A serious car wreck can result in painful injuries and create concerns about the future. Even when another driver clearly caused the collision, recovering compensation is rarely straightforward.
Insurers often use North Carolina’s contributory negligence rule to avoid paying claims. Under this rule, if you are even 1% responsible, you are barred from recovering compensation.
Because insurers rely on these tactics to reduce or deny valid claims, Auger & Auger Accident and Injury Lawyers investigates crashes, preserves critical evidence, and builds claims designed to counter blame-shifting from the start. Since 1995, we have helped injured clients by investigating crashes, preserving evidence, and building strong claims designed to withstand challenges from insurance companies.
When you hire our team, we handle the legal work so you can focus on your recovery and your family. Through our A&A Zero Fee Guarantee™, there are no upfront attorney fees, and we only receive a fee if we recover compensation for you. Contact our Charlotte personal injury lawyers today for a free case evaluation.
Why Hire Auger & Auger As Your Car Accident Attorney In Charlotte
Many people assume that if another driver caused a collision, the insurance company will simply do the right thing. Unfortunately, that is not always what happens. Insurers may dispute who caused the wreck or argue that some other factor contributed to the accident so they can use North Carolina’s contributory negligence rule to avoid paying you any compensation.
Having an experienced Charlotte car accident attorney on your side can help level the playing field. At Auger & Auger, we believe every client deserves personal attention and compassionate guidance throughout the legal process. We take the time to understand how an accident has affected your life today and how it may continue to affect you in the future.
For more than 30 years, our family-run firm has stood beside injury victims in North Carolina, recovering over $100 million while maintaining a 99.5% success rate. That experience gives us insight into the strategies insurance adjusters commonly use and how to respond effectively.
What To Do After A Car Accident In Charlotte
The hours and days after a Charlotte car accident can be confusing. You are battling injuries, and you might be worried about money. However, the steps you take during this time can make a big difference in your case.
Seek Medical Attention
You should always seek medical assistance as soon as possible after your collision. This reduces the risk of an untreated injury. You also need a diagnosis from a medical professional before you can claim the costs of an injury on an insurance claim.
If you have visible injuries, pain, or limited mobility after your car accident in Charlotte, visit the closest emergency room as soon as police investigators arrive at the scene and clear you to leave. Request an ambulance when reporting your collision if you or anyone else might be seriously injured.
Do not refuse an ambulance if you think you might be seriously injured or if paramedics suggest you use medical transport. Refusing an ambulance may potentially be used by insurers later on as evidence that you are not as injured as you claim.
Document Your Accident
When and if you are able, begin to gather information and evidence about the scene of the accident, including weather conditions, traffic signals and signs, vehicle damage, bodily injuries, and more.
Take ample photos and videos of the scene and your vehicle, if possible, for visual evidence. If anyone witnessed the accident, gather their statements and contact information to use as additional testimony for your case. Request copies of your medical records to help show the extent of your injuries.
When you hire our team, our attorneys will conduct a thorough investigation of our own, but any information you can provide will be helpful. Your story will help us put together an accurate picture of what happened.
Keep Track Of Your Expenses
Save your receipts and documentation for all expenses related to your accident and injury. This could mean emergency room visits, doctors’ visits, physical therapy sessions, medications and prescriptions, and any counseling or therapy you need.
Document and keep records of lost wages, any costs related to repairing or replacing your vehicle, expenses concerning your family (such as child care), and any other costs that stemmed from the crash. Your attorney can tell you how to get reimbursed for lost wages after a car accident in Charlotte, North Carolina.
To support a claim for pain and suffering, you’ll also want to keep notes on how the crash has impacted you and your family’s daily lives. Your attorney will tell you if and how they may affect your settlement.
Avoid Posting On Social Media
Insurance companies frequently review social media accounts during personal injury claims. Posts, photographs, or comments can sometimes be taken out of context and used to challenge an injury claim.
Social media accounts have become a major part of many personal injury cases. Even setting your accounts to private does not guarantee that what you post will not be used against you.
In addition to avoiding posting on your own accounts, you should request that friends and family not include you in any posts on their accounts. Insurers will likely run a deep online search of you and your acquaintances to find anything they can potentially use to deny or devalue your claim.
Types Of Car Accident Cases Our Lawyers In Charlotte Handle
Our Charlotte car crash attorneys at Auger & Auger have the experience and skill to handle your case. We can assign one of the following lawyers to help with your claim:
- Charlotte hit–and–run car accident lawyers: Hit-and-run accidents occur when a driver flees the scene after causing a crash. We can work to help identify the liable party or assist with a claim under your own uninsured/underinsured motorist (UM/UIM) coverage if they can’t be found.
