A serious accident can leave you facing painful injuries, mounting medical bills, and an insurer focused on paying out as little as possible. A common way insurers reduce or deny claims is by shifting blame. If they can convince a jury that you are even 1% at fault, you could lose your right to recover compensation under North Carolina’s strict contributory negligence rule.
Because insurers rely on these tactics to deny valid claims, Auger & Auger Accident and Injury Lawyers investigates accidents thoroughly, protects critical evidence, and builds claims backed by facts rather than insurance company assumptions.
Since 1995, our family-owned law firm has represented injured people across North Carolina by thoroughly investigating accidents, protecting valuable evidence, and developing claims backed by facts rather than insurance company assumptions.
While you focus on your medical treatment and recovery, we handle every stage of the legal process on your behalf. With our A&A Zero Fee Guarantee™, you pay no attorney fees unless we recover compensation for you. Contact us today for a free case evaluation with a personal injury lawyer in Charlotte.
Why Choose Our Personal Injury Attorneys In Charlotte
Many accident victims believe that when another person clearly caused their injuries, their insurance claim will move quickly. Unfortunately, an adjuster may try to shift some of the blame unfairly to you to deny your claim under the state’s strict contributory negligence laws.
They may also delay the process and attempt to minimize compensation by questioning liability, disputing the severity of injuries, or claiming that an injury is related to a pre-existing condition.
Recovering from a serious injury is challenging enough without having to fight these tactics on your own. While insurance companies manage claims every day, most people have never been through the personal injury process before. At Auger & Auger, we work to level the playing field.
Our legal team investigates accidents thoroughly, secures evidence before it disappears, and builds persuasive claims designed to withstand insurance companies’ attempts to shift any of the blame onto you. This process is backed by decades of experience and proven results.
Since opening our doors more than 30 years ago, our family-operated law firm has recovered over $100 million for injured clients while maintaining a 99.5% success rate. Whether your case settles through negotiations or requires litigation, we prepare every claim with the same attention to detail so we are ready for whatever comes next.
Types Of Cases Our Charlotte Personal Injury Lawyers Handle
When another person, business, or organization causes injuries through negligent or reckless conduct, you deserve experienced legal representation. Our attorneys handle many different types of personal injury claims and are prepared to serve as your:
- Charlotte car accident lawyers: Motor vehicle accidents frequently leave victims with expensive medical treatment, lost income, property damage, and lasting pain. In car accident cases, we pursue compensation from negligent drivers and the insurance companies responsible for covering their losses.
- Charlotte bicycle accident lawyers: Cyclists are especially vulnerable when motorists fail to share the road safely. We fight to hold careless drivers accountable for the serious injuries bicycle accidents often cause.
- Charlotte motorcycle accident lawyers: Riders have far less protection than occupants of passenger vehicles, making severe injuries common even in lower-speed crashes. We seek compensation that reflects the full physical, emotional, and financial impact these accidents have on your life.
- Charlotte pedestrian accident lawyers: When a vehicle strikes a pedestrian, the injuries are often severe because pedestrians have virtually no protection from the force of the impact. Our attorneys pursue the compensation you need to get your life back on track after a devastating accident.
- Charlotte truck accident lawyers: Because of their tremendous size and weight, commercial trucks often cause catastrophic injuries during collisions. These cases may involve several potentially responsible parties, from trucking companies and drivers to cargo loading companies.
- Charlotte wrongful death lawyers: Losing a loved one because of someone else’s negligence is heartbreaking. While no legal claim can replace your family member, pursuing a wrongful death action may provide financial stability and hold the responsible party accountable. We guide families through every stage of the legal process with compassion and respect.
- Charlotte bus accident lawyers: Bus collisions can involve numerous injured passengers, multiple insurance policies, and complex liability issues. Our attorneys represent people injured in crashes involving public transit systems, school buses, private transportation companies, and other responsible parties.
- Charlotte catastrophic injury lawyers: Some injuries permanently change the course of a person’s life. Traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord damage, severe burns, and other catastrophic injuries may require lifelong medical care while limiting your ability to work and remain independent. We pursue compensation that accounts for both your immediate losses and your future needs.
- Charlotte boating accident lawyers: Boating regulations ensure safety and enjoyment on the water, but reckless boaters can ruin lives. We can identify the liable party who owed you a duty of care so you can pursue a claim.
- Charlotte workers‘ compensation lawyers: Some workplace accidents involve both Workers’ Compensation benefits and third-party personal injury claims. While we refer Workers’ Compensation matters to trusted counsel, we can evaluate whether a negligent third party may also be responsible for your injuries and pursue any applicable personal injury claim.
- Charlotte dog bite lawyers: Pet owners are responsible for keeping their animals under control. When pets injure people, the owners may be liable for the dog bite injuries. We can determine your rights to pursue a claim.
These are only some of the personal injury matters our firm handles. If you were hurt because another person, company, or organization acted carelessly, we are ready to review your case.
