In North Carolina, you can claim reasonable out-of-pocket expenses caused by the injury, including transportation to and from necessary medical appointments. To get these paid, document your trips (date, provider, round-trip miles, and purpose), add parking/tolls, and submit them to the adjuster before you sign the release. Many adjusters accept a per-mile rate (often the IRS medical mileage rate) if you provide a clear log and receipts. Once you sign a release, you typically cannot ask for more.
North Carolina: Can I include mileage and related out-of-pocket costs in my personal injury settlement before signing the insurer’s release? You, the injured person, want payment for travel to urgent care and primary care visits related to the incident. The key timing question is whether you must itemize and submit these expenses to the adjuster before you sign the release paperwork.
Under North Carolina law, personal injury damages include out-of-pocket economic losses that were reasonably necessary to diagnose or treat your injury and were caused by the incident. Transportation to medical appointments, parking, and tolls can be included if you prove they were necessary and the amounts are reasonable. Pre-suit, you present this to the at-fault insurer’s adjuster; if suit is filed, you claim it as part of damages in the county’s Superior Court. The practical deadline is before you sign a release because that release usually closes the claim.
Apply the Rule to the Facts: Your urgent care and primary care visits were necessary treatment for your injury, so mileage to those appointments is generally recoverable if you document it. Keep a simple log with each appointment’s date, provider, location, and round-trip miles, and include receipts for parking or tolls. Calculate the mileage using a standard per-mile rate and send the total, with your supporting log, to the adjuster before you sign the release. Confirm in writing that these amounts are included in the final settlement figure.
In North Carolina, you can include mileage and related travel costs in your personal injury settlement when the trips were reasonably necessary for accident-related medical care, caused by the incident, and properly documented. Prepare a clear mileage log and receipts, use a consistent per-mile rate, and send them to the adjuster before signing any release. Next step: compile your log and ask the adjuster in writing to confirm these amounts are included in the final settlement paperwork.
If you're dealing with an injury claim and want to make sure your mileage and out-of-pocket costs are included before you sign a release, our firm has experienced attorneys who can help you understand your options and timelines. Call us today.
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.