Car Accidents and Serious Collisions in Chatham County: Why Legal Help Matters
By Adam J. Langino, Esq.
Introduction
Chatham County’s roads have seen a concerning surge in devastating accidents. In 2024 alone, 17 people lost their lives in local crashes, slightly down from 19 the year prior but well above the historical average. Over the past several years, nearly 13,819 traffic crashes were reported across Chatham County (2016–2023), resulting in 114 fatalities and 320 serious injuries.
A Growing Risk on Chatham County Roads
Traffic accidents remain one of the leading public safety concerns in Chatham County. Despite improvements in vehicle safety and road design, Chatham County continues to experience high rates of crashes. Each year, thousands of local drivers and passengers are involved in collisions, and too many suffer life-changing injuries. Recent studies show roughly 300,000 car crashes occur annually in North Carolina, with about one-third causing injury and roughly 1% resulting in death.
Serious collisions are on the rise. In fact, traffic fatalities in North Carolina have increased by nearly 29% over the last decade. Locally, Chatham County averaged about a dozen roadway deaths per year over the past ten years – and recent years spiked even higher (19 deaths in 2023). This upward trend means that families here are increasingly impacted by tragic losses and catastrophic injuries due to roadway crashes.
What’s driving these crashes? Many accidents stem from preventable factors: speeding, distracted driving (like smartphone use), impaired driving, and failure to obey traffic signals are all common causes. Rural highway stretches and growing traffic in Pittsboro contribute to risk as well. Congestion on major routes like U.S. 64 and 15-501 – which run through Chatham County – increases the chances of high-speed rear-end or side-impact collisions on those corridors. Nighttime and pre-dawn hours present added danger, especially for pedestrians on dimly lit roads.
The Toll of Serious Collisions on Victims
When a crash is “serious,” it means someone’s life may never be the same. Survivors often face severe or permanent injuries – from brain trauma and spinal damage to multiple fractures – not to mention emotional trauma. Statewide, 113,602 people were injured on North Carolina roads in 2024. Here in Chatham County, between 2016 and 2023 we saw 320 serious injury crashes, averaging around 40 per year. Each of these incidents represents a person (or multiple people) whose health, livelihood, and family life can be upended in an instant.
Even non-fatal “serious” collisions can have life-altering consequences. Survivors may endure long hospitalizations, surgeries, and painful rehabilitation. They often cannot work for months (or ever again, in severe cases), while medical bills pile up. Families shoulder immense burdens caring for injured loved ones. In short, a serious wreck doesn’t end when the cars are towed away – its effects echo for years.
Big Trucks, Big Dangers on Local Highways
Collisions involving large trucks – semis, dump trucks, tractor-trailers – deserve special attention. Chatham County might be rural in parts, but it’s crisscrossed by trucking routes such as U.S. 64 (a major east-west corridor) and U.S. 421. Heavy trucks are essential for commerce, yet when they collide with smaller vehicles, the results can be devastating.
Large commercial trucks weigh 20-30 times more than a typical car, and they need a longer distance to stop. This means accidents with trucks often occur at high impact forces. Sadly, we’ve seen this locally. In one case near Siler City, a 21-year-old woman was killed when a landscaping truck swerved off the road and struck her vehicle. In another, mentioned above, a hauling truck’s unsecured load led to a driver’s death.
Beyond the physical impact, truck accident cases are legally complex. Multiple parties might be involved – the truck driver, the trucking company, maintenance contractors, etc. – and insurance companies for commercial carriers tend to fight hard to minimize payouts. Victims of truck collisions in Chatham County often find themselves up against corporate insurers and teams of lawyers. This is one more reason why having your own experienced attorney is crucial.
Pedestrian Safety in Pittsboro and Chatham County
The Town of Pittsboro has responded proactively to improve pedestrian safety. After a recent fatal crash near a school zone, town officials pressed NCDOT to fast-track new lighting and crosswalk installations on Sanford Road. At an April 2025 meeting, the Pittsboro Board of Commissioners approved safety measures like new stop signs and no-parking zones to improve visibility around crosswalks by Pittsboro Elementary. They’ve also worked on creative solutions (like a post-and-chain guide path) to help people cross busy streets more safely.
For pedestrians who are hit, the legal landscape can be tricky. Drivers may claim the person “came out of nowhere,” and in North Carolina’s strict contributory negligence system, even a small allegation of fault on the pedestrian can bar recovery. Don’t let that scare you away from seeking accountability – instead, let it underline the importance of having an experienced attorney to protect your rights.
Why Legal Representation Is Important After an Accident
In the chaotic aftermath of a serious accident, injured people and their families can quickly feel overwhelmed. There are police reports to obtain, insurance adjusters calling, medical appointments to schedule, and bills arriving almost immediately. If you were hurt, you’re trying to heal; if you lost someone, you’re grieving – either way, dealing with paperwork and legal deadlines is an added strain.
