Common Personal Injury Questions

Looking for answers? Our Durham personal injury lawyers may be able to help! If you don't see the answer to your question below, please reach out to Kornbluth Ginsberg Law Group, P.A. directly to schedule a free initial consultation in which we can discuss your situation and how we can help.

Q. Is my settlement taxable?

As a general rule, compensation for damages received from a personal injury settlement is not taxable. This is because compensation received through a personal injury settlement is largely for such damages as the negative effects of the injury upon you and for payment of medical expenses. In general, if the compensation is intended to compensate you for the negative physical effects of the injury and for medical expenses, you will not be charged taxes. There are exceptions to this general rule, such as taxes being required for compensation for lost wages that you have incurred and are awarded as part of your personal injury compensation. If you receive a personal injury settlement, it is always best to speak with a qualified tax professional before filing your tax return.

Q. What types of personal injury damages can I recover?

For most personal injury cases you may be eligible to recover compensation for the following: medical expenses, lost income (both past and future), damage to property, and pain or suffering. In certain instances, such as those involving willful or wanton conduct by the defendant, you may also be able to recover punitive damages, as well as compensation for loss of enjoyment or loss of consortium.

Q. What types of Car Insurance are involved in Auto Accidents in North Carolina?

It is required that drivers in North Carolina carry liability insurance so that when accidents occur, victims can seek recovery for their damages. However, in many instances of serious injuries, there may be insufficient insurance coverage to compensate victims fully for their damages.

North Carolina law requires that each driver carry minimum liability coverage of:

• $25,000 for property damage
• $30,000 for bodily injury (per each person in an accident)
• $60,000 for total bodily injury (when there are multiple victims in the same accident)

Q. What are statistically some of the most common causes of motorcycle accidents?

• Statistics show that in 98% of motorcycle accidents weather was not a contributing factor.
• Intersections are some of the most common locations for motorcycle accidents, generally involving other motorists violating the motorcyclist’s right-of-way.
• The most common cause of motorcycle accidents is the other motorist’s failure to notice motorcyclists in traffic
• Road defects can account for about 2% of motorcycle accidents.
• Less than 3% of motorcycle accidents are caused by vehicle failure.
• About ¾ of motorcycle accidents involve another vehicle (most often a passenger car).

Q. What are some motorcycle crash settlement examples?

Settlements take into account various factors including pain and suffering, medical expenses, lost income, and other damages. Because of these factors, every settlement amount will differ. To get a better idea of what your case may be worth, it's important that you speak to an experienced North Carolina motorcycle accident lawyer.