Asheville Personal Injury Lawyer

Personal Injury Attorney in Asheville, NC

People get injured all the time, and sometimes these injuries result from another person’s actions or negligence. When that’s the case, victims may be eligible to receive compensation with the help of an Asheville personal injury lawyer.

Trust Butler, Quinn & Hochman, PLLC

If you’ve been injured through no fault of your own, you can trust Butler, Quinn & Hochman, PLLC, to provide you with legal representation as you file your personal injury claim. We have years of experience in helping clients through this process. Working with our team of dedicated legal professionals can make it easier to complete the claim-filing process and increase your odds of receiving an optimal settlement.

Why Hire a Personal Injury Lawyer?

There were 89,261 emergency room visits in Buncombe County in 2024. From 2019 to 2023, people made 30,320 visits to the County’s emergency rooms for falls alone. Add motor vehicle crashes, accidental poisonings, dog bites, defective products, and other common causes of injury, and it’s clear that Asheville and the surrounding area have a problem. This is particularly true given that around 14.8% of the county’s residents have no insurance.

If you’ve suffered a motor vehicle accident in Asheville or the surrounding area and you’re wondering how you’ll pay your medical bills and make up for lost wages, you can hire a personal injury lawyer. You may be eligible to receive compensation from the party responsible for your accident. Your lawyer can help you file paperwork, gather evidence, and build a strong case to support your claim.

Do I Have a Personal Injury Case?

Personal injury cases are legal disputes that arise when one person suffers harm as a result of another person’s actions or negligence. These cases can be resolved through either civil claims or informal processes. Your lawyer can help you negotiate a fair settlement agreement with the liable party’s lawyers.

You’ll know if you have a personal injury case if you suffered harm as a direct consequence of another person’s negligence and needed medical care at a local treatment center like Mission Hospital. There are four aspects you’ll need to prove:

1. Duty of care. You’ll show that the person who caused your injury owed you a duty to act with reasonable caution to avoid doing harm.
2. Breach of duty. You’ll show that the person didn’t uphold their duty of care.
3. Causation. You’ll show that the person’s actions or lack of action directly caused your injuries.
4. Damages. You’ll show that your accident led to actual harm to you in the form of economic and non-economic damages.

If you’re not sure whether your case meets these criteria, you can find out by contacting a personal injury lawyer.

Contributory Negligence in North Carolina

There is a caveat when it comes to holding negligent individuals liable for the harm they cause. North Carolina follows a doctrine of pure contributory negligence, which means that you won’t be able to recover any compensation if you’re found to be even partially at fault for your accident. If a court decides that you hold so much as 1% of the blame for the accident, you’ll be barred from filing a personal injury claim.

Recoverable Damages in Personal Injury Cases

If you can file a claim and win your case, you’ll be able to recover both economic and non-economic damages. Economic damages include:

• Hospital bills
• Lost wages
• Payment for ongoing medical care

These economic damages are all relatively easy to quantify. You’ll simply provide bills and pay stubs that show how much money you lost as a result of bills and lost wages. It’s harder to place a monetary value on non-economic damages. Examples include things like:

• Pain and suffering
• Emotional disturbance
• Disfigurement
• Loss of enjoyment

A lawyer can help you uncover all the consequences of your injuries so you can get a fair settlement package. They can use specific formulas to calculate non-economic damages. In rare cases, North Carolina accident victims are awarded punitive damages, which are intended to punish the person responsible, not to compensate the victim. Courts award punitive damages in cases where the liable party’s actions were intentional and malicious or extremely negligent.

FAQs

How Long Do Most Personal Injury Cases Take to Settle?

How long most personal injury cases take to settle varies on a case-by-case basis. For straightforward cases that can be handled in pre-trial settlement negotiations, the timeline for resolution can be relatively short. If your case is extremely complicated or requires going to court, it can significantly extend the timeline.

How Do You Know if You Have a Strong Personal Injury Case?

You know you have a strong personal injury case if you have documentation of having suffered significant injuries and can prove a clear link between those injuries and the negligence or actions of another person. Strong evidence, such as photos, witness statements, and medical records that show consistent compliance with doctors’ orders, can bolster your case.

Who Gets Paid First in a Personal Injury Settlement?

Your attorney gets paid first in a personal injury settlement. They will receive the check, deposit it into a trust account, and withdraw the funds owed to them for attorney’s fees, case costs, and any medical bills. Your medical bills will be paid directly by your attorney. You’ll then get the rest of the money minus attorney and medical fees.

What Is a Reasonable Settlement Offer?

A reasonable settlement offer is one that covers 100% of the damages you’ve suffered. Keep in mind that insurance companies are notorious for offering very low settlements to people who don’t have lawyers who can negotiate on their behalf. Make a point of finding an Asheville personal injury attorney before taking any settlement offer.

Your Asheville Personal Injury Lawyer

Recovering from a serious injury is tough. Finding a reliable Asheville personal injury lawyer doesn’t have to be. Turn to Butler, Quinn & Hochman, PLLC, for all your legal needs during this difficult time. We have years of experience in personal injury law and cases, and we can bring our accumulated skills to bear on your claim. Contact us to schedule an initial consultation today.

Asheville, NC Personal Injury Resources

• North Carolina Personal Injury Statute of Limitations & Laws
• How Much Does Personal Injury Lawyer Cost In North Carolina?