Durham Car Accident Lawyer

Car Accident Attorney in Durham, NC

A car accident can affect even the most seasoned driver, especially if it leaves them with serious injuries and major property damage. From I-85 to Cornwallis Road, an experienced Durham car accident lawyer can estimate the value of your case. When you hire the Law Office of Jacob Goad, we work hard to pursue your personal injury accident recovery.

About Us

I am Jacob Goad, the founder of the Law Office of Jacob Goad. After graduating from the University of North Carolina (UNC) at Chapel Hill and law school at North Carolina Central University, I have represented many Durham locals and people in our surrounding communities.

I work tirelessly to get local Durham residents what they need to move forward after a serious auto collision. From Hayti District to Southpoint, my team doesn’t rest while pursuing the full scope of each client’s financial recovery.

I serve on the Board of the Hispanic Lawyers Division of the North Carolina Advocates for Justice. I speak fluent Spanish and provide exceptional legal representation in the language.

What Should I Do After a Car Accident?

It is not easy to think clearly after a serious crash. If you can follow these steps, filing an insurance claim or pursuing an injury claim should be much easier. You should:

• Seek medical attention immediately. Call an ambulance if necessary.
• Contact the police to have them write a report. Even if you are an undocumented immigrant, this is a crucial step. Police officers do not have the right to get information about your immigration status at the scene of an accident. By reporting your incident, you do not have to fear arrest or deportation.
• Take pictures of the accident scene. If you do not have a camera, write down anything important that you notice.
• Get the name and information of the other driver and any witnesses.
• Do not speak with any insurance company representatives. Instead, contact an attorney.
• Even if your accident happened weeks or months ago, you might still have an actionable claim. Follow whichever steps you can; most importantly, speak with a lawyer.

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What Kinds of Car Accidents Happen Locally?

An attorney can represent you in the following car accident cases:

• Rear-end collisions
• Head-on impacts
• Rollover accidents
• Side-impact accidents
• Sideswipe wrecks
• T-bone collisions
• Intersection accidents
• Backing-up collisions
• Blind spot accidents
• Merging crashes
• Distracted driver accidents
• Elderly driver incidents
• Multi-car accidents
• Fatal accidents

In 2023, a reported 2.44 million people were injured in car crashes throughout the country. Across North Carolina, the Tar Heel State recorded 8,079 accident-related fatalities the same year, higher than in 2024, which had 7,547 deaths from accidents. In our opinion, this is far too many families impacted by serious car wrecks. If you want justice after a major car accident on behalf of yourself or a family member, reach out to an attorney in Durham.

What Are Some Durham Crash Hotspots?

When accidents are more likely to happen in a certain area, it’s considered a crash hotspot. In Durham, the following are known hotspots for catastrophic accidents:

• I-85 at U.S. 15
• I-40
• S. 15-501
• NC Highway 147 at Hopson Road
• NC Highway 55 at Cornwallis Road
• NC Highway 98, especially at Lynn Road and Adams Street
• South Roxboro Street at Morehead Avenue
• North Roxboro Street at Horton Road

These areas see significant crash activity due to high traffic volumes, merging drivers, and driver behavior. Also, frequent crashes occur because of high travel speeds and inexperienced drivers, especially near UNC-Chapel Hill and Duke University. If you’re traveling through these areas, make sure you exercise caution.

Common Reasons Why Car Accidents Happen in NC

There are numerous reasons why a traffic crash may happen in North Carolina. If you were hurt in an accident caused by any of these situations, be sure to hire a car accident lawyer to assess the details of your case:

• Speeding. One of the most common reasons drivers get into accidents is that at least one party is either exceeding the local speed limit or driving too fast for the current road conditions. 
• Distracted driving. Examples of distracted driving behaviors include the driver using their phone or other devices, eating, adjusting the radio or temperature settings, daydreaming, reaching for something across the vehicle, or talking to a passenger.
• Reckless driving. Reckless behaviors can include driving while fatigued or aggressive actions, such as tailgating, weaving between lanes, or disregarding traffic rules or signals. 
• Impairment from alcohol or drugs. Another common reason for car crashes is a driver who cannot safely operate a vehicle due to being under the influence of alcohol or other substances. 

What Injuries Could Potentially Happen?

Car accidents can leave those lucky enough to survive with severe and catastrophic injuries. You may need help recovering financially from:

• Severe forms of head, neck, and spinal cord injuries
• Traumatic brain injury (TBI)
• Paralysis
• Internal injuries
• Severe fractures
• Major burns
• Amputations
• Chest injuries

This is not a complete list. You may need future medical care, which you shouldn’t have to pay for yourself, especially if you require additional surgeries as part of your recovery. It’s worth discussing your specific injuries with a Durham car accident attorney. They can calculate the full value of your car accident claim by using the state’s car accident laws.

What Costs Should Insurance Cover?

You can expect insurance providers to pay for damages such as:

• Hospital stays
• Doctor appointments
• Prescription medications
• Rehabilitative therapy
• Automotive repairs
• Lost wages
• Loss of earning potential
• Funeral costs, loss of companionship, and loss of consortium if an accident killed your loved one
• Pain and suffering

In North Carolina, insurance companies can refuse to pay claims if you have any fault in an accident – even if the other driver was more at fault.

How Do Insurance Companies Avoid Paying Claims?

Although insurers are supposed to help you, they do not always want to. Like most for-profit corporations, they have only one goal in mind: making money. Their representatives will try to contact you as soon as they can after a crash. They have ways of getting you to admit liability, even if the fault actually lies 100% with the other driver.

