Durham Face Injury Attorney

Receive Compensation You Deserve for Your Face Injury in Durham, North Carolina

If you sustained a facial injury in an accident caused by another party’s negligence in North Carolina, our Durham face injury attorney is available at all times to assist you. Contact Diener Law immediately to discuss your recovery options. 

At Diener Law, our team of personal injury attorneys is committed to assisting those injured in accidents to obtain the justice and monetary compensation they deserve. 

For years, we have handled a vast array of personal injury cases arising from all types of accidents. When you seek our legal counsel, we will protect your rights and handle every aspect of your case so that you can focus on your recovery. 

Contact us as soon as possible to schedule a consultation with our face injury attorney Durham North Carolina to learn more about what we can do for you and your case.

Why Do I Need a Face Injury Attorney in North Carolina

When making a settlement offer following an accident caused by another party or entity, insurance companies are not always fair. Unfortunately, insurers strive to pay as little as possible on bodily injury claims to preserve their profit margins. 

To protect your rights and interests throughout the claims process, you must retain the services of our personal injury attorney who has experience handling facial injury cases. Our Durham face injury attorney may assist you in your civil case in the following ways:

1. Conduct a Private Investigation
   To properly establish liability, it is necessary to conduct a comprehensive investigation of an accident resulting in serious injury to determine the sequence of events leading up to the incident.
   
   
2. Contact Insurance Providers
   When our Durham face injury attorney is retained to represent you in your face injury case, we will send a letter of representation to the insurer. From then on, we will handle all communications with the insurance company on the client’s behalf.
   
   
3. Find Expert Witnesses
   An insurance company can be convinced of the value of a facial injury case by consulting an expert witness regarding the cost of scar repair or removal. Frequently, our knowledgeable personal injury lawyer will retain a plastic surgeon as an expert witness to testify on the necessity of surgical intervention for scarring and the costs of reasonable and necessary procedures.
   
   
4. Negotiate With Insurance Companies and Defense Attorneys
   When you retain our Durham face injury attorney to represent you, we will listen to your story and gather evidence to demonstrate the claim’s value. Once this is complete, we will send the insurer a demand letter requesting payment to settle the claim.
   
   
5. Bring the Case to Trial
   In certain cases involving personal injury, the insurance company and defense attorney may be unable to reach a settlement agreement with the plaintiff’s attorney. In these situations, filing a lawsuit in civil court is frequently the next step for protecting the applicable statute of limitations and proceeding with litigation.

   If all attempts to reach a reasonable settlement fail, we may present the case to a jury for them to determine an appropriate award on our client’s behalf.

As you can see, you cannot always rely on the insurance company to act in your best interests regarding your face injury claim. Thus, it’s essential to hire a face injury attorney in Durham North Carolina to handle the legal process and secure a favorable resolution on your behalf.

What Constitutes a Facial Injury?

A facial injury is any type of injury that affects any area of the face, including the eyes, nose, mouth, and jaw. Common facial injuries include cuts, scrapes, bruises, cuts, fractures, burns, and lacerations. Other types of injuries, such as trauma and blunt force injuries, can also cause facial damage.

Depending on the severity and type of injury, facial injuries can range from mild to serious and can require medical attention. Treatment for facial injuries may include surgery, antibiotics, and rehabilitation.

What Are the Most Common Causes of Facial Injuries?

Numerous incidents result in severe facial injuries. These consist of the following:

• Vehicular Accidents

Vehicular accidents are one of the most common causes of facial injuries with more than 12 million vehicles were involved in traffic crashes.  The top vehicles involved are the following:

• Passenger cars
• Light and Large Trucks
• Motorcycles

When vehicles are involved in an accident, the occupants can suffer a range of facial injuries, ranging from cuts and bruises to broken bones and loss of teeth. Trauma experienced in a car crash can cause damage to the face, eyes, nose, and mouth. 

In more severe cases, facial injuries can include facial nerve damage, traumatic brain injury, permanent scarring, and fractures of the facial bones. 

• Pedestrian Accident

Pedestrian accidents are another common cause of facial injuries. Pedestrians are particularly vulnerable since they lack the protection of a car, and any impact can result in severe facial trauma. 

