Short Answer

In North Carolina, an ER visit with only x-rays does not limit what you can recover after a car wreck. If the other driver was at fault and you were not contributorily negligent, you can typically seek compensation for (1) medical expenses you have paid or are required to pay, (2) future reasonably necessary medical care, (3) lost wages or lost earning capacity, and (4) pain and suffering tied to the rib and wrist injuries. The value usually depends on how well your doctors connect your ongoing symptoms and treatment to the crash and how the injuries affect your daily life and work.

Understanding the Problem

If you were hurt in a North Carolina car accident and the emergency room only did x-rays, you may be wondering whether you can still recover money for rib and wrist injuries while you continue follow-up care, especially since you have already missed work for medical appointments.

Apply the Law

North Carolina car-accident injury claims are usually based on negligence. To recover, you generally must prove the other driver was negligent, that their negligence caused your injuries, and that you suffered damages. “Damages” can include both financial losses (like medical bills and missed wages) and non-financial losses (like pain and suffering). Your claim is typically handled through an insurance claim first, and if it does not resolve, it can be filed in North Carolina state court. In most personal injury cases, the lawsuit deadline is three years from when the injury becomes apparent (which is often the crash date).

Key Requirements

• Fault (negligence): You must show the other driver failed to use reasonable care (for example, by violating a safety rule or driving inattentively).
• Causation: Your rib and wrist symptoms and treatment must be connected to the crash through medical records and provider opinions, not just timing.
• Documented medical expenses: You can seek the amounts paid or required to be paid to satisfy medical charges, supported by records.
• Lost income: You can seek wages you lost because you could not work or had to attend medically necessary appointments, supported by employer/payroll proof.
• Pain and suffering: You can seek compensation for physical pain, limitations, and disruption to daily activities that are tied to the injuries.
• No contributory negligence: If you were even 1% at fault, it can bar recovery in many negligence cases, so the facts around how the crash happened matter.

What the Statutes Say

• N.C. Gen. Stat. § 1-52 (Three years) - Sets a three-year limitations period that commonly applies to personal injury claims.
• N.C. Gen. Stat. § 8-58.1 (Medical charges evidence) - Allows an injured person to testify about amounts paid or required to be paid for medical charges, with supporting records, and creates rebuttable presumptions about reasonableness.
• N.C. Gen. Stat. § 1-139 (Burden of proof for contributory negligence) - Places the burden on the party asserting contributory negligence to prove it.
• N.C. Gen. Stat. § 1-540.3 (Advance payments) - Explains that advance payments generally are not admissions of liability and do not stop the statute of limitations from running.

Analysis

Apply the Rule to the Facts: Because you were the driver in a North Carolina motor vehicle accident with a police report and you went to the ER for rib and wrist complaints (with x-rays), you have a starting set of records that help show the injuries were reported right away. Your ongoing follow-up with a primary care provider can matter because it helps document whether the rib and wrist symptoms persisted, what diagnoses were made, and what treatment was reasonably necessary. Your missed work for medical appointments can support a wage-loss claim if the appointments are medically related to the crash and you can document the time missed.

Process & Timing

1. Who files: The injured person (you) typically makes the claim. Where: Usually with the at-fault driver’s auto insurer first; if a lawsuit is needed, it is filed in the North Carolina state trial courts (District Court or Superior Court, depending on the amount in dispute) in the proper county. What: A demand package to the insurer (medical records/bills, wage proof, and a summary of pain/limitations), and if necessary a civil complaint. When: Ideally after you have enough medical documentation to understand the injury course, but you must still protect the three-year filing deadline in most injury cases.
2. Medical documentation builds the claim: Continue care as recommended and make sure each provider documents (a) your symptoms, (b) objective findings (swelling, reduced range of motion, tenderness), (c) work restrictions, and (d) whether the condition is consistent with trauma from the crash.
3. Resolution: Many cases resolve by settlement once treatment stabilizes and the parties can evaluate past medical expenses, any future care, wage loss, and pain and suffering; if not, the case proceeds through litigation and (sometimes) trial.

Exceptions & Pitfalls

• “Only x-rays” does not mean “no injury,” but gaps in care can be used against you: If you wait a long time to follow up, the insurer may argue something else caused the wrist or rib symptoms.
• Causation is often the battleground with rib/wrist complaints: If imaging is normal early on, you may still have soft-tissue injury, cartilage irritation, sprain/strain, or an occult injury that becomes clearer later. The key is consistent reporting and provider documentation tying the condition to the crash.
• Medical bills are not always the “sticker price”: North Carolina law has specific rules about proving medical charges and the amounts paid or required to be paid in full satisfaction of those charges, so keep EOBs, billing ledgers, and payment records together with the itemized bills.
• Lost wages need proof: Keep a simple log of dates/times missed and match it to appointment records; ask your employer for a wage verification letter or payroll records.
• Contributory negligence risk: If the insurer argues you contributed to the crash (speeding, unsafe lane change, distraction), it can threaten the entire claim, so preserve evidence early (photos, witness info, and the crash report number).
• Do not sign a broad release too early: Settling before your condition is clear can leave you paying out-of-pocket for later treatment that is still related to the crash.

Conclusion

In North Carolina, an ER visit that only included x-rays does not cap your recovery for rib and wrist injuries. If the other driver’s negligence caused your injuries and you are not contributorily negligent, you can pursue compensation for medical expenses (amounts paid or required to be paid), future reasonably necessary care, lost wages from medically related time missed, and pain and suffering. Your next step is to gather your ER records and billing documents and keep consistent follow-up care documented, while protecting the three-year deadline to file suit if the claim does not resolve.

Talk to a Personal Injury Attorney

If you're dealing with rib and wrist injuries after a North Carolina car accident and you’re still treating, an attorney can help you document medical proof, wage loss, and pain and suffering, and can track deadlines while the insurance claim develops. Reach out today to discuss your options and timelines.

Disclaimer: This article provides general information about North Carolina law based on the single question stated above. It is not legal advice for your specific situation and does not create an attorney-client relationship. Laws, procedures, and local practice can change and may vary by county. If you have a deadline, act promptly and speak with a licensed North Carolina attorney.