
- $1,250,000| Truck Accident — Attorneys Gene Riddle and Adam Smith successfully represented a 75-year-old woman who was involved in a 3-vehicle collision with a truck. Our client suffered serious injuries including a fractured ankle, hip, and sternum. She stayed in the hospital for 10 days and 3 weeks in rehabilitation. Her medical bills totaled $88,000 but doctors determined she had permanent impairment of her right leg.
*** 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.
Contact a Wilmington Car Accident Lawyer from Riddle & Brantley Today
If you’ve been injured in a Wilmington-area auto accident because of someone else’s negligence, the Wilmington car accident lawyers at Riddle & Brantley can help.
For a FREE consultation with a car accident lawyer in Wilmington NC, please call (910) 889-4064 or complete the fast and easy form below.
The consultation is free, there is no obligation, and there are never any upfront costs or attorney fees unless we recover financial compensation for you. To be clear: if you don’t get financial compensation in your Wilmington car accident claim or lawsuit, you won’t pay any attorney fees. That’s our promise to you.
“This settlement changed me and my family’s lives.”
–Linda B., Riddle & Brantley client
Please call (910) 889-4064 today and let us review your car accident injury claim. You may be entitled to compensation and we would love to help however we can.
Justice Counts for victims of auto accidents in Wilmington and eastern North Carolina, and you don’t have to do this alone.
Let us be your advocate and help you get back to the life you deserve. We will take the guesswork out of your case and take the burden off your shoulders.
Please call (910) 889-4064 today to speak with a Riddle & Brantley personal injury lawyer today.