Inspection must be a regular responsibility for vehicle owners throughout North Carolina. Many vehicle owners lack the knowledge or equipment to inspect their vehicles in a thorough, comprehensive manner. For this reason, owners of cars, trucks, and SUVs must bring their vehicles to the mechanic at regular intervals (such as when they’ve traveled a certain number of miles), when a warning light comes on, or when abnormalities arise.
Furthermore, North Carolina law requires owners to submit their vehicles to an annual safety inspection as a condition of renewing their registration. It is the bare minimum of how a vehicle owner should care for their vehicle, and some owners even skip this inspection and choose to drive without valid registration. Hire a personal injury attorney if you are in an accident with a motorist who failed to inspect or care for their vehicle.
Vehicle Features That Require Regular Inspection (in North Carolina or Elsewhere)
There is no excuse for motorists to let their vehicles fall into disrepair. Automotive repair experts have published inspection timeframes and guidelines for all to find online, and they note that owners need regular inspections for:
- Brakes
- Oil
- Battery
- Ignition system
- Exhaust system
- Air filters
- Wipers
These are critical components that must be in good condition at all times. Owners may also need inspections for other components, like spark plugs and belts, whether as part of a routine inspection or because of a specific issue.
Money is not an excuse to put off inspections, though many have used it as one. If a vehicle has not been inspected, it is unsafe to drive. Ironically, those who put off inspections or repairs because of money increase the risk of a far costlier accident than an inspection or repair.
Inspections Are Just as Important as Safe Driving
Some drivers in North Carolina mistakenly believe that safe driving is enough to prevent accidents. The fact is, your ability to avoid an accident is tied to the safety of your vehicle.
For this reason, getting regular and necessary inspections and repairs is just as important as:
- Driving the speed limit
- Stopping at stop signs and red lights
- Driving while sober, free of drugs, and alert
- Stopping before hitting other vehicles
- Checking blind spots before changing lanes
In fact, many otherwise safe drivers have caused severe collisions because they did not keep up with mandatory and highly encouraged vehicle inspections. These negligent vehicle owners were financially responsible for their collisions despite their safe driving.
Why Vehicle Inspections Are Especially Important in North Carolina
While inspections are necessary no matter where a driver spends their time, there are some realities of living and driving in North Carolina that make inspections critically important. Drivers in the state must be especially vigilant about inspections and repairs because of the following:
- Mountains: North Carolina’s hills and mountains can put added strain on vehicles. Engines may have to work hard to climb hills, and the wear and tear can quickly accumulate. Not all vehicle miles are the same, and mountain miles can age a vehicle more quickly than flat highway miles.
- Inclement weather: North Carolina is no stranger to rain, snow, excessive dust, and other inclement weather and environmental conditions. Such weather can be bad for a vehicle’s complex and sensitive components.
- Winding roads: North Carolina’s roads often wind through mountains and other topographical features, which can put added stress on a vehicle’s brakes, suspension, and other critical components.
- Roads in poor condition: Roads throughout North Carolina are in poor condition, particularly on highways and areas that do not receive regular maintenance. Potholes, cracks, and roads under construction can take a significant toll on a vehicle, which may necessitate more frequent inspections and maintenance.
- Changing seasons: Much of North Carolina experiences all four seasons. From the heat of summer to the snow of winter, vehicles take the full brunt of the elements.
Owners must recognize that their vehicles require constant attention. Even if no warning light is on, the owner must inspect their tires, be in tune with the feel of their vehicle (so they can identify abnormalities), and seek service as necessary.
Inspections Are Not Enough—Owners Must Also Fix and Maintain Their Vehicles
Every responsible vehicle owner understands that vehicle inspections are necessary for driving a vehicle. Just like purchasing auto insurance (which is also mandatory in North Carolina), vehicle owners have a duty to ensure the safety of their vehicles.
Responsible motor vehicle owners are not satisfied with getting inspections. They know that an inspection alone does not make a vehicle safe. These owners also:
- Understand that their vehicle will eventually need some service or repair—it’s not a matter of if but when.
- Maintain an emergency fund to pay for necessary inspections and repairs.
- Immediately pay for all required services, knowing that failure to service their vehicle can be a costly and even fatal mistake.
- Treat vehicle repairs and services as essential rather than optional.
Some vehicle repairs are more important than others. Worn-out brake pads should be a higher priority than weak air conditioning. Vehicle owners must give essential repairs the attention and resources they require or bear the cost of accidents that result from a neglected vehicle.
A Lawyer Can Help If a Vehicle Owner’s Negligence Caused Your Accident
If you suffered an injury in an auto accident in North Carolina, hire an attorney. It includes if your accident resulted from a vehicle owner’s failure to get an inspection or necessary service for their vehicle.
Let a North Carolina auto accident lawyer serve you because:
- Lawyers know how to prove negligence: The core argument in your case will be that a vehicle owner was negligent in failing to get their vehicle inspected or fixed. Auto accident lawyers know how to prove negligence and will do so as a means to a successful case outcome for you.
- Attorneys ask for no out-of-pocket payment from clients: A lawyer’s fee structure is so beneficial to the client that you might ask, “Why shouldn’t I hire an attorney?” The law firm will pay to complete your case, and your lawyer will only receive a fee if they obtain compensation for you.
