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It is difficult enough to accept injuries that are caused by ourselves or no one at all. It can be harder to get through harm that other people visited upon us, even when it is by accident. No one wants to have to "go after" a person or organization for damages after an injury, but it is sometimes the right thing to do.
When is a person or company liable for injuries?
Spring is here, the snows have melted and the Great Smoky Mountains look as inviting as ever to bikers who love winding roads. More motorcycles on the roads of North Carolina, however, can mean higher chances of a crash and serious injury -- especially on some of the far-flung roads in the Tar Heel State. Avoiding crashes can mean avoiding fatalities.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that four out of five motorcycle collisions result in serious injury or death. This is mostly because of the lack of protection that motorcycles offer to drivers and passengers in the case of a collision.
Anyone involved in a car accident needs to take the situation seriously. After any crash, the people involved need to contact their auto insurance agencies right away. There is no set timeframe for this, but the drivers should notify a representative that a car accident took place. Ideally, all parties will do this within 24 hours.
In the event one or both parties want to pursue a civil claim because they have not received enough compensation from the insurance company, then that lawsuit must start within a certain timeframe. Personal injury lawsuits have a statute of limitations, so all parties need to be aware of what that is.
It's not the easiest thing to commute in North Carolina. Most drivers face either long distances through the open country of the Tar Heel State or chronic traffic problems around Charlotte or Durham. Some people have to deal with both. Every minute on risky roads increases the chances of a collision.
What are the problems drivers have to manage in a collision?
Truck transport is a requirement for many products and services in North Carolina and elsewhere across the United States. Unfortunately, this also means that truck accidents are relatively common, especially near crowded roads with blind curves and sudden changes in speed. There are many things drivers can do to avoid collisions with tractor-trailers and other heavy vehicles, but some things cannot be avoided.
A recent accident on Interstate 77 in Yadkin County took the lives of a married couple. Investigators with the North Carolina Highway Patrol say that the collision happened near stalled traffic in a construction zone. A tractor-trailer did not slow down in time to avoid the victims' pickup truck.
People cause injury or illness to each other all the time, generally by accident. Minor mistakes can be easily excused by a sound mind, but some injuries are too great to bear alone. When people or companies seriously endanger health or life, they must answer for these actions. That is the issue at stake in a group of lawsuits involving a birth control device.
Concerns about the safety of the device were related to the inclusion of an alloy containing nickel. The metal, which often appears in jewelry, can cause an allergic reaction in up to 20 percent of the U.S. population. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has planned a public hearing to investigate the human immune system's reaction to the object and similar medical implants.
Between the irresistible roads through the Great Smoky Mountains and the long stretches of offshore highways, North Carolina is a great place to own and ride a motorcycle. Several people in the Tar Heel State, including members of the armed forces, use bikes as a primary way to get around. Since motorcycles provide little protection to riders, any collision can put them at risk.
Many collisions between cars or trucks and motorcycles are accidents that do not carry criminal charges. However, many of the common types of crashes are preventable when drivers pay closer attention to their surroundings and keep their wits about them.
North Carolina already has strict laws limiting the use of cellphones while behind the wheel of a vehicle. All drivers under the age of 18 cannot use their cellphones at all while driving, and all other drivers have certain limitations. However, some lawmakers in the state feel as though the current laws do not go far enough.
Dozens of car accidents happen every day in North Carolina. Many of these occur as a result of drivers using their cellphones while driving. Texting, responding to an email or browsing through social media takes the driver's mind and eyes off the road. People can suffer serious injuries as a result of these crashes, so lawmakers have found it prudent to outlaw certain phone functions while driving. Anyone caught using a cellphone will face a hefty fine, and lawmakers currently propose legislation that would further ban phone use while behind the wheel.
Many drivers may think of the winding roads in the Great Smoky Mountains or the crowded avenues near the ocean when they are concerned about driving hazards in North Carolina. But one of the largest dangers to drivers are the busy interstate highways and other multilane roads that combine several types of vehicles and unexpected slowdowns.
Delays are common on the Outer Loop, a ring road that wraps Interstate 485 around metropolitan Charlotte. Cars backed up from an exit in the northern part of the city onto the highway. A sports utility vehicle came up to the jam too quickly and struck the back of a sedan, which then spun across open lanes to be hit by another car. The driver of the first car was pronounced dead at the scene.
Accidents are not particularly common in North Carolina, with the state often appearing in the middle of nationwide traffic crash and fatality lists. But the risks are real, especially where many kinds of vehicles are sharing the same roadways and intersections. Trucks, tractor-trailers and other heavy types of transport are more likely to cause serious damage or severe injury if they are involved in accidents.
This is also true even when operators of heavy vehicles were not at fault for the beginning of a collision. The high mass and low maneuverability of large trucks make it more difficult for drivers to negotiate the hazards that may appear. Drivers must always be aware of larger vehicles even when they are being operated responsibly.
Call us at 252-360-1339 or fill out the form below to schedule an initial consultation with an experienced attorney.
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108 Nash St. E.
P.O. Box 2727
Wilson,
NC
27894
Toll Free:
888-569-0691
Phone:
252-360-1339
Fax:
252-291-8826
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