This can include lacerations and bruising, fractures of the facial bones, and damage to the eyes, nose, and mouth. In more severe cases, facial paralysis and permanent scarring can occur. 

• Sports Accidents

Any contact sport such as basketball, football, hockey, and soccer can result in facial injuries. These injuries often include cuts, bruises, and fractures of the facial bones. In more severe cases, traumatic brain injury and permanent scarring can occur. 

• Slip and Fall Accident

Slip and fall accidents are common causes of facial injuries, particularly for older adults. Such accidents can result in cuts, bruises, and fractures of the facial bones. In more severe cases, facial nerve damage and permanent scarring can occur. Slip and fall accidents can also cause traumatic brain injury and blindness. 

• Occupational Accident

Depending on the job, workers may be exposed to hazardous materials, dangerous tools, and heavy machinery. If these conditions are not managed properly, workers can suffer severe facial trauma. 

Workers in construction, manufacturing, and mining are particularly at risk of occupational accidents. Employers must provide adequate safety measures to protect their workers.

What Are the Different Types of Facial Injuries?

Maxillofacial trauma, which refers to injuries to the face, is frequently reported after any accidents and affects over half of those involved in such incidents, according to research. The extent of these injuries can vary depending on the specific details of the collision.

Facial injuries can be classified into four categories and can range from minor injuries that heal quickly to serious injuries that result in permanent scarring or disfigurement.

• Soft Tissue Injuries:

Facial soft tissue injuries such as cuts, bruises, and contusions are commonly reported. These types of injuries usually require stitches as treatment. It is important for doctors to take into account the possibility of damage to facial nerves, salivary glands, and salivary ducts when treating facial soft tissue injuries.

• Facial Bone Injuries

Fractures of the facial bones are treated in much the same way as fractures in other parts of the body. However, since a cast cannot be used on the face, doctors may have to use alternative methods to stabilize the affected area. Among accident victims, jaw fractures are a prevalent type of facial bone injury.

• Dental Injuries

Tooth injuries are a common occurrence that often requires the attention of dental experts. Dental injuries can include fractured supporting bone and teeth that have been displaced or completely knocked out.

• Joint Injuries

If a car accident victim’s face strikes the steering wheel, it can lead to temporomandibular joint (TMJ) injuries. The impact may cause the jaw to become dislocated or the disk that holds it in place to become fractured. In some cases, an enlarged eye may be the only apparent symptom of TMJ.

Symptoms of TMJ include facial, neck, and back pain, headaches, a locked jaw, difficulty moving the jaw, an abnormal bite, and clicking sounds when opening or closing the mouth.

What Are the Different Signs and Symptoms of a Face Injury? 

Face injuries range from minor scrapes and bruises to more serious fractures and lacerations. Depending on the type of injury, the signs and symptoms can vary greatly.  Common signs and symptoms of a face injury can include:

• Swelling
• Bruising
• Tenderness
• Redness
• Pain
• Bleeding
• Numbness
• Difficulty breathing
• Vision changes
• Difficulty moving the facial muscles

What to Do Following a Facial Injury Accident in North Carolina? 

If you have suffered a facial injury in an accident in North Carolina, it is important to take immediate steps to protect your rights.

1. Seek medical attention for the injury.
   Medical professionals must assess, determine, and confirm any injuries you’ve suffered after the accident.
   
   
2. Contact our personal injury attorney to discuss your legal rights and options.
   Our Durham face injury attorney can help you navigate the complexities of a personal injury claim, such as determining who was at fault for the accident and the types of damages you can pursue.
   
   
3. Document the accident and the injuries you suffered.
   Take pictures of the scene of the accident and your injuries. Make sure to keep any medical bills you receive and any documentation of lost wages due to the injury. 
   
   
4. Obtain a copy of the police report and obtain contact information from any witnesses. You may also be able to recover compensation for your face injury through North Carolina’s no-fault insurance system. 

If you were injured in an auto accident, for example, you could file a claim with the at-fault driver’s insurance company to cover your medical bills and lost wages. If the other driver does not have insurance, your own insurance company may be able to provide compensation through your uninsured motorist coverage. 