Insurance companies also try to make claims go away by offering you a settlement that is much lower than what you need and deserve. You should never accept a settlement until you have had a lawyer review it first.

Car Accidents and Wrongful Death

Nothing can compare to the pain of losing someone you love in a crash. In North Carolina, you have up totwo years to file a wrongful death claim, through which you can recover compensation for damages such as:

• Hospital costs resulting from your loved one’s accident
• Funeral costs
• Burial costs
• Loss of income
• Loss of services
• Loss of companionship
• Pain and suffering

The personal representative of the deceased person must file the claim. If the decedent did not name a personal representative, the court will appoint one.

What Should I Do If I Suffered a Car Accident at Work?

Many jobs require that you drive a vehicle to perform your job duties. If you had a car crash on the job, this is what you should do:

• Seek medical attention immediately, even if it means leaving work in the middle of the day.
• Call the police so that they can file a report.
• Take the name and information of the other driver and any witnesses.
• Take pictures of the accident scene for documentation.
• Report the accident to your supervisor.
• Do not speak with any insurance company employees.
• Contact a workers’ compensation lawyer.

You might have the right to recover damages from a personal injury claim in addition to your workers’ comp benefits.

FAQs

Q: What Is the Usual Settlement for a Car Accident in NC?

A: There is no standard injury settlement for a car accident in North Carolina because each case varies. Factors that can influence the amount that could be awarded include: 

• The severity of any injuries caused
• If there are insurance policy limits
• The circumstances surrounding the accident itself
• The damages sustained

Typically, a settlement includes economic and non-economic damages. To get an accurate approximation, you can ask an experienced injury lawyer. 

Q: What Are Common Mistakes in a Car Accident Injury Claim?

A: In North Carolina, some of the most common mistakes you can avoid after a car accident include:

• Admitting fault. You shouldn’t say anything that implies fault, which can be potentially used against you. 
• Not contacting a car accident injury lawyer. Your strongest chances of a successful outcome come through the work of a qualified attorney. 
• Agreeing to a settlement. You shouldn’t agree to any settlement offer from an insurance provider without first consulting an experienced lawyer. 

Q: Can You Recover Losses If You Were Partially At-Fault in NC?

A: No, in North Carolina, you’re generally unable to recover losses if you are found to have any degree of fault due to the state’s strict “pure contributory negligence” doctrine. Even if the other party is primarily responsible, you may be barred from pursuing compensation if you are proven to be partially liable. In some cases, such as when gross negligence can be proven, this doctrine can be avoided. That’s why it’s important to work with a skilled injury lawyer. 

Q: Do I Need a Lawyer to File a Car Accident Injury Case in NC?

A: In North Carolina, you are not legally required to work with a lawyer to file a car accident injury claim, although it is strongly recommended. It can be difficult to pursue the settlement you deserve, especially when the goal of insurance companies is to secure the lowest settlement agreement possible. You should work with an injury law attorney who understands what you should get based on the circumstances. 

Q: How Long Does a Car Crash Injury Claim Take in NC?

A: In North Carolina, it’s challenging to estimate how long a car crash injury claim may take without reviewing the case’s unique details, as every situation is different. The timeline of a car accident injury case depends on the case’s complexity, the evidence available, and other factors. Relatively simple injury claims may only take a few months to resolve, while more complicated cases may require a year or longer. 

Hire a Car Accident Lawyer at the Law Office of Jacob Goad Today

A devastating car accident can happen to anyone. You face many challenges in recovering the compensation you deserve. When you need legal help, you can rely on the Law Office of Jacob Goad.

From Chapel Hill to Southpoint, we’re devoted to recovering compensation for the people of North Carolina, which can help them put their lives back together after suffering accidents and injuries. To us, you are more than a case number – you are a member of our community, and we care about providing you with quality representation. You might feel overwhelmed, but you are not alone. We can represent you through every step of the claims process.

Please contact our law office in Durham. Yo hablo español.

Attorneys

Mandy Vivelo

With more than 25 years of dedicated experience in personal injury law, Mandy brings unmatched knowledge, skill, and compassion to the clients of The Law Office of Jacob Goad. As a seasoned paralegal, Mandy plays a vital role in every stage of litigation, from initial client intake and investigation through trial preparation and resolution. Over […]

Heather Freeman

Heather Freeman brings a unique blend of experience and dedication to her role as a paralegal at the firm. A North Carolina native, she graduated with honors from North Carolina State University in 1999 with a degree in Horticulture. Before entering the legal field, Heather built a successful career managing teams and operations in greenhouse […]

Kimberly Guerrero

Kimberly Guerrero is a dedicated paralegal who primarily supports clients with personal injury and workers’ compensation claims at the Law Office of Jacob Goad, PLLC. Before joining our team, she gained extensive experience as a business immigration paralegal following her graduation from North Carolina State University in 2018, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in […]

Jacob Goad

Jacob Goad is a workers’ compensation and personal injury attorney. Jacob graduated from the University of North Carolina (UNC) Chapel Hill where he majored in Spanish and minored in Social and Economic Justice. At UNC, Jacob earned membership in Sigma Delta Pi, a Hispanic Collegiate Honor Society. After earning his undergraduate degree, Jacob lived and […]

Esteban Gomez Flores

Esteban was born and raised in Wilson, North Carolina. He completed his undergraduate degree at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he majored in both History and Global Studies. After graduating from UNC Chapel Hill in 2020, Esteban started his legal journey at the Elon University School of Law in 2022. During […]