Raleigh ATV Accident Lawyer

ATVs. Quad bikes. Four-wheelers. No matter what you call them, all-terrain vehicles are incredibly fun ways to get around, especially when you want to go off-roading. Unfortunately, ATVs can also be incredibly dangerous. Even if you operate the vehicle properly, you can find yourself dealing with broken bones, soft tissue injuries, head injuries, and much more.

If you have been injured in an ATV accident, whether you were working or riding recreationally, you may be dealing with medical bills, lost wages, pain, and suffering, and much more. If someone else is responsible for your injuries, you may be entitled to compensation. At Auger & Auger Accident and Injury Lawyers, we know how to help you get the compensation you deserve. We have helped represented injury victims for over 26 years.

In most cases, the person who caused your wreck can be held accountable. In some instances, however, the manufacturer of the ATV can be held liable. No matter who’s responsible, we can make sure you get the payment you deserve. Give us a call at (919) 873-4955 or contact us online for a free, no-obligation consultation with an ATV accident lawyer in Raleigh today. 

Common ATV Accidents in North Carolina

If you’re thrown from an ATV, your vehicle flips over or you’re hit by another car, accidents can result in severe, and sometimes fatal, injuries. These injuries can include:

  • Head injuries: Concussions, skull penetrations, brain bleeds, and other head injuries can be minor enough to just need rest to heal, while others can result in comas or even death. Many head injuries can be avoided by wearing a helmet. 
  •  Neck and back injuries: If your spine is injured in an ATV accident, it could affect you for the rest of your life. You could face paralysis, or even issues like chronic, debilitating back or neck pain. 
  • Broken bones: Depending on the circumstances of your accident, you could face broken bones in your legs, arms, hands or toes. In some cases, you may also suffer from broken ribs, which can lead to punctured organs. You could also suffer from broken bones in your face, which may require surgical intervention.
  • Soft tissue injuries: Soft tissue injuries include strained, sprained or torn muscles, tendons, ligaments, and other connective tissue. One of the most common soft tissue injuries is whiplash. While these injuries are generally not life-threatening, they can still impact you for the rest of your life.

Getting the Compensation You Deserve After an ATV Accident

If you or a loved one has been injured or killed in an ATV accident, you may be entitled to compensation. Depending on the circumstances of the wreck, there are a few different types of compensation or damages, you may be owed. These damages are divided into two categories: economic and noneconomic. These are considered compensatory damages.

Economic damages have to do with the real money you lost because of the accident. Because actual money is involved, economic damages are typically easy to prove. You will need to provide receipts, bills, invoices and other pieces of evidence to prove your losses. Economic damages may include:

  • Lost wages
  • Past and future medical bills
  • Past and future rehabilitation bills
  • Property damage
  • Out of pocket expenses
  • And more

Noneconomic losses are a bit more difficult to prove because they have nothing to do with money you lost. Instead, these damages are intended to compensate you for the mental, physical, emotional and societal losses you suffered. As such, your ATV accident lawyer in Raleigh will work with doctors, psychologists and other experts to prove you deserve compensation. Examples of noneconomic losses include:

  • Physical pain
  • Emotional suffering
  • Mental anguish
  • Physical disfigurement
  • Temporary or permanent paralysis
  • Loss of enjoyment in life
  • And more

If you were injured in an ATV accident that occurred while you were riding the vehicle for work, you may also be entitled to workers’ compensation. In addition, if your loved one was killed in an ATV accident, you and your family may be entitled to compensation through a wrongful death lawsuit. 

In some cases, you may also be able to sue for punitive damages. These damages are not intended to compensate you for any losses you suffered. Instead, they’re intended to punish the defendant. To sue for punitive damages, you must prove that the person who caused your injuries acted with malice or “willful or wanton conduct.”

Where Can I Drive My ATV in Raleigh?

You aren’t allowed to operate an ATV if you don’t have the proper helmet and eye protection. The helmet you wear must meet the standards for motorcycles dictated by the US Department of Transportation. In addition, you are not allowed to operate an ATV if you are under the influence of alcohol, a controlled substance, or any medicine that impairs your ability to drive. 

In addition, you can’t operate an ATV on any public road unless you’re crossing that road (except where permitted by law). You are also not allowed to operate your vehicle when it’s dark out — specifically from a half-hour after sunset to a half-hour before sunrise.

You must also have a safety certificate proving that you successfully completed an ATV safety course.

Get a Free Consultation from an ATV Accident Attorney in Raleigh

At Auger & Auger, we know how devastating ATV accidents can be. Depending on your injuries, you could be out of work for weeks or even months. You could also find yourself facing tons of medical bills piling up. We know how to help you get the compensation you deserve.

Before you accept any kind of settlement offer from the insurance company (and therefore forfeit your right to seek greater compensation), speak to us to see how much we may be able to get you. Give our accident and injury lawyers a call at (919) 873-4955 or contact us online for a free, no-obligation consultation with an ATV accident lawyer in Raleigh today.