Winston-Salem Car Accident Lawyer

If you or a loved one suffered injuries in a car accident and believe someone else is responsible, you may be entitled to seek compensation for your medical bills and other damages. A Winston-Salem car accident lawyer from Riddle & Brantley Accident Injury Lawyers may be able to help you in your pursuit of justice.

Contact us today for your free case evaluation. Let’s discuss your case and your options for financial recovery.

Why Choose Riddle & Brantley for Your Winston-Salem Car Accident Claim?

With more than 220+ years of combined legal experience, our experienced lawyers have served clients in Winston-Salem, NC, and throughout the state for decades. Managing partner Gene Riddle graduated from Wake Forest Law School in 1985, and founded Riddle & Brantley as a personal injury law firm devoted to helping accident victims and their families through this difficult time.

For a FREE case review and consultation, please call 1-800-525-7111. You can also complete the form below if you would prefer.

Our consultations are free and there is never any upfront cost or attorney fee unless we win your case and you receive financial compensation.

“Winston-Salem has a special place in my heart. I attended law school at Wake Forest and I’m proud to fight for justice for residents of the Piedmont Triad.” -Gene Riddle

Our Lawyers Represent Car Accident Victims Throughout Winston-Salem

Winston-Salem is one of North Carolina’s largest cities and is rapidly growing. More than 250,000 people call the city home according to the US Census Bureau. Because of its hyphenated name, some refer to Winston-Salem as “the Dash.”

Winston-Salem is home to Wake Forest University, which relocated from Wake Forest, NC in 1956. The school is known for its top-tier academic programs and competitive basketball program.

The city is also located at the confluence of I-40, I-74, and I-285 and motor vehicle accidents are frequent. Each year, more than 2,000 auto accidents result in injury in Winston-Salem, according to the Highway Safety Research Research Center at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Common Injuries Seen in Car Accident Claims

Our car accident lawyers have experience representing victims in W-S and the surrounding area, including those with the following types of injuries:

• Soft tissue injury
• Broken bones including fractures and compound fractures
• Head and neck injuries
• Shoulder injuries
• Spinal cord injuries
• Traumatic brain injuries
• Concussions
• Internal injuries including organ damage and internal bleeding
• Burns
• Emotional injury like PTSD
• Wrongful death
• And more…

If you’ve been involved in a motor vehicle accident and experienced any of these injuries, please contact us at 1-800-525-7111. We would love to see if we can help you get the justice you deserve.

Do I Have a Car Accident Case?

Negligence is the foundation for the majority of personal injury cases, including car accident claims. For a car accident case to be successful, the plaintiff (the injured party) must establish four essential elements of negligence:

1. Duty of Care: The plaintiff must prove that the defendant (the allegedly negligent party) owed them a legal duty of care. In the context of car accidents, all drivers have a duty to operate their vehicles safely and follow traffic laws to avoid causing harm to others on the road.
2. Breach of Duty: The plaintiff must demonstrate that the defendant breached their duty of care by acting or failing to act in a manner that a reasonably prudent person would have under similar circumstances. Examples of breaching the duty of care in a car accident case include speeding, running a red light, or driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
3. Causation: The plaintiff must show that the defendant’s breach of duty directly caused their injuries. In other words, the plaintiff must prove that the accident and their resulting injuries would not have occurred if not for the defendant’s negligent actions. This element is known as “causation” and can be further divided into two sub-elements: “cause-in-fact” (the defendant’s actions were the actual cause of the plaintiff’s injuries) and “proximate cause” (the defendant’s actions were closely enough related to the plaintiff’s injuries to hold them legally responsible).
4. Damages: Finally, the plaintiff must prove that they suffered actual damages, such as physical injuries, property damage, or financial losses, as a result of the defendant’s negligence. These damages must be quantifiable and compensable under the law.

