Firm news
Accident Q&A series
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How can I recover both regular pay and scheduled overtime that I missed because of my injuries? — Durham, NC
You may seek compensation for regular wages and overtime that you can show you probably would have earned but for the injuries. Scheduled overtime is…
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How can I find new representation after ending my relationship with my previous attorney? — Durham, NC
You can contact other North Carolina personal injury attorneys, explain that the prior relationship has ended, and ask for a prompt case review. Be…
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How can I confirm which health insurer paid my accident-related hospital bill before I accept a settlement? — Durham, NC
Ask the hospital for a complete itemized bill and payment ledger, then compare it with the explanation of benefits and claim history from every…
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Does waiting to seek medical care because of severe weather affect my car accident claim? — Durham, NC
Yes, a delay in medical care can affect how an insurer evaluates a North Carolina car accident claim, but severe weather may provide a reasonable…
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Does a notice to vacate or lease termination affect my right to bring a personal injury claim? — Durham, NC
No. A landlord’s notice to vacate or decision to terminate a lease generally does not erase a personal injury claim that arose from an unsafe…
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Can treatment be included in an injury claim if the medical notes do not connect it to the car accident? — Durham, NC
Possibly, but medical treatment is not automatically part of a North Carolina car accident claim merely because it occurred after the crash. The…
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Can the other driver's insurance refuse to cover windshield damage because a small chip existed before the accident? — Durham, NC
Yes, the other driver’s insurer may dispute the windshield claim, but a preexisting chip does not automatically excuse it from paying for additional…
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Can the insurance company require repairs using non-original vehicle parts? — Durham, NC
An insurance company may prepare a North Carolina repair estimate using non-original equipment manufacturer parts, but it generally cannot force you…
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Can one attorney handle both my spouse's injury claim and the vehicle damage claim? — Durham, NC
Yes, one attorney can often handle both the bodily injury claim and the vehicle damage claim arising from the same North Carolina collision. However,…
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Can my claim include ongoing physical therapy and psychotherapy? — Durham, NC
Yes. A North Carolina personal injury claim may include reasonable physical therapy and psychotherapy expenses when the treatment is connected to…
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Can my auto policy's medical-expense coverage apply to emergency treatment after a collision? — Durham, NC
Yes. If your North Carolina auto policy includes medical payments coverage, often called MedPay, it may cover accident-related ambulance and…
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Can lost wages include work I missed while waiting for mandatory drug-test results? — Durham, NC
Yes, missed work while waiting for an employer-required drug-test result may be included in a North Carolina personal injury claim if the accident…
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Can I seek compensation for back pain and driving anxiety after being rear-ended? — Durham, NC
Yes. A North Carolina injury claim may include crash-related back pain, reasonable treatment expenses, physical pain, and documented driving anxiety…
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Can I hold my landlord responsible for my back injury if the apartment floor collapsed after repeated maintenance requests were ignored? — Durham, NC
Possibly. North Carolina law requires residential landlords to keep rental premises fit and habitable and identifies unsafe flooring as an imminently…
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Can an insurance company contact a represented person directly about a child passenger's separate coverage information? — Durham, NC
Usually, yes—if the attorney represents the injured driver but does not represent the child passenger, an insurer may contact the driver or parent…
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Can an injured passenger use medical payments coverage under the vehicle owner's policy? — Durham, NC
Yes, an injured passenger may be covered by the vehicle owner’s medical payments coverage if the policy included that coverage on the accident date…
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Can an injured passenger seek underinsured motorist coverage when another insurer has accepted liability? — Durham, NC
Yes, an injured passenger may be able to seek underinsured motorist coverage even when the other driver’s insurer accepts liability. Acceptance of…
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Can an accident-related medical payment affect my coverage for a replacement wheelchair or other necessary equipment? — Durham, NC
Yes, an accident-related payment can affect how insurers coordinate benefits, calculate cost sharing, or process a request for a replacement…
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Can a landlord terminate my lease after I report a dangerous condition that later causes an injury? — Durham, NC
A North Carolina landlord may sometimes terminate a lease after a safety complaint, but the landlord generally cannot use eviction as retaliation for…
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Who may be responsible when a vehicle goes around stopped traffic and hits a driver making a left turn? — Durham, NC
Either driver may be found responsible, depending on the road layout, visibility, signals, speed, and whether the passing vehicle was using a lawful…
