Raleigh Personal Injury Lawyer

Personal Injury Lawyers Serving Raleigh

The Raleigh personal injury lawyers at the Whitley Law Firm represent people who have been injured through no fault of their own. This is the sole focus of our practice, and we represent the interests of clients and fight for fair compensation with our whole hearts.

Personal injury law can be difficult to understand completely. After an injury, your focus should be getting better and getting back to normal, not taking on the challenges of a legal matter.

At the Whitley Law Firm, you can expect knowledgeable legal guidance and compassionate support at every stage of your claim. Please call (919) 785-5000 today to speak to a Raleigh personal injury lawyer. It won’t cost anything to see if we can help.

Personal Injury Claims We Handle in Raleigh, North Carolina

Raleigh is the location of the Whitley Law Firm’s flagship office. Most of our clients hail from the greater Raleigh area. Our longstanding place in the community combined with our in-depth familiarity with the people of Raleigh enables us to act effectively on behalf of injured individuals and their families.

The Raleigh personal injury lawyers at the Whitley Law Firm handle a wide range of personal injury cases, including:

Raleigh Motor Vehicle Accident Claims

• Raleigh Car Accident Lawyer: Represents clients injured in car accidents, working to recover compensation for medical bills, lost wages, and other damages caused by negligent drivers.
• Raleigh Truck Accident Lawyer: Specializes in handling truck accident cases, addressing unique challenges like trucking regulations and pursuing claims against trucking companies and their insurers.
• Raleigh Motorcycle Accident Lawyer: Advocates for motorcyclists injured in crashes, fighting to secure compensation for injuries, lost income, and pain and suffering.
• Raleigh Pedestrian Accident Lawyer: Defends the rights of pedestrians hit by vehicles, helping them obtain compensation for their injuries, medical expenses, and emotional trauma.
• Raleigh Bicycle Accident Lawyer: Assists bicyclists injured in accidents caused by negligent drivers, ensuring they receive fair compensation for their injuries and damages.
• Raleigh Bus Accident Lawyer: Represents individuals involved in bus accidents, whether as passengers or pedestrians, to recover damages for injuries and associated losses.
• Raleigh Boat Accident Lawyer: Focuses on cases involving boating accidents, helping victims of watercraft collisions and mishaps pursue claims for medical costs and other damages.
• Raleigh Airplane Accident Lawyer: Handles cases related to aviation accidents, including both commercial and private planes, aiming to secure compensation for victims’ injuries and losses.

Raleigh Work Injury Claims

• Raleigh Workers’ Compensation Lawyer: Helps injured workers navigate the workers’ compensation system to secure benefits for medical treatment, lost wages, and rehabilitation after a workplace injury.
• Raleigh Construction Accident Lawyer: Represents individuals injured in construction site accidents, working to recover compensation from responsible parties, including contractors and employers, for medical expenses and other damages.

Raleigh Serious Injury & Death Claims

• Raleigh Catastrophic Injury Lawyer: Represents clients who have suffered life-altering injuries, advocating for maximum compensation for medical expenses, ongoing care, and loss of quality of life.
• Raleigh Wrongful Death Lawyer: Provides legal representation for families who have lost a loved one due to someone else’s negligence or misconduct, helping them pursue compensation for their loss and hold the responsible parties accountable.

Raleigh Premises Liability Claims

• Raleigh Premises Liability Lawyer: Represents clients injured on someone else’s property due to unsafe conditions, seeking compensation for medical expenses and other damages.
• Raleigh Dog Bite Lawyer: Assists victims of dog attacks in obtaining compensation for injuries, medical costs, and emotional trauma resulting from the incident.

Raleigh Product Liability Claims

• Raleigh Defective Product Lawyer: Represents clients injured by faulty or dangerous products, seeking compensation from manufacturers or sellers for damages.
• Raleigh Dangerous Drugs Lawyer: Advocates for individuals harmed by unsafe medications, pursuing claims against pharmaceutical companies for injuries and health complications.
• Raleigh Defective Medical Device Lawyer: Assists clients injured by faulty medical devices, working to hold manufacturers accountable and recover compensation for medical expenses and related losses.