If the plaintiff successfully establishes all four elements of negligence, they may be entitled to compensation for their injuries and other losses related to the car accident. However, the specific laws and procedures governing personal injury claims can vary by jurisdiction, so those involved in a car accident need to consult with a qualified attorney to assess their case and determine the best course of action.

What Damages are Available to Injured Victims?

In a car accident case, several types of damages may be available to the injured party if they can establish the other party’s negligence. The specific damages and their amounts will depend on the unique circumstances of each case. The main categories of damages in car accident cases include:

Economic Damages

Economic damages are tangible, quantifiable losses that can be objectively measured in monetary terms. These damages aim to compensate the plaintiff for the financial losses they have incurred due to the car accident and their injuries. Examples include:

• Medical expenses: Compensation for all medical costs related to the accident, including emergency care, hospitalization, surgery, medication, rehabilitation, and future medical treatment.
• Lost wages: Reimbursement for income lost due to time off work while recovering from the accident, as well as future lost earnings if the plaintiff’s earning capacity is diminished.
• Property damage: Compensation for the cost of repairing or replacing the plaintiff’s vehicle and any other personal property damaged in the accident.

Non-Economic Damages

Non-economic damages are subjective, non-monetary losses that are more difficult to quantify. These damages aim to compensate the plaintiff for the intangible harm they have suffered as a result of the car accident and their injuries. Examples include:

• Pain and suffering: Compensation for the physical pain, emotional distress, and mental anguish experienced by the plaintiff as a result of the accident and their injuries.
• Loss of enjoyment of life: Damages awarded for the plaintiff’s inability to participate in activities they enjoyed before the accident due to their injuries.
• Loss of consortium: Compensation for the negative impact on the plaintiff’s relationship with their spouse, such as loss of companionship, affection, or sexual relations.

In rare cases involving particularly egregious or intentional misconduct, the court may award punitive damages to punish the defendant and deter similar behavior in the future.

Wrongful Death Claims

If the car wreck results in a fatality, North Carolina law allows the deceased person’s family members or estate to seek wrongful death damages. Damages in wrongful death cases can include compensation for funeral and burial expenses, loss of financial support, and loss of companionship. If you lost a loved one in a car accident, an experienced attorney from our firm can help you obtain compensation through a wrongful death claim.

Common Types of Wrecks that Result in Car Accident Cases

There are many different types of car accidents. They can involve a single car, or multiple vehicles, as in the case of pile-ups. Accidents can occur in busy intersections, on highways, back country roads, or result from hazardous weather. The potential circumstances go on and on. While every car accident is unique, most collisions fall into one or more of several categories.

Some of the most common types of car accident cases include the following:

Head-on collisions

Head-on collisions are not the most common type of car accident, but they are the deadliest. These collisions occur when the front of one car strikes the front of another. These devastating accidents are most common when drivers collide when traveling in opposite directions on the same roadway. For example, a driver could cause a head-on crash by crossing over the center line and striking another motorist head-on.

These accidents are often fatal because of the significant force when two vehicles traveling at high speeds collide head-on. Those who survive these accidents frequently face severe or life-altering injuries.

Rear-end collisions

Rear-end collisions are the most common type of car accident. They are most likely to occur when vehicles slow down or stop suddenly. Intersections are the most likely location for a rear-end collision. However, these accidents are also common on highways when heavy congestion brings traffic to a halt.

While they are not considered as dangerous as head-on collisions, rear-end crashes can still cause serious injuries. Even relatively minor rear-end collisions could result in whiplash and other serious soft tissue injuries.

Side-impact collisions

Side-impact collisions involve damage to one side of a motor vehicle. In general, these accidents are either “T-bones” or “broadside” collisions.

A T-bone collision occurs when a car’s front end strikes the side of another vehicle. This type of crash often occurs in intersections when a driver runs a red light. T-bone accidents are also common when a driver attempts to merge onto a roadway without yielding to oncoming traffic.

A broadside accident is most likely to occur when two drivers travel parallel to each other in the same direction. The most likely cause of these accidents is attempting to change lanes without checking for other drivers.

