Personal Injury Lawyer Wilmington NC

FROM DEFENSE TO OFFENSEWe know their Playbook
As former insurance defense lawyers for one of North Carolina’s largest law firms, our attorneys bring everything they learned on the insurance company’s side of the case, to your side of the case.
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Learn about the injury cases we bring our A-game to. From catastrophic auto accidents to dangerous rental properties and work environments, we’ve seen and handled it all.
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Client Stories*

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“As these cases go, you’ve got to go in with a certain level of patience and understanding. You’re giving it to your lawyer so that you can focus on your own recovery and your own life.”

-Mark

“At the end of the day, I felt like this accident was taking over my life and all of my mind space, and I didn’t want that. I just wanted to get along with the rest of my life.”

-Annukka

“You have to find the lawyer who will stand up for you when you can’t stand up for yourself.”

-Andrea
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Reviews

Notable Results*

We’ve recovered millions for our clients. No amount of money can undo a life changing injury. Our mission is to make sure you don’t suffer financially.

$38,239,292

Jury Verdict

Negligent design of roadway case against NC DOT and motorist that resulted in catastrophic injuries.

$8,000,000

Trucking Collision

Distracted driving that resulted in orthopedic injuries.

$3,000,000

Burn Injury

Judgment in severe third degree burn injury case.

$1,200,000

Burn Injury

Facial burns from chemical spill resulting in permanent injuries.

$1,150,000

Confidential Settlement

$650,000

Improper Residential Installation

Improper installation of residential refrigerator that caused orthopedic injuries.

$600,000

Bike Accident

Cyclist struck by underinsured motorist.

$600,000

Rear End Collision

Rear end collision that resulted in our client suffering a back injury that required surgery.

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More Wins

About Us

As former insurance defense lawyers for one of North Carolina’s largest law firms, Nick and Devlin bring everything they learned on the insurance company’s side of the case to your side of the case. We founded Horton & Mendez to put our knowledge to work for you instead. Our familiarity with the insurance companies’ tactics helps us prevent clients from settling their personal injury claims for less than they deserve. After an accident, let our team of Wilmington injury attorneys handle the insurance company. We provide a tailored approach to each case. Whether it’s a car accident or workers’ compensation claim, our personal injury attorneys are dedicated to understanding your case and treating you as if you were our only client.

Awards & Recognitions

Nationally Recognized, Locally Focused

Our Firm Values

Big Firm Experience, Small Firm Touch

Once we decided representing the insurance companies wasn’t for us, we turned our focus toward serving individuals like you. We value the one-to-one relationships we make with our clients. We’re not a huge firm that will shuffle your case around between attorneys who don’t know your story. With us, it’s truly personal.

We Will Outwork the Other Side

Preparation is half the battle. We believe that each case is won or lost long before entering the courtroom. Our attorneys will outwork the other side and understand that preparation is the key to success.

We Will Go the Distance.

With our background defending insurance companies in the past, we know how to prepare for their arguments — and their tricks. Our knowledge has helped us build stronger cases and aim for bigger verdicts. You can trust us to go to trial if necessary with all the tools to be your fiercest advocate in court.

100% Personal Injury, 100% of the Time

Standing up for the injured is what we’re proud to do. We want to help you and your family move forward from the unimaginable losses you suffered. As exclusively plaintiff’s lawyers, you can feel confident your rights as a personal injury victim will be upheld as we go after all the damages you could be owed.

Nick Mendez

Working With Us Is Easy

Horton & Mendez is a full-service law firm that works hard on your behalf so you can focus on your recovery. Below is how a case typically unfolds.

The Accident

01
The Accident

Unfortunately, accidents happen. Get medical attention right away and call our firm as soon as you’re able.

Hiring Us

02
Hiring Us

Schedule a free, confidential consultation with us. We’ll present your legal options and our case strategy.

Building Your Case

03
Building Your Case

We get to work immediately after we’re hired. We leave no stone unturned in getting relevant info.

Settlement Negotiations

04
Settlement Negotiations

We’re skilled at obtaining out-of-court resolutions and aim to leave no money on the table.

Filing a Lawsuit

05
Filing a Lawsuit

Sometimes, a lawsuit is necessary to show the insurance company we’re serious about your case.

Discovery Process

06
Discovery Process

Both parties obtain and exchange important details through methods like interrogatories and depositions.