Our firm also acts on behalf of individuals applying for or appealing the denial of Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI). Our Raleigh Social Security Disability Lawyers can help you figure out SSDI benefits if you are unable to work due to a disabling injury or illness.

Raleigh Personal Injury Lawyer Near Me (800) 785-5000

Do I Have a Personal Injury Case in Raleigh?

To bring a claim for personal injury, you need to show that someone else is responsible for your injuries. Legally, this is known as negligence. (Although personal injury claims can also be brought by the victims of intentional wrongdoing.)

A Raleigh personal injury lawyer can help you prove each of the elements in a personal injury case, namely:

1. Negligence. A defendant is considered negligent if he or she fails to “exercise proper care in the performance of a legal duty which the defendant owed the plaintiff under the circumstances surrounding them” (as defined by the Supreme Court of North Carolina in Dunning v. Warehouse Co.)
2. Breach of Duty. The evidence must establish that the defendant violated the legal duty owed to the plaintiff. For example, if a motorist drives too fast and causes an accident as a result, the defendant driver could be said to have violated his or her duty to obey the speed limit.
3. Causation. Evidence presented by the plaintiff must show a direct connection between the negligence of the defendant and the accident resulting in personal injury.
4. Damages. Finally, the plaintiff must present proof of damages sustained as a result of the personal injury or accident. Compensable damages in a personal injury claim may be economic (i.e., quantifiable financial losses) and non-economic (i.e., non-quantifiable losses related to the adverse impact on your life) in nature.

Raleigh personal injury lawyers at the Whitley Law Firm will review your case for free and advise you of your legal options. If you have a viable case, our attorneys will investigate thoroughly, collect all necessary evidence, and fight for fair compensation on your behalf.

What Is My Raleigh Personal Injury Case Worth?

The damages available in a personal injury case depend on the losses you have sustained. Every dollar you claim for a personal injury must be supported by the evidence.

Compensation that can be recovered in North Carolina personal injury claims may include:

• Medical expenses
• Lost wages
• Loss of earning capacity
• Property damage
• Out-of-pocket costs
• Pain and suffering
• Loss of enjoyment of life

Accurately calculating personal injury damages on your own is extremely difficult. It is in your best interest to consult a Raleigh personal injury lawyer who can evaluate the damages you have sustained and pursue fair compensation on your behalf.

Can You Sue for Pain and Suffering in North Carolina?

Yes, plaintiffs in North Carolina personal injury claims can pursue damages for pain and suffering. Pain and suffering refers to the physical pain and the mental and emotional suffering associated with an injury.

Common examples of issues covered by the umbrella term of “pain and suffering” include:

• Physical pain and discomfort
• Depression
• Anxiety
• Sleep disturbances
• Post-traumatic stress disorder
• Feelings of shame or embarrassment
• Inconvenience associated with an injury

North Carolina law does not cap the damages that can be recovered for pain and suffering in the majority of personal injury claims. It is extremely important to work with a Raleigh personal injury lawyer to account for all of your compensable losses.

How Is Pain and Suffering Calculated in NC?

Pain and suffering damages are non-economic in nature. As a result, it is not a simple matter of “adding up” the dollar value of these losses and pursuing fair compensation.

The insurance company may rely on the multiplier method (a formula where your economic losses are multiplied by a number corresponding to the seriousness of your injuries) or the per diem method (a formula that assigns a monetary amount to the daily cost of your injuries, multiplied by the expected duration) to calculate pain and suffering. Of course, this assumes that insurers will account for pain and suffering damages, which cannot be guaranteed.

A Raleigh personal injury lawyer, meanwhile, will closely review the evidence and consult expert witnesses to accurately account for the totality of your pain and suffering damages. Whitley Law Firm will never settle for less than you deserve.

Do I Really Need a Raleigh Personal Injury Lawyer?

There is no requirement for you to hire a personal injury attorney to handle your case. However, if you try to go up against the insurance company on your own, you are unlikely to succeed (or at least get the full compensation you are due).