Rollover accidents

One of the most dangerous types of car accidents is the rollover. It often occurs with only one vehicle. Any time a driver loses control of their vehicle, it is possible for the car to suddenly turn sideways and flip over. Specific makes and models of motor vehicles are more prone to this, such as top-heavy vehicles with a high center of gravity like SUVs, pickup trucks, and vans. When one driver strikes another from the side, it could send one or both cars spinning out of control, often resulting in a rollover crash.

Injured in a car accident?

The attorneys at Riddle & Brantley are ready to help. Call 1-800-525-7111 today and let’s review your claim and see if we can help. There are no upfront costs if you decide to hire us, and you won’t pay any attorney fees unless we’re successful and get you compensation in your case.

Justice Counts.

Fighting for Justice for North Carolina

We’re proud of the case results we’ve obtained for clients in W-S and throughout the state of North Carolina.

These results include:

• $5,450,000 | Truck Accident & Wrongful Death — Surviving relatives turned to Riddle & Brantley for justice after four family members were killed in a tractor-trailer accident on a busy North Carolina highway. Attorneys Gene Riddle and Kurt Dixon tirelessly worked on the case, organizing a thorough crash scene investigation and filing suit. Prior to trial, the insurance companies for the two trucks involved agreed to mediation, and a total settlement of $5.45 million was reached.
• $2,750,000 | Car Accident — Attorney Donald Dunn represented the victim of a serious car accident that resulted in multiple fractures to the neck, leg, and arms. The case entered arbitration where Dunn obtained a $2,750,000 settlement for the client. This was followed by a $1,000,000 declarative judgment against one of the insurance companies involved.
• $1,000,000 | Motorcycle Accident — Managing partner Gene Riddle pursued justice for a passenger who suffered serious injuries after being thrown from a motorcycle that lost control in an S-curve. The client suffered a brain injury, multiple fractures, and memory loss. Prior to the suit being filed, the case settled for the limits of insurance totaling $1,000,000.

The words of our clients are also a testament to the work we do pursuing justice for victims of car accidents in North Carolina. Here’s what one of them had to say about working with Riddle & Brantley:

“Riddle & Brantley has never left me behind.” -Michael B.

How Can a Lawyer Help with My Winston-Salem Car Accident Case?

The consequences of car accidents can last a lifetime and pursuing your claim or lawsuit can be very complicated.

A Riddle & Brantley attorney with experience in W-S can handle all aspects of your auto accident injury claim or lawsuit, including:

• Interviewing witnesses
• Collecting evidence
• Overseeing crash scene investigation
• Hiring expert witnesses and accident reconstructionists
• Obtaining police and accident reports
• Filing required paperwork and claims forms
• Helping you prepare for official statements to law enforcement
• Negotiating with defense counsel and the insurance company
• Connecting you with appropriate medical care
• Helping set up affordable payment plans for your medical bills
• Setting up trusts for long-term care and treatment
• Litigation
• Court briefs and filings
• Conducting depositions
• Arbitration and/or mediation
• Trial

When you hire a Riddle & Brantley auto accident attorney, they will represent you in your claim or lawsuit, and also lead a team of case managers, paralegals, and investigators who are 100% committed to your success.

Justice Counts and we work tirelessly to get the justice and compensation our clients need and deserve.

Contact an Experienced Car Accident Attorney with Riddle & Brantley Today

If you’ve been seriously hurt in a car accident and are considering retaining a personal injury lawyer to assist you in recovering compensation, Riddle & Brantley can help.

Our experienced car accident attorneys understand North Carolina law. We’ve served accident victims in the Piedmont Triad for decades.

For a FREE case review, please call 1-800-525-7111 or fill out the short form below. There is no obligation, and no attorney fee unless we win your case and you receive compensation.

At Riddle & Brantley, we believe Justice Counts and everyone is entitled to equal treatment under the law.

Please call 1-800-525-7111 today for a free consultation. We would love to help if we can.