Mediation

07
Mediation

Most injury cases are ordered to be mediated before trial. We’ll be prepared for a successful mediation.

The Trial

08
The Trial

We are experienced trial lawyers. We prepare every case like it may go to court to set up for success.

01 - The Accident

Unfortunately, accidents happen. Get medical attention right away and call our firm as soon as you’re able.

02 - Hiring Us

Schedule a free, confidential consultation with us. We’ll present your legal options and our case strategy.

03 - Building Your Case

We get to work immediately after we’re hired. We leave no stone unturned in getting relevant info.

04 - Settlement Negotiations

We’re skilled at obtaining out-of-court resolutions and aim to leave no money on the table.

05 - Filing a Lawsuit

Sometimes, a lawsuit is necessary to show the insurance company we’re serious about your case.

06 - Discovery Process

Both parties obtain and exchange important details through methods like interrogatories and depositions.

07 - Mediation

Most injury cases are ordered to be mediated before trial. We’ll be prepared for a successful mediation.

08 - The Trial

We are experienced trial lawyers. We prepare every case like it may go to court to set up for success.

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Horton & Mendez Injury Attorneys serves Wilmington, NC, and the surrounding areas. Our lawyers want you to know your rights and are taking new personal injury cases now. We can represent you during the claims process after an accident and fight for what you rightfully deserve.

What Is a Personal Injury?

A personal injury is almost exactly how the term sounds — it is an injury to your person. Most often, a personal injury means that you have suffered physically. However, a personal injury can also include damage to your reputation and emotions.

In many cases, there is a combination of a physical injury and other effects. The physical pain that you feel will take away from your quality of life. You may also lose out on things that you enjoyed before the accident. In your case, the personal injury is a combination of all the harm that you have suffered.

Examples of Personal Injury Cases

Traumatic brain injuries

A jolt to the head can cause brain damage that causes you to lose certain functions.

Amputation

Severe damage to an extremity, such as an arm or leg, may require it to be amputated

Burns

You may suffer burns from fire, extreme heat, or chemicals that could cause permanent and severe damage to your skin

Internal organ damage

Internal injuries are very dangerous because you may not realize that you are injured at first.

Whiplash

The sudden transfer of force to your body can cause your head to snap forward while the rest of your body remains still.

Broken bones

The force of your accident could cause a fracture or complete break of the bone.

Spinal cord injury

Sudden trauma to your head or neck can injure your spinal cord and can cause partial or complete paralysis.

Joint injury

You could suffer a soft tissue injury that could limit motion and require surgery and extensive rehabilitation.

Facial injuries

The physical trauma of an accident could lead to facial fractures or permanent disfigurement.

Severe emotional distress

There are some cases when emotional distress is its own separate lawsuit, even without a physical injury.

Types of Personal Injury Cases We Handle

Car accidents

There are nearly 300,000 car accidents on North Carolina roads each year. Our Wilmington auto accident attorneys can determine if you may be entitled to financial compensation when another driver’s negligence was the cause of your injuries.

Truck accidents

Large tractor-trailers can cause serious injuries when they are in accidents. With the help of our truck accident lawyers, you may be able to sue the trucking company when the driver who they employ was to blame for the crash.

Motorcycle accidents

Motorcycle injury cases tend to be more serious than those suffered in other types of motor vehicle accidents because there is less to protect you from impact. You can file a claim against the driver who was to blame for the accident.

Bicycle accidents

Every year in North Carolina, there are roughly 1,000 bicyclists who are involved in crashes with motor vehicles. Drivers are not focused on bicyclist safety, and our bicycle accident attorneys can hold them responsible when they have been negligent.

Premises liability

When you are on the property of another, they have an obligation to make reasonable efforts to keep you safe. Common premises liability cases include slip and falls, negligent security, swimming pool accidents, patio collapses, and fires.

Vacation rental accidents

If you have been injured in an Airbnb or Vrbo, you can take legal action against the host. Rental companies provide insurance coverage, and the host may be personally liable for any uncovered damages.

Workers’ compensation

If you have suffered a work-related injury, you may qualify for workers’ compensation benefits that cover medical expenses and part of your lost wages. Our workers’ comp attorneys can help negotiate a settlement or appeal a denial of your workers’ comp claim.