Hiring a personal injury lawyer is the best way to protect your rights if you have been injured in or around Raleigh, North Carolina. A Raleigh personal injury lawyer can assist you in many different ways:

• Discussing your legal options and the right to sue after a personal injury
• Investigating the accident on your behalf
• Gathering evidence to build your claim
• Collecting witness testimony
• Obtaining video surveillance footage (if available)
• Identifying all of the parties liable for the accident and your injuries
• Obtaining testimony from expert witnesses concerning liability, causation, the severity of your injuries, etc.
• Protecting your rights if the defendant requests an independent medical examination
• Drafting the demand letter and presenting it to the insurance company
• Negotiating a fair settlement on your behalf

Generally, most personal injury claims are resolved through settlement negotiations. It is not always necessary to file a lawsuit. However, if the defendant and/or the insurance company drags its feet or refuses to compensate you fairly, it may be necessary to sue and even go to trial.

The Whitley Law Firm can handle the legal paperwork and file the lawsuit with the correct court on your behalf. In addition, our attorneys have extensive trial experience that makes us seasoned and effective litigators.

View Our Case Results

What If the Defendant or Insurance Company Accuses Me of Causing the Accident?

Another important reason to hire a Raleigh personal injury lawyer is the nonexistent margin of error afforded to plaintiffs. North Carolina personal injury law operates on the basis of contributory negligence. Any negligence on the part of the plaintiff, however small, disqualifies him or her from compensation.

Defendants and insurance companies have a decisive advantage in personal injury claims. If they can uncover even a shred of evidence that shows the plaintiff was at fault, they can avoid liability entirely.

Fault for an accident is not always clear-cut, and the defense may try to trick you into making admissions that are against your interest. Hiring a Raleigh personal injury lawyer to deal with the insurance company on your behalf is the best way to avoid making a mistake that could prove fatal to your case.

Read More: How Contributory Negligence Hurts Personal Injury Claims

What Is the Statute of Limitations in for Personal Injury in Raleigh, NC?

The statute of limitations for personal injury claims in North Carolina is 3 years. Generally, the 3 years begins on the date of the accident that caused your injuries. However, the statute of limitations may be extended in cases where the harm to the claimant “becomes apparent or ought reasonably to have become apparent to the claimant” at a later date (see North Carolina General Statutes § 1-52(16)).

Although there are circumstances where a personal injury claim can be brought after the statute of limitations expires, you don’t want to delay and risk losing your opportunity to seek compensation. You should speak to a Raleigh personal injury lawyer as soon as possible after you have been hurt.

How Much Does an Attorney Cost in Raleigh, NC?

The cost of hiring an attorney depends on the type of case you have. As a rule, personal injury lawyers charge no upfront fee for clients to consult them about a case.

Whitley Law Firm is no exception. Not only does it cost you nothing to see if we can help, but our firm will handle your case on a contingency basis. This means we will not charge you any fees unless and until we reach a settlement or win your case at trial!

Victims of personal injury have enough worries without having to be concerned about the cost of hiring an attorney. With our free consultation and contingency fee agreement, you don’t have to worry about incurring additional expenses while your case is being handled. There will be no surprises, either, as our team will fully explain the terms of the agreement and how fees are structured upfront.

Contact a Raleigh Personal Injury Lawyer Today

If you have been injured through no fault of your own, you should speak to an attorney as soon as possible. At the Whitley Law Firm, the essence of our legal service is wholehearted care.

We don’t just represent clients in personal injury cases. Our attorneys and staff care about the people we serve, treating them with the care, compassion, and respect we would our own friends and families. When you hire the Whitley Law Firm, you can expect the following:

• We are always here for you if you have questions, concerns, or just need to talk about your case.
• We return calls within 24 hours.
• You are always welcome to make an appointment to visit our office.
• Every member of our team will be kind and respectful.
• We rigorously fight for your best interest at all times.

At the Whitley Law Firm, the focus of our practice is representing individuals who have suffered serious injury. This requires significant experience, resources, and skill – all of which we use to the advantage of our clients in obtaining the maximum compensation they deserve.

Please call the Whitley Law Firm at (919) 785-5000 to speak to a Raleigh personal injury lawyer. It won’t cost anything to see if we can help.