Every claim we accept is prepared as though it may ultimately be presented at trial. This approach strengthens our negotiating position while ensuring we are fully prepared if litigation becomes necessary.
How We Can Protect You From North Carolina’s Contributory Negligence Rule
Because of the risk of losing your right to pursue compensation under North Carolina’s contributory negligence rule, we caution injured parties never to admit fault in an accident. For one thing, many North Carolina accident victims think they contributed to the fault when they didn’t. Even if you made a mistake, it might not have had anything to do with the accident.
Our team can thoroughly investigate your accident to gather evidence, interview witnesses, review police reports, and work with experts when needed to build a clear picture of what happened.
We know how insurance companies may try to unfairly place even a small amount of blame on injured victims to avoid paying claims. By identifying the facts, preserving evidence, and challenging unsupported allegations, we work to protect your right to pursue compensation under North Carolina law.
Insurance Companies And Contributory Negligence
The adjuster for the other party’s insurance company might look for any excuse to blame you for the accident so they don’t have to pay a personal injury claim. Remember, they only have to convince a jury that you were 1% at fault to get off the hook.
Don’t help them deprive you of the money you deserve. If you have questions about the other party’s liability in your accident, discuss them with your attorney, not the insurance company.
How A Charlotte Personal Injury Attorney From Our Firm Will Handle Your Case
When you meet with your attorney for a free consultation, we will ask about the details of your injury and how it happened. We may also ask questions to help determine who the liable party or parties are.
Sometimes, clients think they know who is responsible for their injuries, and they’re often right. However, in some situations, it is helpful to know if other third parties may have contributed to the injury.
In other cases, we may send one of our investigators to look for further evidence. They may do things like canvassing the area of your accident and looking for witnesses the police didn’t have a chance to talk to.
Assessing Your Case
After learning more about the situation, your Charlotte personal injury lawyer will have a better idea of whether you have a strong personal injury claim or not. This judgment is not based on you but on the facts of the case and the evidence available to back it up.
Your attorney may believe you, but they have to think about whether the evidence in your case is strong enough to convince an insurance company representative or prove your claim in court. It’s unfortunate, but there simply isn’t enough evidence to support a client’s claim in some cases.
We don’t take these cases because it isn’t in the client’s best interest to spend a lot of time pursuing a claim without sufficient evidence. However, if we see alternative ways of recovering at least some of your losses, such as through your insurance coverage, we will suggest them.
Determining Damages
Once your attorney has a good idea about liability, they will discuss your damages. Damages are the losses you suffered as a result of your injury.
These can be economic, such as medical expenses, repair bills, lost wages while unable to work due to your injuries, and other out-of-pocket expenses. Alternatively, non-economic damages include pain and suffering, emotional trauma after an accident, and loss of enjoyment of life.
Our Charlotte personal injury attorneys will review all these losses to ensure nothing is missed. Often, people think they know what their damages are, but there may be things they haven’t considered, like future medical bills or other accommodations needed to help with a severe injury. We will ensure that all your damages are included in your claim.
The Importance Of Documentation
It is helpful to document anything you can concerning your injuries, how they happened, and who was responsible. That can vary depending on the kind of injury you had and how long it has been since the injury occurred.
If you were hurt in a crash and your car has not been repaired yet, you can take pictures of the damage. You can gather copies of your medical bills from your injuries and make a list of anyone you are aware of who was present at the accident or might provide eyewitness testimony.
Your Charlotte personal injury attorney will likely ask you about these things and let you know if there is other documentation we need.
Negotiating With Insurance Companies
The insurance company for the at-fault party may offer a settlement. It is usually not wise to accept it before speaking with an attorney. Insurance adjusters often extend settlement offers that are far below the value of a claim to minimize what they have to pay.
When you accept a settlement, you lose your right to pursue future compensation if you discover your expenses are overwhelming. We will help you understand the full value of your claim to help ensure you don’t accept a deal that fails to meet your needs.
Let us deal with the insurance company for you. We won’t let them tell us what they think you are worth. We’ll fight for the fair compensation you truly deserve so you can begin to put your life back together.
Representing You In Court
In most cases, settling a claim at the negotiating table is in the best interests of everyone involved. However, while a settlement might be the outcome we aim for, we aren’t going to back away from a fight. If the insurance company won’t budge, we can represent you in a personal injury lawsuit.
Our legal team has extensive experience representing our clients throughout the legal process.
Getting Started On Your Personal Injury Case Quickly Improves Your Chances Of A Successful Claim
The immediate actions you take after an accident can significantly affect the strength of your personal injury claim. In North Carolina, the statute of limitations for filing a personal injury lawsuit is three years under N.C. Gen. Stat. § 1-52. Waiting too long usually means losing the right to pursue compensation under North Carolina law.
Although the legal deadline may seem far away, valuable evidence often begins disappearing almost immediately after an accident. Vehicles are repaired, hazardous conditions are corrected, surveillance footage may be automatically deleted, and witnesses naturally remember fewer details as time passes.