- Charlotte rear–end accident lawyers: Rear-end accidents are frequently caused by tailgating, distracted driving, or sudden stops. We can investigate your crash to help prove fault.
- Charlotte rideshare accident lawyers: Rideshare accidents can result from inexperience, distracted driving, or negligence. We can help you understand the complicated liability structure in these claims so you can recover the money you need.
- Charlotte rollover accident lawyers: Rollover accidents often occur when a vehicle loses control, typically due to speeding, sharp turns, or hitting uneven terrain. We can help you file a lawsuit against another driver, a municipality if road conditions are to blame, or the manufacturer of your vehicle.
- Charlotte distracted driving accident lawyers: Distracted driving accidents occur when a driver’s attention is diverted from the road, often because of texting, eating, or using in-car technology. We can help prove that another driver’s reckless driving caused your collision.
- Charlotte intersection accident lawyers: Intersection accidents typically happen due to drivers running red lights, failing to yield, or misjudging the movement of other vehicles. If an issue with a stoplight was to blame, you might have a case against a government body.
- Charlotte DUI accident lawyers: DUI accidents are caused by drivers operating vehicles under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Punitive damages are often available in these cases. We can help show how the reckless actions of the intoxicated driver meet the threshold for claiming these damages.
- Charlotte uninsured motorist accident lawyers: Uninsured motorist accidents occur when a driver without car insurance coverage causes a crash, leaving victims struggling to recover compensation. We can help you pursue a claim with your own insurer or file a lawsuit against the at-fault driver.
Our auto wreck attorneys in Charlotte can assist with filing an insurance claim or a personal injury lawsuit to pursue the compensation you deserve. We can explore your legal options during a free initial consultation.
Take Care When Interacting With The Liable Party’s Insurer
In most cases, it is best to avoid speaking with the at-fault driver’s insurance company. Insurers often attempt to get accident victims to make a recorded statement, which they then try to use to deny their claims.
Once a victim makes a statement, the insurer can use any inconsistencies or contradictions in the accident narrative to dispute the claim’s grounds. The insurer could use your statements to allege that you were partially at fault, making all damages unrecoverable according to North Carolina’s contributory negligence doctrine.
A personal injury attorney at Auger & Auger can communicate with the liable party and their insurer. Your lawyer acts as your advisor and can handle all interactions on your behalf, protecting you from insurance company tactics.
Why Acting Quickly After A Charlotte Car Accident Matters
The actions taken shortly after a collision can significantly affect the strength of a legal claim. North Carolina General Statutes typically provide three years to file a personal injury lawsuit under G.S. §1-52. Missing that deadline can prevent an injured person from seeking compensation through the courts.
Waiting can also make important evidence harder to obtain. Physical evidence may disappear, witnesses may forget critical details, and electronic records may no longer be available. Beginning an investigation promptly allows our attorneys to preserve information that may strengthen your case.
Our team may take steps such as:
- Obtaining crash reports and official documentation
- Gathering photographs from the accident scene
- Preserving available video footage
- Interviewing witnesses while memories remain fresh
- Reviewing medical records and treatment histories
- Consulting qualified professionals when necessary
- Identifying all potentially liable parties
Early action often creates stronger cases because evidence is easier to collect and protect.
Steps We Will Take When You Hire Our Team To Handle Your Charlotte Car Accident Claim
If you are wondering when you should hire a car accident lawyer, know that you have the right to consult an attorney at any time. Before calling your insurance company, you can contact an experienced car accident attorney in Charlotte, NC.
Here are some of the ways our Charlotte car crash attorneys can help.
Peace Of Mind
When you work with a Charlotte car accident lawyer at Auger & Auger, peace of mind is the number one benefit. You have a powerful ally in your corner who knows the law and will fight on your behalf. You do not have to take on the insurance companies alone.
Legal Advice
When you call our firm for your free consultation, we will listen to your story and explain more about how the legal process works and what our attorneys can do for you. When you hire our legal team, we can provide you with legal advice specifically tailored to your case and handle your personal injury claim from beginning to end.
Investigate Your Case
A Charlotte car accident attorney can investigate your accident to prove the other party’s liability. We may review police reports and eyewitness testimony and visit the accident scene to understand what happened so we can present a solid case.
Identify Liable Parties
Our investigation team aims to identify all parties that were responsible for the crash. Possible liable parties can include other drivers, the employer of a driver who hit you, and the manufacturer of a vehicle component that failed to protect you, among others. In many cases, multiple parties may share liability for an accident.
Determine Your Damages
Different types of damages may be available after a car accident in North Carolina. Our attorneys can review the financial and non-financial impacts of your motor vehicle accident to determine what a fair settlement would be.