It is important to act quickly to protect your rights following a facial injury accident in North Carolina. Contact our face injury attorney in Durham North Carolina to discuss your legal options and make sure to document the accident and the injuries you suffered. We can help you pursue the compensation you deserve.

Who Can Be Held Legally Liable for Your Face Injury? 

The answer to who can be held legally liable for your face injury depends on the circumstances of the incident. In general, the liable party may be the individual or business that caused the facial injury, or whose carelessness or negligence led to the injury. 

For example, if you slipped and fell on a wet floor at a grocery store, the store could be held responsible for your injury. If a defective product caused the injury, the manufacturer or distributor of the product could be at fault. Similarly, if a medical professional’s negligence or carelessness caused the injury, they could be held liable. 

In some cases, other parties may be held responsible, such as employers and property owners in cases of workplace or premises liability. For example, if you were injured at a construction site, the property owner may be held liable if they failed to take proper safety precautions. 

In most cases, you will need to prove that the liable party was negligent or careless in some way to hold them accountable for your injury. For example, if you were injured in a car accident, you may need to prove that the other driver was negligent or careless to hold them liable for your injuries. 

Our personal injury lawyer can help you identify the liable party and build a strong case against them. Our Durham face injury attorney can help you understand your rights and options and advise you on the best course of action.

What is North Carolina’s Statute of Limitations for Face Injury Claims?

According to North Carolina General Statutes Section 1-52, individuals have a three-year time limit to file a lawsuit seeking legal compensation for any personal injury suffered. The necessary paperwork, including the complaint and other required documents, must be submitted within this time frame if you wish to pursue damages from the North Carolina courts as a result of someone else’s negligence or intentional actions.

The three-year statute of limitations in North Carolina applies to nearly all types of personal injury cases, regardless of whether the claim is based on the “negligence” principle (which is generally applicable to most accidents) or an intentional tort (which is applicable to situations involving civil assault and battery and other purposeful actions).

What If You Miss the Statute of Limitations for Face Injury Claims?

If you attempt to file a personal injury lawsuit more than three years after the original accident, the defendant will likely file a “motion to dismiss” and inform the court of the expiration of the statute of limitations. Unless you qualify for a rare exception that allows for additional time, the court will dismiss your case without delay.

Once the case is dismissed, you will forfeit the right to seek damages for your injuries, regardless of the severity of the harm or the obvious liability of the defendant. The personal injury statute of limitations in North Carolina is critical if you want to initiate a formal lawsuit.

Moreover, this filing deadline is also essential for your position in settlement negotiations with the defendant and their insurance company.

What Are the Exceptions to North Carolina’s Statute of Limitations for Face Injury Claims?

North Carolina has recognized several circumstances that may stop or pause the running of the statute of limitations clock, effectively extending the three-year filing deadline. Below are a few examples of situations that are likely to modify the standard timeframe:

• If the injured person was considered legally incapacitated at the time of the underlying accident, such as being a minor under the age of 18 or deemed insane or incompetent, North Carolina law recognizes them as legally disabled. The three-year period for filing a personal injury lawsuit may not commence until the legal disability is lifted, meaning the person turns 18 or is declared sane or competent, or reaches the age of majority.
• If the individual who allegedly caused the plaintiff’s injuries (the defendant) “departs from and resides outside” North Carolina, or if he or she “remains continuously absent” from the state for one year or more, the period of absence is unlikely to be considered part of the three-year statute of limitations.

If you have concerns about how the North Carolina statute of limitations relates to your personal injury lawsuit, particularly if the deadline is rapidly approaching or has already passed, it may be wise to seek advice from our versed Durham face injury attorney.

Retain the Legal Service of Our Experienced Durham Face Injury Attorney

If you suffer facial injuries in Durham or anywhere else in North Carolina, our qualified Durham face injury attorney may be able to help you recover the full extent of your damages. Diener Law may assist you in recovering damages. Our face injury attorney Durham North Carolina assists accident victims throughout the state of North Carolina. 

Call us or fill out our online form to schedule an appointment. We can also assist those in need of legal services in Workers’ Compensation, ICE Enforcement, and Temporary Protected Status.