North Carolina Man Injured by Driver Who Failed to Yield While Turning Left Receives $95,000 Settlement | Shapiro, Washburn & Sharp

What Happened

Our North Carolina personal injury law firm client suffered serious injuries and, later, developed a permanent partial disability after another driver crashed into his car. The accident occurred on U.S. 17 in Camden County, NC, and another driver caused the wreck by failing to yield right of way while attempting to make a left-hand turn across the highway. Police determined that the at-fault driver left a stop sign too early.

The force of the impact completely collapsed the side of our client’s vehicle, and emergency responders had to cut him free from the wreckage. Emergency room personnel treated the injured man for a fractured collarbone, dislocated shoulder, elbow trauma and a range of other hand, back, chest and knee injuries.

Our car accident client also suffered a torn and deviated septum when his driver’s side air bag deployed, possibly saving his life while breaking his nose. An ear, nose and throat surgeon rebuilt and realigned the septum.

Weeks after the crash, our client underwent shoulder surgery to repair a torn rotator cuff. That operation restored full function to the man’s shoulder, which was essential to allowing him to return to work as an aviation mechanic. His orthopedist did warn him, however, that the repaired shoulder would never be as strong as it was before the wreck.

 

Related Content

North Carolina Drivers Turning Left Must Yield Right of Way
How to React After Becoming the Victim of a Car Crash in North Carolina
A Rotator Cuff Tear Is a Common Car Crash Injury
 

Key Legal Strategy

The driver who hit and hurt our North Carolina personal injury client carried an auto insurance policy that provided $100,000 of liability coverage. We filed claims for the maximum amount because the collision had inflicted such extensive injuries and subjected our client to multiple surgeries.

We were also able to cite the development of a post-crash permanent partial shoulder disability. Our client fell at work about 10 months after the accident, and his orthopedist concluded that his new shoulder injuries would have been much less severe if he had never needed the rotator cuff repair.

The at-fault driver’s insurance company agreed to enter into mediation instead of fighting the injury claims in court. That alternative dispute resolution process ended with our North Carolina car accident client receiving a settlement of $95,000.

As this case shows, many victims of North Carolina car crashes never fully recover. Subsequent accidents exacerbate previous injuries, meaning an innocent man, woman or child pays for someone else’s negligence for the rest of their lives.

Court and Date: Camden County Superior Court, Camden, NC

Staff: Staff attorney