Negotiate With Insurance Companies
Attorney Arlene Auger’s previous work in the insurance industry has given our firm experience in helping clients obtain the compensation they are entitled to recover. Having a personal injury attorney who knows how to deal with insurance companies can provide leverage in insurance negotiations.
Represent You In Court
While we’d prefer to negotiate for a fair settlement that meets your needs, we may have to take things a step further. We won’t let an insurance company pressure you into accepting an unfair settlement. We can represent you in a trial and seek a verdict.
How Contributory Negligence May Impact Your Case
North Carolina’s contributory negligence system is why having an attorney in your corner is highly recommended. Under the doctrine of contributory negligence, if you are found to be even 1% at fault for an accident, you will be barred from recovering any damages.
There are a few exceptions to this rule that may apply to your case. For instance, North Carolina law presumes minor children under the age of seven are incapable of contributory negligence. Additionally, situations involving the last clear chance doctrine and cases where gross negligence is present may trump contributory negligence laws.
Our team will work to place blame where it belongs and identify any exceptions that may apply if the other party attempts to shift fault onto you.
When To Take A Settlement And When To Go To Trial
A settlement is often the desired outcome after a Charlotte car accident, but you should never accept a settlement offer from an insurance company before speaking with an attorney. Insurers often try to pay out as little as possible, offering accident victims low settlement amounts that fail to account for their losses.
A settlement offers a quicker path to compensation than going to trial. However, being too quick to take a deal can put you in a difficult position. Taking a settlement before you understand the full scope of your damages may leave you in a position where you are barred from pursuing additional compensation when you find that your losses are greater than initially anticipated.
When you hire an auto accident attorney in Charlotte, NC, you have an ally who knows how to handle insurance companies. At Auger & Auger, we treat every case as if it will go to court. This approach not only ensures that we are trial-ready but also provides us with leverage during settlement negotiations.
Calculating The Value Of A Car Accident Settlement
Insurance actuaries calculate settlement values using formulas after an adjuster investigates the claim. Insurance companies consider hundreds of variables in these calculations, including the likely cost of a jury verdict in their favor if they decide to deny the claim.
Our experienced car accident attorneys in Charlotte will evaluate your damages and run our own calculations to determine how much your auto accident claim is worth. We can then disclose these damages in a demand letter requesting fair compensation for all of your losses.
The Cost Of Hiring A Car Accident Lawyer After A Collision In Charlotte
At Auger & Auger, our personal injury lawyers work on a contingency fee basis. That means we take a percentage of the award when we win a settlement or a court case. You don’t need to pay your attorney up front.
When you work with our team, you get the advantage of the A&A Zero Fee Guarantee™. We don’t get paid until we win your case, so the risk to you is zero. We are incentivized to get you the compensation you deserve.
Damages You May Be Able To Pursue Following A Car Accident In Charlotte
To recover the full damages of a claim, accident victims must have an accurate estimate of all of their damages, past and future. Many accident victims will accept unfair settlement offers from insurance companies because they do not know that they have additional losses that could be covered.
They may also fail to account for losses they will encounter in the future, such as the diminished resale value of a vehicle that has been repaired after a major crash. Our car accident lawyers in Charlotte, NC, can review your losses and provide an accurate, full accounting of all possible damages.
Every situation is different, and it isn’t possible to predict your compensation claim without reviewing your case. Here are some of the expenses you might recover:
| Type of Damage | What It May Include |
| Past and Future Medical Bills | All necessary medical costs related to treating your injuries, including hospital stays, surgeries, rehabilitation, follow-up care, and anticipated future medical treatments. |
| Past and Future Lost Wages | Income lost while recovering from your injuries, as well as potential future lost earnings. Recovery may depend on the terms of the applicable insurance policy. |
| Property Damage | Costs to repair or replace your vehicle and damaged personal belongings. Property damage claims are separate from bodily injury claims. |
| Out-of-Pocket Expenses | Direct accident-related expenses such as prescription costs, medical devices, transportation expenses, and hospital parking fees. |
| Pain and Suffering | Compensation for physical pain, discomfort, and reduced quality of life caused by your injuries. This is separate from medical bills. |
| Mental Anguish | Emotional distress such as anxiety, depression, trauma, or psychological harm resulting from the accident. May require professional medical documentation. |
In extreme cases involving gross negligence or intentional harm, punitive damages may also be available. These damages are meant to punish the liable party for their actions rather than compensate you for any losses you incurred.
Your lawyer can investigate the crash to determine whether the liable party’s actions meet the threshold for considering punitive damages.
Do You Need A Lawyer For A Minor Car Accident?
