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Your High Point Personal Injury Attorney
The short answer. In North Carolina most injury claims must be filed within three years (N.C. Gen. Stat. 1-52(5) (three year period for personal injury); accrual and 10-year repose in 1-52(16)). The trial court for Davidson County sits in Lexington, at 110 West Center St, Lexington, NC 27292. To talk it through, send the form on this page and we will work to connect you with an attorney in our network.
Nobody plans for the call that follows an accident. Whether you were hurt in a crash, a fall or something else in High Point, the weeks afterward bring decisions that feel bigger than they should. Here is what North Carolina law says, in plain terms, so you can ask better questions.
A quick note on what this page is: general information about North Carolina injury law, written from the statutes, from a matching service that does not practice law. It is meant to help you ask good questions, not to decide your case.
Questions Worth Asking In High Point
A short list of questions can sort out who is right for you:
- The date. Ask for the specific last day to file in your case. The general rule is three years (N.C. Gen. Stat. 1-52(5)).
- Your share of fault. Ask how a finding that you were partly responsible would change the numbers (Rash v. Waterway Landing Homeowners Ass’n (N.C. Ct. App. 2017)).
- Limits on damages. Ask whether any rule restricts the amount you could recover in North Carolina.
- The money terms. Ask how fees are calculated and which costs come out of a recovery.
- Who will work on it. Ask who handles your file day to day and how fast messages are answered.
Injury Claims People Ask About
Vehicle crashes
Whether the collision was minor or serious, the same early steps help: get checked by a doctor, photograph the vehicles and the scene, exchange insurance information and keep any repair estimates.
Pedestrian and bicycle injuries
If a driver hit you while you were on foot or on a bike, note exactly where it happened, what the signals and lighting were like, and who saw it. Ask the people who stopped to leave their names and numbers.
Falls and unsafe property
Wet floors, icy steps and broken railings cause injuries that turn on how long the hazard existed and who was responsible for it. Photograph the hazard as soon as you can and report the fall to whoever runs the property.
Wrongful death
If a loved one died because of another person’s wrongful act or omission, a different set of rules applies. A wrongful death claim follows its own rules in North Carolina; ask an attorney which date applies (N.C. Gen. Stat. 28A-18-2). This is a hard moment to decide anything, and an attorney can walk you through the steps without hurrying you.
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What Shared Blame Means For You
In North Carolina, whether any of the blame is yours is a central question. The source is Rash v. Waterway Landing Homeowners Ass’n (N.C. Ct. App. 2017).
A claim can be barred if you share any of the blame, with narrow exceptions in some cases (Rash v. Waterway Landing Homeowners Ass’n (N.C. Ct. App. 2017)). Insurers often press this point first, so keep notes about how the injury happened.
What An Award Can Include
The value of an injury claim in North Carolina depends on what the evidence shows. Special rules can apply to particular kinds of claims, so ask about yours.
The amount is a question of proof. A separate rule limits punitive damages (N.C. Gen. Stat. 1D-25(b)).
When The Clock Starts And Stops
A lawsuit for most injuries in North Carolina must be started within three years (N.C. Gen. Stat. 1-52(5)). Extra time can be available for a child and in some other limited situations (N.C. Gen. Stat. 1-17(a)).
A claim against a State department or agency is filed with the Industrial Commission and has its own claim steps, so ask early (N.C. Gen. Stat. 143-291, 143-299, 143-299.2). If someone died, a separate set of rules can apply (N.C. Gen. Stat. 28A-18-2). Ask in your first conversation which date applies to your claim.
Insurance Limits To Know
Under N.C. Gen. Stat. 20-279.21(b)(2), an auto liability policy in North Carolina must provide at least $50,000 for injury to one person, $100,000 for injury to two or more people in one accident and $50,000 for property damage.
Those figures are floors, and a serious injury can cost more than the other driver’s policy pays. They are minimums, not a measure of what your claim is worth.
Local Courts and Hospitals in High Point
The Census Bureau lists High Point in more than one county: Davidson County, Forsyth County, Guilford County and Randolph County. The North Carolina court directory lists the Superior Court District 33 superior court for Davidson County in Lexington, at 110 West Center St, Lexington, NC 27292. Forsyth County’s Superior Court District 31 superior court is listed in Winston-Salem, at 175 N. Chestnut Street, Winston-Salem, NC 27101. For Guilford County, the North Carolina court directory shows the Superior Court District 24 superior court in Greensboro, at 201 South Eugene St, Greensboro, NC 27401. Randolph County’s Superior Court District 37 superior court is listed in Asheboro, at 176 East Salisbury St, Asheboro, NC 27203. In Forsyth County, the state list of trauma centers shows Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist in Winston-Salem as a Level I trauma center. That list also names Moses H. Cone Memorial Hospital in Greensboro, in Guilford County, as a Level II trauma center.
Keep copies of everything the hospital or clinic gives you, ask for an itemized bill, and note each appointment as it happens. If you moved between facilities, collect the records from each one.
How To Get Matched With An Attorney In High Point
Start with the form at the top. It asks a few questions about the injury. NeedAnAttorney.net reviews your details and works to match you with an attorney in our network who may handle cases in North Carolina. Using it is free, and it does not create an attorney client relationship.
Meanwhile, jot down the facts while they are fresh: date, time, place, who was there, what care you have had and what work you have missed. Save every bill and every message from an insurer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do injury cases from High Point stay in the local court?
It depends on who is being sued and how much is claimed. Your attorney can confirm the right court for your claim. The courts named in the section above are the ones listed by the state judiciary for this area.
How many years do I have to sue after an injury in North Carolina?
Most injury claims must be filed within three years (N.C. Gen. Stat. 1-52(5)). Extra time can be available for a child and in some other limited situations (N.C. Gen. Stat. 1-17(a)). Do not wait to ask.
What happens to my claim if I share some of the fault?
North Carolina answers this directly. A claim can be barred if you share any of the blame, with narrow exceptions in some cases (Rash v. Waterway Landing Homeowners Ass’n (N.C. Ct. App. 2017)). How the blame is assigned matters. Keep notes about how the injury happened.
Is there a ceiling on what I can recover for pain and suffering?
The amount is shown by the medical records and the proof of your losses; ask an attorney whether any limit applies to your facts. Medical bills and lost income are handled separately from pain and suffering. An attorney can tell you which rules apply to your facts.
How much insurance does the other driver have to have?
At least $50,000 for injury to one person, $100,000 for injury to two or more people in one accident and $50,000 for property damage (N.C. Gen. Stat. 20-279.21(b)(2)). A serious injury can cost more than the other driver’s policy pays. Keep the other driver’s insurance details from the day of the crash.
Which records matter most after an accident?
Save every treatment record and bill. Include any police or incident report number. Also save the report number if there is one, proof of lost work and all insurer letters.
What if the other insurer calls me?
You can decline a recorded statement until you have advice. Saying that you want advice first is a reasonable answer. Before you sign anything, have someone review it.
What if a public employee caused my injury?
Possibly. Special claim or notice steps can apply (N.C. Gen. Stat. 143-291, 143-299, 143-299.2). Skipping a required notice step can end a claim. An early start protects your rights.
Serving Injured Clients Across North Carolina
If your injury happened outside High Point, one of these pages may fit better.