Beginning an investigation as early as possible helps preserve the evidence needed to build a compelling claim. When you contact our Charlotte personal injury lawyers soon after your accident, we can immediately begin protecting your rights.
Depending on the circumstances of your case, our legal team may:
- Obtain police reports, incident reports, and other official records
- Preserve surveillance footage, electronic data, and other time-sensitive evidence
- Interview witnesses while their memories remain fresh
- Collect photographs, videos, and physical evidence from the accident scene
- Gather medical records and documentation showing the extent of your injuries
- Work with qualified experts when additional analysis helps establish liability or damages
Hiring an attorney early can also protect you from common insurance company tactics. Shortly after an accident, adjusters often contact injury victims seeking recorded statements or encouraging them to accept a quick settlement before they fully understand the seriousness of their injuries.
When you hire a personal injury lawyer from Auger & Auger, we handle communications with the insurers on your behalf. That means you do not have to worry about adjusters asking misleading questions or attempting to use your statements against you. We protect your rights throughout the claims process while aggressively negotiating for the compensation you deserve.
How Long Do Personal Injury Cases Take?
It’s impossible to say how long you can expect your case to take without knowing the specifics of your situation. Even then, your attorney will have a better idea after collecting all your medical records and financial documents and then making an effort to negotiate with the at-fault party’s insurer.
In a few straightforward cases where there is extensive evidence that the other party was at fault, we can achieve a fair settlement within a few months. Most cases take longer than that, and some may take years to resolve, depending on how complicated they are and other factors.
Speak with an experienced attorney at Auger & Auger to better understand the outlook for your case.
Do You Have To Testify In A Personal Injury Case?
It’s possible you will have to testify in support of your claim, but it’s unlikely. Most of these cases are settled out of court, and we always try to work things out with the insurance company or other liable parties.
We know that you‘ve had enough difficulties with your injuries. We don’t want to put you through a stressful and time-consuming trial if there are other ways to secure the fair compensation you need.
However, there are some situations where the other party won’t agree to an appropriate amount of compensation. Here are a few circumstances in which a trial may prove necessary:
- The defendant and their attorney believe they will win at trial and have no reason to pay you anything.
- If your case is unusual or they have not settled another like it before, the insurance company may be afraid of “setting a precedent” by paying your claim or by paying what they think is “too much.”
- If you have a high amount of damages, you may be asking for a fair amount of money for your injuries, but the insurance company may decide they can’t pay that much without a fight in court.
- Liability may not be clear, and the other party may insist on going to court to contest fault.
Going To Trial In A Personal Injury Case
If you do go to trial, taking the stand may be very helpful to your case. In some circumstances, you may be the only witness who can explain what happened.
Telling your story to the jury yourself may also help them to see you as a real person who was injured by the defendant’s negligence. Your personal injury attorney in Charlotte, NC, will make sure you have time to prepare, and they will go over what questions the defendant’s attorney is likely to ask you.
What If My Bills Are More Than Insurance Policy Limits?
Most insurance policies have limits. For example, in North Carolina, the minimum requirements for car insurance are $50,000 in bodily injury liability and $50,000 in property damage liability.
The person who hit you may have more insurance, but if not, you may only be able to collect $50,000 for your medical costs and $50,000 for damage to your car from their policy.
However, that doesn’t necessarily mean you’re stuck paying the rest of your bills yourself. When we recognize that a client’s damages will significantly exceed the other party’s insurance coverage, we will look at all other available options for recovery.
Making A Claim On Your Insurance Policy
One option is to file a claim with your own insurer. It doesn’t matter if the accident wasn’t your fault. North Carolina also requires uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage in the same minimum amounts, and this will kick in where the other driver’s insurance policy limit has cut you off.
As long as you have car insurance, you should have at least that much additional coverage after the at-fault driver’s insurance pays to the policy limit.
Suing The Responsible Party Directly
Whether or not this is a good option depends on the other party’s financial situation. If they can’t afford to pay a judgment against them, it isn’t worth your time and stress to pursue one.
Suing Other Liable Parties Or Making A Claim With Their Insurance
Sometimes, more than one party could be liable for your injuries. For example, if you were hit by a drunk driver while driving a delivery van for your employer, you may be able to file a workers’ compensation claim.
Or, if you were not working at the time, but a faulty seatbelt caused you to be thrown out of the car and suffer more severe injuries, you might have a claim against the car manufacturer or seatbelt manufacturer.
Reach Out To Our Personal Injury Lawyers Serving Charlotte, Nc, Today
For more than three decades, Auger & Auger has helped injured individuals and families throughout North Carolina pursue compensation after serious accidents.
We understand how overwhelming it can be when medical bills continue to grow, and you are unable to work. Our Charlotte personal injury lawyers are committed to guiding you through every stage of the claims process.
When you work with our team, we handle the entire legal process, including all communications with insurers, which means you never have to interact with them directly.
With our A&A Zero Fee Guarantee™, you never pay attorney fees upfront, and you owe us nothing unless we recover compensation on your behalf. Contact us today to schedule a free case evaluation.
