Accidental injuries are a serious problem in North Carolina. The N.C. Department of Health and Human Services reports that injury-related deaths spiked 23 percent over a recent five-year period. Hospitalizations increased 10 percent during that time, with more than 746,500 emergency room visits in a single year alone. That data…
Severe accidents can generate thousands of dollars of medical bills. It’s no wonder that people who have sustained major injuries often experience financial stress and hope for a quick settlement. However, the desire to reach a quick settlement sometimes backfires and leaves injury victims financially liable for thousands of dollars…
If someone else hurt you, they should have to compensate you for what you’ve lost financially, including medical bills, lost income, and other expenses. However, the effects of a serious injury are not merely economic in nature. They also have an emotional component, one that’s every bit as real and…
You might assume that running a red light is always illegal in North Carolina. But under certain circumstances, motorcyclists may proceed through a red light. To contend with the issue of sensors not always recognizing motorcycles, the state of North Carolina has a safe-on-red law that allows motorcyclists to proceed cautiously through…
At Hardison & Cochran, our personal injury lawyers commonly hear questions from clients along the lines of “Do you have to pay taxes on personal injury settlements?” The answer is yes, portions of personal injury settlements or awards are taxed, but most of the damages recovered in a claim typically…
If you have a personal injury claim from a car crash or slip and fall accident in North Carolina against another party whose negligence caused your injury, you have a limited time to pursue justice. In most cases, North Carolina’s personal injury statute of limitations bars filing lawsuits after three…
If you have been injured in an accident in North Carolina, you can add up the cost of your medical bills and the income you lost from missing weeks of work. But quantifying the cost of the pain and anguish you experienced is more difficult. Unlike medical bills and lost…
Personal injury claims are based on an accident victim’s assertion that they were injured because someone else failed to take reasonable steps – such as obeying traffic laws – to ensure they would be safe from harm. In many activities, however, such as participating in sports and attending a sports…
If you have a teenager and are concerned about keeping your teen out of harm’s way, you should focus attention on teaching your teen to act responsibly and drive defensively when behind the wheel of a motor vehicle. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that motor vehicle crashes…
