Call Us 919-240-4054Highly Rated and Experienced Durham Personal Injury Attorneys
We hope no one ever needs our services, but careless drivers, manufacturers, and healthcare professionals cause injuries every day. If you were injured or if you lost a family member because someone else made a serious mistake, our personal injury attorneys in Durham, NC are here first to answer your questions so you can figure out for yourself what direction you should take. Our personal injury lawyers in Durham, NC have handled a wide range of injury cases and now have a special focus on bicycle crashes.
We believe you should think carefully before you hire the best personal injury lawyer or wrongful death lawyer for your family. That is why we write about the things you should expect to happen in your case. We are all experienced trial lawyers and regularly file lawsuits. So we won’t hesitate to file a lawsuit if that is what the situation calls for. However, we also will tell you upfront if we think you don’t need a lawyer in your particular case.
Personal Injury & Wrongful Death Cases We’ve Handled
Here is just a sampling of the cases our personal injury lawyers have handled:
- A man who was rear-ended in Union County and suffered spinal cord injuries that left him paralyzed
- A paving truck driver who was seriously injured after a worker negligently allowed him to be sprayed with hot paving materials
- A health care manager who suffered severe burns after a service technician leaked natural gas into an enclosed room and caused an explosion
Our wrongful death lawyers have helped clients like:
- A woman whose husband was killed after a dump truck crashed into his work van in Wake County
- A man whose wife was killed by a drunk driver while she was taking a walk in Chatham County
- A husband whose wife was killed by a truck driver while she was participating in a charity bicycle ride in Craven County
Call us if you have questions, and we can help you understand your legal rights and the steps you need to take to make sure your personal injury or wrongful death case is handled in the way that is best for you and your family.
Common Personal Injury Questions
What is a personal injury case?
Often when people hear the term “personal injury case,” they think of an automobile accident. Automobile accidents are only one type of personal injury case. The lawyers at Johnson Groninger PLLC have successfully litigated many cases involving injuries caused by automobile and truck accidents. We have also had great success on behalf of our clients who have suffered injuries from other causes, such as industrial explosions, product failures, electrocution, assault and because of negligent security systems.
What is a class action lawsuit?
A class action is a lawsuit in which a group of plaintiffs with a common interest sue one or more defendants, naming a representative in place of the entire group. Examples in recent news are tobacco industry suits and the suits against manufacturers of medications such as fen-phen that have caused widespread injury. The lawyers at Johnson Groninger are experienced in class action litigation in personal injury, employment, civil rights and consumer protection litigation.
What is negligence?
Negligence is the failure to act reasonably. It may mean doing something carelessly or failing to do something you have an obligation to do, i.e., driving without your headlights on.
What are punitive damages?
Punitive damages are awarded to punish the defendant, above damages awarded as compensatory and actual, i.e., injuries or medical care. Punitive damages may be awarded in the presence of malicious, willful or wanton behavior on the part of the defendant.
What are compensatory damages?
Compensatory damages are awarded over and above medical costs and lost wages, specifically for the emotional suffering and the physical pain a victim incurred.
What is contributory negligence?
Contributory negligence is a common defense to a negligence claim, in which the defendant argues that the plaintiff’s negligence contributed to his or her injuries. Proof of contributory negligence in North Carolina will prevent the plaintiff from collecting damages. North Carolina is one of only a few states that still allow contributory negligence as a defense.
What is an intentional tort?
An intentional tort is conduct intended to harm a person or property. Examples include assault, fraud, misrepresentation and slander.
I slipped, fell and injured myself at the department store. Am I entitled to damages?
Possibly. You must first prove the department store either created the hazardous situation or had previous knowledge of it and failed to respond appropriately. If you can prove both these things, the amount of your “award” will be directly related to your injury, medical costs and loss of income. Any contributory negligence will bar recovery.
How is negligence determined?
Negligence is not simply a wrongdoing. All of the following elements must exist for an act to be negligent:
– the defendant owed plaintiff a duty of care
– the defendant breached that duty
– the defendant’s breach injured the plaintiff
– defendant’s behavior was a proximate cause of the injury to plaintiff
– damages, based on harm of a legally recognized kind
What is the statute of limitations in a civil case?
Generally, the statute of limitations in negligence cases is 3 years from the date the incident occurred. In wrongful death cases, however, the statute of limitations is 2 years. Because statutes of limitations may vary depending on the case and the jurisdiction, you should never assume a particular statute of limitations applies to your case without first discussing the details of your case with a lawyer. You should never wait until you are near the statute of limitations date before contacting a lawyer, as it will take time for an attorney to investigate the case and prepare a complaint.