- Law firms build the strongest possible case: Money is not a concern to a law firm with a long record of case results. Your lawyer may be easily able to afford expert services and other resources for your case. Experienced lawyers know how to build the strongest case possible, and the financial results will follow.
- You deserve to focus on health after your auto accident: Anyone injured in an auto accident must place a premium on time spent on recovery. Whether you are getting treatment for physical injuries, psychological trauma, or other problems related to your accident, that’s where your attention should be. Let an attorney handle your case.
- You are not a lawyer—but you can work directly with one: Lawyers have training and experience that you probably don’t. You aren’t going to become an auto accident lawyer overnight, so why not hire one?
Accident victims make several mistakes that you should avoid, which include:
- Assuming that your accident-related injuries are minor
- Assuming that you are not entitled to very much money for accident-related damages
- Assuming that insurance companies will act in good faith and pay you fairly
- Thinking an attorney does not provide enough value to warrant their fee
- Believing you can build an effective case without an attorney (and while injured)
Attorneys provide essential advice and services that are difficult to place a value on. Auto accident attorneys frequently obtain seven- and eight-figure recoveries for clients injured in traffic collisions in North Carolina, so you should seriously consider hiring your attorney.
Your Attorney Will Work to Prove an Owner Failed to Inspect or Maintain Their Vehicle
If a defect in a vehicle led to your accident, your attorney may need to prove that the defect resulted from the owner’s negligence. Steps your lawyer may take to prove this include:
- Pulling the vehicle’s service records: Your auto accident attorney will secure copies if service records are available for the vehicle in question. These records can show that the owner went an unacceptable period of time without getting an inspection, failed to make necessary repairs, or engaged in other negligence that led to the accident.
- Finding the vehicle’s registration status: Because an annual inspection is a condition of renewing a registration in North Carolina, a driver without a valid registration may have failed to get an inspection.
- Relying on the vehicle owner’s statements: The owner involved in your accident may have admitted their failure to get necessary inspections or services. Such statements can be critical evidence as your lawyer builds your claim or lawsuit.
- Getting expert opinions: One or more automotive experts may testify that the defect that led to your accident was most likely (or certainly) the result of negligence by the vehicle owner.
Attorneys are creative in proving liable parties’ negligence. Trust an experienced and proven lawyer to prove how a vehicle owner endangered and ultimately harmed you.
What Else an Auto Accident Attorney Will Do for You
Proving the vehicle owner’s negligence is just one of many services your lawyer will perform. Some of the other vitally important duties your lawyer will provide include:
Protecting You from Insurers and Others
Insurance companies will likely be a key feature of your case, especially if the negligent vehicle owner had active auto insurance. Unfortunately, insurance companies often take measures to avoid paying fair compensation to accident victims like you, including:
- Blaming you unjustly for causing the accident
- Claiming that certain injuries are not accident-related (perhaps saying that you had them before the accident happened)
- Contesting the financial value of your losses
- Offering a lowball settlement and coaxing you to accept it
Insurance companies are for-profit organizations. This means that, while paying accident victims is fair, insurance companies may place their profit motive above fairness. Your lawyer will ensure no bad-faith tactic by insurers affects your claim.
Documenting Damages Caused by the Vehicle Owner’s Negligence
Your auto accident attorney must prove every damage for which they are seeking compensation. Medical bills, doctors’ records, invoices for vehicle repairs, bank statements showing lost income, and several other types of documentation may be crucial to your case’s success.
Pinpointing a Fair Settlement Value
Your lawyer will enter settlement talks with a precise target in mind. Their settlement demands will be based on the following:
- Current and future economic damages (which have a straightforward financial value, with medical costs and lost income being two examples)
- Current and future non-economic damages (which have a less obvious financial value, with pain and suffering being the most common type of non-economic damage)
A lawyer’s ability to calculate non-economic damages efficiently and accurately is one of the many benefits to you as a client.
Negotiating Relentlessly on Your Behalf
Your attorney will be your dedicated negotiator. They will present settlement demands to insurers and any other party that owes you compensation. They will supplement these demands with proof of the vehicle owner’s negligence and documentation of your accident-related damages.
Filing Any Lawsuit You Choose to File
If circumstances compel you to file a lawsuit, your lawyer will ensure it is promptly filed. You likely face a statute of limitations for your case, which is one reason why your lawyer will negotiate with insurers as soon as possible. If negotiations fall through, your lawyer will file suit right away.
Leading Any Trial, You Choose to Pursue
If filing a lawsuit leads to trial, your legal team will fight for a judge or jury to award you the compensation you are entitled to.
Recoverable Damages Common to Auto Accident Victims
Expect your lawyer to demand fair compensation for the following:
- Vehicle repairs
- Replacing a totaled vehicle
- Pain and suffering
- Medical expenses
- Rehabilitation expenses
- Lost income
- Diminished earning power
- Damages associated with a disability
Vehicle owners’ failure to inspect and repair their car, truck, or SUV has consequences. Allow a lawyer to hold a negligent owner accountable by fighting for all the compensation you deserve. Don’t wait to find and hire a qualified lawyer to represent you in North Carolina.