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We Can’t Right Another’s Wrongdoing — But We Certainly Assist with Recovery
Have you suffered an injury due to another individual’s carelessness? Whether the event occurred while on foot or behind the wheel, you may be entitled to compensation.
If you are pursuing a personal injury or auto accident case in North Carolina, contact The Cotton Law Firm in Fayetteville, Lumberton, Durham, and Rocky Mount, NC, for experienced, robust representation. You, like many of our past clients, could be awarded millions.
-Latanya Galberth
Personal Injury
Our firm is committed to representing clients who have suffered an injury due to another’s negligence. In North Carolina, if you have been injured through no fault of your own due to another’s negligence, you can recover the costs of your medical expenses, missed time from work, and receive compensation for your pain and suffering. Our firm also specializes in personal injury that involves representing people who have cases from slipping and falling in a public place. This can happen on someone else’s property and the individual is suffering from an injury.
Punitive damages are seldom awarded. Personal injury cases in North Carolina can be nuanced — we have to prove that fault falls upon the other party and that you have no liability.
Offering the Guidance & Advocacy You Need
Insurance companies will try to pay as little as possible, but we will fight to get you everything you are entitled to. We can help if you have contributed negligence and may be barred from recovery. Our professional team understands local liability laws and will investigate your potential role in the situation.
If you are at fault for the motor vehicle accident, you generally cannot recover due to contributory negligence. If you partially share responsibility for the injury, it can negatively impact your awarded compensation. Our firm will fully investigate the incident, take evidence to court, and aggressively advocate for your best outcome.
We have a team of professionals who have spent years protecting our clients’ rights, including an insurance company veteran, Nichole, and former claims adjuster, Sadie. By developing the best defense strategy, we will work to limit or bar the damages for which you may be liable. We guarantee you will not pay for anything unless we recover something for you.
Wrongful Death
According to North Carolina law, a wrongful death claim is recognized as a particular type of personal injury case. While family members are able to seek damages, the claim must be filed by the victim’s estate. However, the victim’s estate isn’t the beneficiary — usually, the award goes to the victim’s family.
Damages recoverable for death by wrongful act include:
(1) Expenses for care, treatment and hospitalization incident to the injury resulting in death;
(2) Compensation for pain and suffering of the decedent;
(3) The reasonable funeral expenses of the decedent;
(4) The present monetary value of the decedent to the persons entitled to receive the damages recovered, including but not limited to compensation for the loss of the reasonably expected;
a. Net income of the decedent,
b. Services, protection, care and assistance of the decedent, whether voluntary or obligatory, to the persons entitled to the damages recovered,
c. Society, companionship, comfort, guidance, kindly offices and advice of the decedent to the persons entitled to the damages recovered;
(5) Such punitive damages as the decedent could have recovered pursuant to Chapter 1D of the General Statutes had the decedent survived, and punitive damages for wrongfully causing the death of the decedent through malice or willful or wanton conduct, as defined in G.S. 1D-5;
(6) Nominal damages when the jury so finds.
Auto Accidents
One car crash can forever change you and your family’s future. Automobile accidents often lead to physical and emotional pain and suffering. If you or a loved one is the victim of an injury or wrongful death due to someone else being careless, we will tirelessly fight for what you deserve.
Trucking & Commercial Vehicle Accidents
Commercial vehicle accidents often lead to physical and emotional pain and suffering. One crash can forever change you and your family’s future. Professional truckers and their employers have a legal responsibility to other drivers on the road. If you or a loved one is the victim of an injury or wrongful death due to someone else being careless, we will tirelessly fight for what you deserve.
Our Process
Step One: Consultation & Intake
We’ll begin with a free, 30-minute consultation. As a small boutique firm, we are customer service-oriented while offering our clients award-winning, high-power representation.
Our experienced team believes in providing top-notch guidance with a personalized touch. We take the time to understand your situation and find you the best outcome. Every client is treated like family and we fight for you as we would for a relative.
Step Two: Investigation & Treatment
For the second step, you will meet with an intake specialist to discuss your claim. An attorney will review your case and either deny or accept the case.
We will then jumpstart our investigation, collect appropriate biographical information from you, gather evidence, and build a strong case for the fault of the other party on time and efficiently. Our firm will take care of everything so you can concentrate on recovering.
Step Three: Demand & Negotiation
At this point, your case will be assigned to a dedicated case manager who will complete wellness checks, gather medical records, referrals, bills, proof of lost wages, proof of mental anguish, and more. With these materials, we can obtain the best compensation for you.
Once this is completed, your case will be submitted to the insurance company for review and moved into the settlement/demand process. This is a critical part of the case. When negotiations begin, we will expertly and energetically represent your case to fight for fair settlement compensation.
Step Four: Settlement
For the last step of the process, we will prepare a settlement demand in order to obtain a reasonable settlement for you. Your attorney will strongly negotiate on your behalf and argue the amount of damages you and your family are entitled to.
Our goal is to get the case settled — if not, we are prepared to go into the litigation stage. We are determined to work every angle of the case in your favor until you receive the compensation you deserve. Our attorneys are passionate and determined to fight for you.
What do I need to do following a car accident?
Call the police so there is independent documentation of the collision. Don’t rely on the agreement to just exchange insurance information. People may recount how the collision happened once a claim has been filed against them.
How soon should I get medical treatment after a car accident?
If you are injured, the sooner you get medical treatment the better. Insurance companies will use any excuse to decrease the value of your claim including a gap in treatment.
What compensation am I entitled to if I was involved in a motor vehicle accident?
You are entitled to collect medical expenses, lost wages, out-of-pocket expenses, as well as future medical expenses, pain and suffering, and other expenses that an attorney can inform you about depending on your particular situation.
Why did they value my claim differently than my friend who was in the same car and the same accident?
Each person incurs different medical bills and suffers different injuries. The point of impact may have been harder on one side of the vehicle. One person could have a preexisting condition. This is like trying to compare apples to oranges rather than apples to apples.
Do I need an attorney for my case?
In most circumstances the answer to this question is going to be yes, however, at the Cotton Law Firm, we review your case to see whether or not attorney representation would be in your best interest in your case. Our firm is never going to leave a client worse off than if they had not retained us.
Negligent Security
At Cotton Law Firm, we understand the devastating impact that a violent crime can have on individuals and families. If you have been a victim of a violent crime while on someone else’s property, you may be entitled to compensation. Negligent security is an area of premises liability law that holds property owners, managers, and security companies accountable when they fail to provide adequate security measures to ensure the safety of those on their premises.
Injuries resulting from violent crime, such as shootings, often cause significant medical expenses, lost wages, and long-term psychological trauma. In a negligent security claim, the focus is on whether the property owner or responsible party failed to take reasonable measures to prevent these types of incidents from occurring.