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Car Accident Witnesses

Durham Car Accident Witness Attorneys

Providing Guidance Post-Car Accident

Car accidents happen every day and result from a host of different causes. They occur without warning, leaving behind them congested traffic and property damage, as well as physical and emotional injuries. All too often, the mechanisms of car accidents are disputed since only the two drivers involved are available to offer their personal recollections of how the accident happened.

If you’ve been injured in a car accident by the negligence of another driver, you might find yourself in a tough spot if the other driver accuses you of negligent conduct. In such a situation, the accident mechanics become unclear as the conversation devolves into a “he-said, she-said” free-for-all. When this occurs, your right to recovery is called into question, and you will do well to engage every resource available to you. One of these valuable resources is a written statement from an eyewitness.

Call Wallace Pierce Law today at (919) 887-7892, or contact us online for a free consultation. Our Durham attorneys can help you gather the evidence you need after a car accident.

FAQs Regarding Witnesses After an Accident

Why do I need a witness statement?

North Carolina is one of four states that still recognize the doctrine of “contributory negligence.” This means that if you are partially responsible for causing an accident — if you bear even one percent of the fault — your right to recovery is barred completely.

Contributory negligence is the best friend of insurance adjusters in North Carolina, because any argument they can make for holding you partially responsible for the accident – no matter how small or attenuated – allows them to deny your claim completely. These denials are often predicated upon an allegation by the at-fault driver that the victim shared fault by doing something like speeding, following too closely, or becoming distracted while driving. In order to overcome a potential denial based upon an accusation of contributory negligence, you will need to establish that you shared no fault in causing the accident. Having one or more written eyewitness statements can go a long way toward clearing your name and maximizing your chances at recovery.

How do I find witnesses?

It’s important to determine who witnessed the accident as soon as possible after it occurs. This is because these witnesses possess information that could prove crucial in the insurance provider’s disposition of your claim; and most witnesses will only stop for a short time, if at all. Additionally, you should assume that the at-fault driver’s insurance provider will waste no time in reaching out to every witness they can find. For these reasons, it will be in your best interest to speak with any witnesses at the scene of the accident, if you’re able to do so without causing further injury to yourself. Make sure to do whatever you can to immediately identify any witnesses and record their contact information by writing it down or putting it in your cell phone.

Don’t assume that other drivers are the only potential witnesses. Traditionally, some of the best witnesses can be workers or customers at nearby businesses, homeowners living close to the scene of the accident, or road/utility workers near the scene. If it takes walking into businesses or knocking on doors, do it. One good witness can make the difference between recovery and having your claim denied. If you are badly injured, ask someone at the scene to gather information for you. Once the witness leaves the scene, he or she is often gone forever, so act fast.

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Our top priority is to devise customized legal strategies that are tailored to the unique legal needs of our clients, no matter how simple or complicated their situations, might be.

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    The at-fault driver failed to reduce speed and collided with our client's vehicle. Our client passed away shortly after the collision.

  • $900,000 Wrongful Death

    Our client was thrown from his motorcycle and was pronounced deceased on the scene.

  • $122,000 Car Accident

    Vehicle made a left-hand turn, failing to yield the right of way.

  • $104,000 Serious Injuries

    Client was a passenger in a vehicle that was driving through an intersection when another vehicle ran a stop sign and t-boned the vehicle our client was in.

  • $104,000 Severe Injury

    We were able to not only receive policy limits for our client but were able to negotiate her medical bills and liens to ensure that she was able to keep a good portion of the settlement.

  • $102,000 Serious Injuries

    Elderly client was a passenger in a vehicle that was t-boned in an intersection where a driver failed to yield the right of way.