This is where a personal injury attorney truly becomes invaluable. An experienced lawyer steps in as your advocate, handling the complex details so you don’t have to. That means communicating with insurance companies, investigating the crash (gathering evidence like traffic camera footage or witness statements), and making sure that critical evidence isn’t lost – especially important in truck cases where companies may have data records or maintenance logs that need preserving.
An injury attorney handles all the details so that you don’t have to. Rather than juggling calls from adjusters or worrying whether you’re saying the “wrong” thing in a statement, you can focus on recovery. This support is critical when you’re hurt or grieving; it levels the playing field between you and the insurance companies, which have professionals working to protect their interests.
Another reason legal help is vital is North Carolina’s tough insurance and liability laws. Our state is one of the few with contributory negligence, meaning if the insurance company can pin just a fraction of blame on you, they might try to deny your claim entirely. We also have complex rules for uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage, which often come into play if you’re hit by a hit-and-run driver or a driver with minimal insurance. A knowledgeable attorney can navigate these laws and fight unfair blame-shifting tactics, working to ensure you still get compensated even in complicated scenarios.
Importantly, hiring a lawyer doesn’t cost anything upfront. Personal injury firms, including ours, work on a contingency basis – we only get paid if we recover compensation for you. Even the initial consultation is free. You risk nothing by getting a professional opinion – and you could gain a trusted advocate who will pursue the maximum compensation you deserve for medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and more.
Langino Law PLLC – Your Advocate in Chatham County
At Langino Law PLLC, we understand the stakes for accident victims in Chatham County because this is our community too. Our firm is based right next door in Chapel Hill and proudly serves clients throughout central North Carolina. We know the local roads, from the downtown Pittsboro circle to the rural byways, and we have experience working with area law enforcement and courts on accident cases. When you come to Langino Law, you’re getting a team that combines big-firm expertise with local knowledge and personal attention.
Your case is not just a file number to us – it’s a story of a life disrupted, and we take seriously our role in helping you put the pieces back together. Our founding attorney, Adam Langino, has a track record of success in complex injury cases. In fact, he’s handled catastrophic injury and wrongful death claims across North Carolina and Florida, with verdicts and settlements totaling over $50 million so far. Langino Law PLLC brings a national level of talent to fight for our local clients’ rights. We’re proud that our firm has recovered compensation for accident victims – money that helps families pay for medical care, replace lost income, and rebuild their lives.
What truly sets us apart, however, is our client-centered approach. We know that when you’ve been through a trauma – a bad car wreck, a trucking accident, or the loss of a loved one crossing the street – you need more than just a lawyer who knows the law. You need someone who listens, who cares, and who will stand by you every step of the way. Our philosophy at Langino Law is to treat every client like family: with compassion, transparency, and relentless dedication to your best interests. We handle the hard stuff so you can concentrate on healing.
About Langino Law PLLC
Langino Law PLLC is a personal injury law firm in North Carolina, based out of Chapel Hill, dedicated to helping individuals and families recover after catastrophic injuries and wrongful deaths. Founded by nationally recognized trial attorney Adam Langino, our firm brings nearly two decades of courtroom experience and a proven track record of multimillion-dollar settlements. Please remember that each case is unique and has specific facts and circumstances. These past results are not a guarantee of future outcomes in any case.
We proudly serve clients throughout Chapel Hill, NC, and across North Carolina, handling complex cases involving negligent security, serious car accidents, dangerous consumer products, truck accidents, wrongful death, and corporate accountability. At Langino Law, we combine local insight to deliver personalized legal strategies that protect your rights and force accountability on those that caused harm.
If you’re searching for a trusted North Carolina personal injury lawyer, based out of Chapel Hill, Langino Law PLLC is here to help. You contact Langino Law PLLC for a free, no pressure consultation, by calling 888-254-3521 or by clicking here.
We’re Here to Help – Reach Out Anytime
If you or a loved one has been injured in a car accident, truck collision, or pedestrian crash in Chatham County (or anywhere in North Carolina), don’t navigate the aftermath alone. The choices you make in the days and weeks following a serious accident can dramatically affect your financial recovery and legal rights. Before accepting any insurance settlement or making any statements, arm yourself with knowledge. We invite you to contact Langino Law PLLC for a free, no-obligation consultation – let’s discuss what happened and how we can help.
Remember, you can have us on your side. Our mission is to shoulder the legal burdens for you, pursue accountability from those at fault, and ultimately help you move forward from this difficult chapter. Your health and future are too important to leave to chance or the insurance company’s goodwill.
In the wake of a car wreck or tragic collision, you may feel overwhelmed and uncertain – that’s normal. But you don’t have to go it alone. Langino Law PLLC is ready to help you, to protect your rights, and to demand the full compensation and accountability you deserve. We’ve got your back, every step of the way, as your trusted advocate in Pittsboro, Chatham County, and beyond.
You can contact Langino Law PLLC by calling 888-254-3521 or by clicking here.