In many cases, it may be worth getting a lawyer for a minor car accident in North Carolina. Even when an accident seems minor, it can result in injuries that are diagnosed later.
Many people also underestimate the long-term costs of treatment. They may not fully understand the difference in income they will experience as a consequence of the injury. An attorney can help you avoid these costly mistakes.
Consulting an auto accident lawyer in Charlotte, NC, reduces the risk of being required to pay out of pocket for damages that result from an accident you did not cause. Your lawyer can ensure that you understand the full impact of a crash and how much your damages are truly worth.
Fatal Car Accidents And Wrongful Death Claims In Charlotte
Some motor vehicle collisions have devastating consequences that no family should ever have to experience. When a loved one loses their life because of another driver’s negligence, surviving family members may have legal options under North Carolina law.
Although no lawsuit can replace someone you love, a wrongful death claim can help address the financial burdens and personal losses that often follow a fatal crash.
Compensation in a wrongful death case may include:
- Funeral and burial expenses
- Medical costs associated with the person’s final injury or illness
- Lost income and financial support
- Loss of services, guidance, and care
- Loss of companionship
- Other damages permitted under North Carolina law
Wrongful death claims in North Carolina must generally be filed by the personal representative of the deceased person’s estate.
If your loved one did not designate a personal representative, our legal team can help explain the process and guide you through the necessary steps to pursue a claim on behalf of surviving family members.
What Can You Do If You Are Hit By An Uninsured Driver?
If you were in an accident caused by an uninsured driver in North Carolina, the first step is always to report the accident to the police. An uninsured driver may suggest settling matters without involving the police. However, this can put you in a position where recovering fair compensation is impossible if you later discover that your losses exceeded your initial estimate.
While it may be unfortunate for the uninsured driver, you are obligated by law to report any accident resulting in injury or property damage. Doing so will protect your right to recover compensation for your losses.
In lieu of exchanging insurance information, be sure to get the driver’s contact information, including their home address, where they work, and a good daytime phone number to contact them. If they fail to pay for your losses, an experienced Charlotte car crash lawyer can take legal action against them to recover the money you deserve.
Liability Insurance
Liability insurance helps protect drivers from exposure to lawsuits. This means that if someone does not have their legally required minimum liability insurance, they can potentially be sued.
However, someone who does not carry liability insurance is likely to be economically disadvantaged, which means they will likely have little in the way of assets to repay the costs of your medical treatment and other losses.
Recovering compensation after a car accident involving an uninsured driver can be difficult. Our experienced car accident lawyers work to identify any alternative sources of compensation, such as filing a claim under any available UM/UIM coverage you have. We can help you understand UM/UIM car coverage and why you should have it.
Who Is Liable In A Hit-and-run Accident?
After a hit-and-run accident, no one is there to provide a statement or hand you their insurance information. A driver may flee the scene for various reasons, and they may not always be the at-fault party. It is always illegal to flee the accident scene. However, fleeing does not automatically indicate fault for the crash. As the injured party, this puts you in a tough position.
Always report a hit–and–run accident to the police. They will take down a statement, potentially including the make and model of the vehicle and any identifying traits of the driver. They will also note the conditions of the accident scene.
While the police will conduct an investigation to track down the driver, our investigative team can carry out our own inquiry. In addition to working to find the car and driver who fled the scene, we will also investigate to determine if any other party bears legal responsibility for the accident and your resulting damages.
Pursue Medical Attention Even If You Don’t Believe You Were Injured
Even if you are feeling fine after a car accident, you should seek medical attention as soon as possible. Not only will it ensure you get the best care for immediate and delayed injuries, but it can also help your case and protect your right to compensation for your damages.
Ignoring medical symptoms can only make them worse. Insurers may even allege that you were injured before or after the accident. Ignoring a doctor’s medical advice can also damage your claim.
Failing to perform any of these actions can jeopardize your ability to obtain full compensation for all of your accident damages. If you have any questions about seeking compensation or are worried that insurers are going to attempt to deny your accident claim, contact an experienced car accident lawyer at Auger & Auger today.
Get Help From Our Car Accident Lawyer Serving Charlotte Today
For more than three decades, Auger & Auger has used our extensive legal knowledge to help injured people pursue compensation after accidents caused by another person’s negligence. We provide compassionate guidance, personal attention, and experienced representation from the beginning of a case through its resolution.
Our team handles the legal responsibilities involved in your claim so you can focus on your health and your loved ones. Under our A&A Zero Fee Guarantee™, you pay no upfront attorney fees, and we only receive a fee if we successfully recover compensation on your behalf.
Contact us today for a free case review with a Charlotte car accident lawyer.