Wrongful death

A wrongful death case is your family’s own personal injury lawsuit when someone else was to blame for the tragic loss of your loved one. Your family could be paid for the losses you endure when you have suddenly lost a loved one.

Birth injuries

When the doctor makes an error, either during prenatal care or the delivery process, they could be responsible in a medical malpractice case. Our birth injury attorneys can investigate if the doctors did not act as a reasonable physician would have under the circumstances.

Compensation Available for Suffering a Personal Injury

Once you are able to prove that someone else was negligent, they have the legal obligation to pay you for all of your damages. Your harm is not just financial in nature. Personal injury damages are for harm to your entire person and not just your bank account.

You may receive in a personal injury case:

  • Economic damages that represent your actual past and future financial costs, including medical bills, property damage, and lost wages.
  • Non-economic damages that compensate you for the discomfort relating to the injury and how it will continue to impact your life.

Perhaps the most critical part of your pre-claim work is figuring out how much you are due in a settlement or jury award. The insurance company certainly has this information, and they may try to use it to save money at your expense.

What to Do After Being Injured

Take pictures

If you are physically able to, you should take as many pictures as you can of the scene of the accident. This may be your only chance to show what the scene of the accident looked like before it is clear.

Get witness information

Testimony from an objective third party may be the most effective way of proving your car accident case. You should get their contact information at the scene of the accident.

Get contact information

You should obtain contact and insurance information from the other driver, as well as the name and information of any other passengers.

Call the police

You need the accident report that the police officer writes when they come to the scene of the accident. You are legally obligated to report certain accidents to the police.

Seek medical care

Preferably, you should seek medical care at the scene of the accident if you feel the slightest bit injured. You should also get checked out by a doctor in the days after the accident and closely follow all of their recommendations.

Don’t talk to anyone

You should say as little as you can about the accident to anyone, including posting on social media. Your words could be used against you by the insurance company, which is looking for a reason to avoid paying you.

Why Not Go Through Insurance?

One of the biggest mistakes that people make in a personal injury case is blindly trusting the insurance company. They do not want to fully pay you because they have both eyes on their own balance sheet. Anything that they pay you comes straight from their profits.

The insurance company has an entire list of tricks that they use on unsuspecting claimants. The end result is that people end up signing away their legal rights, often for pennies on the dollar.

Our personal injury attorneys know exactly what insurance companies are capable of because we have seen things from their side. You need an attorney in the process to represent you. Otherwise, you could end up with the short end of the stick.

How Is Negligence Proven in a Personal Injury Case?

As the claimant or plaintiff, you have the obligation to meet your burden of proof in a personal injury case. You must show that your version of the facts was more likely than not to have occurred.

Generally, there are four things that you must show to prove negligence:

  • The other party owed you a duty of care
  • They failed to uphold their duty of care by acting unreasonably under the circumstances
  • You suffered an injury
  • You would not have been injured had it not been for the actions of the other party

Your attorney would gather evidence that proves what happened, including witness testimony and documentary proof.

How Long Do I Have to File a Personal Injury Claim?

In North Carolina, your legal rights have a risk of running out. Once a certain amount of time passes, you lose the right to seek financial compensation for your injuries. This is known as the statute of limitations.

Under North Carolina law, you have three years from the time that you were injured (or should have known that you were injured) to file a personal injury action. You no longer have a case if you miss this deadline by even a day.

In reality, you should begin the legal process as soon as possible after your injury, since it becomes harder to prove a personal injury case the more time passes.

Why Choose Horton & Mendez for Your Personal Injury Case?

If you have suffered a personal injury, you need strong legal representation as you seek full financial compensation for your injuries. The insurance company will not simply give you the money that you deserve. They will make you fight for it.

Insurance companies have spent years wielding their tactics against unsuspecting claimants who trusted their insurer to do the right thing. They have an entire playbook of their own. But so do we.

You need an attorney who knows exactly how the insurance company operates to maximize your personal injury recovery. The Wilmington personal injury lawyers at Horton & Mendez Injury Attorneys know what insurance companies are capable of because we have handled their cases from the other side.

We will approach your case in an attentive and compassionate manner. We do our best to understand what you are going through, while we fight fiercely for your legal rights. Our injury lawyers handle all the details of your legal case while keeping you informed of what’s next so you can make the best decisions.

Reach out to our law offices today at 910-405-7751.

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