If you were hurt in a car accident, slip and fall accident, or another incident caused by the negligent actions of another party, you may be interested in filing a personal injury claim. An injury claim may allow you to recover financial compensation for your medical bills, lost income, and other damages caused by the accident. North Carolina personal injury lawsuits are subject to the state’s laws regarding “contributory negligence.” It is important to learn about how this law may affect your eligibility for damages.
Shared Liability for an Injury-Causing Accident
Many different elements can cause a person to be injured in an accident. Sometimes, the injured person’s own actions caused or contributed to the severity of his or her injuries. Personal injury claims involving shared fault are handled differently depending on the applicable state laws. North Carolina is one of the few states that follow a legal doctrine called “contributory negligence.” This means that you are not entitled to any damages if your injuries were caused by your own negligence. Even if your actions were only 1 percent the cause of the accident, you are typically barred from recovering compensation. However, your negligent actions must have contributed to your injuries in order for this negligence to prevent you from collecting damages. If you acted recklessly but this behavior did not cause or worsen the injury-causing accident, your negligence does not prevent you from recovering damages.
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