Our Network of Land Experts Know How to Prove Your Property’s True Value
Eminent domain cases are incredibly complex, often involving detailed evaluations of land value, access, zoning, environmental impact, and development potential. To pursue the highest possible compensation from the NCDOT, property owners should have more than just a general approach — you should uncover any overlooked damages, assess the true impact of the taking, and present a clear, well-supported case for the property’s “highest and best use.”
The government has vast resources and attorneys on hand, plus many Right-of-Way agents, engineers, and appraisers they work with, to pursue the land it needs for public projects. And while the law requires that the NCDOT pay you just compensation for your land, our experience is that it will often try to pay you the lowest possible amount.
At the NC Eminent Domain Law Firm, our experienced attorneys partner with a team of land expertsacross North Carolina as needed to perform comprehensive value analyses of properties so we can seek maximum compensation for you. We advance all expenses – and absorb the cost if we don’t get you a better offer. Guaranteed.
We are confident that we can help protect our clients’ property rights and increase the DOT’s offer amount by investing our resources, experience, and time into your case. Since we’ve been in business, we’ve helped our clients get on average nearly 3x their initial offers!1
Our comprehensive network of land experts: Fighting for North Carolina property owners
When the NCDOT wants all or a part of your property, our attorneys can build a multidisciplinary team of land experts for your case, including, if needed:
Access Experts
An access expert focuses on how properties are reached by vehicles or pedestrians, considering driveways, entry points, and connectivity to public roads.
In eminent domain cases, access experts assist property owners by analyzing how a taking affects access — such as removing or relocating entrances — and whether the new access design diminishes usability or value. Their findings can help secure higher compensation by demonstrating the practical and economic impacts of reduced or altered access.
Example: The installation of a median alone is not compensable in NC, but the impact to access from the median may be. In one case, our clients were concerned that the proposed location of a new median would prevent tractor trailers from entering their property. Our access expert was able to prove certain large trucks couldn’t enter or leave the property due to the median’s location, substantially impacting the value of the existing buildings and improvements on the property.1
Acoustic Engineers
An acoustic engineer studies sound and vibration to assess noise levels and their impact on environments.
In eminent domain cases, acoustic engineers evaluate how new infrastructure — like highways or rail lines — introduced by the taking may increase noise pollution and reduce the property’s livability or value. Their analysis can support claims for additional compensation by demonstrating measurable impacts on quality of life or business operations.
Example: The NCDOT is required to do a sound study on major projects. This study includes baseline decibel readings and anticipated increases in decibel levels when the project is built. The NCDOT may recommend sound walls to project neighborhoods from road widenings. We employ acoustics engineers to check the DOT’s baseline readings and their projected increases as significant increase in noise levels may have a detrimental impact on property values.1
Business Valuation Experts
A business valuation expert determines the economic value of a business based on factors like income, assets, market conditions, and future earning potential.
In eminent domain cases, business valuation experts are often brought in to assess how the taking of land — such as loss of access, visibility, or space — affects the value or viability of the business operating on that property. Their analysis can support claims for compensation beyond the land itself, reflecting real economic harm to the business.
Example: While devaluation of a business is not directly compensable in North Carolina, we may work with experts to show that the current business on an impacted property may no longer be viable due to the impact of the project. In those situations, the government may be liable for additional compensation to help re-establish the business at a new location.
Civil Engineers
A civil engineer designs and evaluates infrastructure systems such as roads, drainage, utilities, and site layouts.
In eminent domain cases, civil engineers assess how a taking affects access, drainage, or the feasibility of future development, and they can identify new engineering challenges caused by the loss of land. Their analysis can support claims for additional compensation by revealing hidden costs or reduced functionality resulting from the taking.
Example: We may employ civil engineers in various subspecialties to analyze everything from hydraulics changes resulting from road construction to driveway slope changes caused by a NCDOT road widening.
Drone Videographers
A drone videographer uses aerial drone technology to capture high-resolution video and images of land and property from above.
In certain eminent domain cases, drone engineers visually document the property’s layout, features, and surroundings — before and after a taking — to clearly show impacts such as lost access, altered terrain, or diminished visibility. This visual evidence can be a powerful tool in supporting claims for fair compensation and illustrating damages to courts, appraisers, or juries.
Example: When project plans or a static aerial image can’t illustrate the full impact of a project on a property, we may hire drone videographers to create videos of the property before or after the government’s taking. These videos can be critical in showing the jury just how much impact a highway cutting through a farm may have, or how impactful a new bridge towering over a home can be.1
Eminent Domain Appraisers
An eminent domain appraiser is a licensed professional who determines the fair market value of property being taken by the government for public use. The appraisal needed when facing a government taking is far more complicated than the standard appraisal purchased when buying a home or commercial property.
In eminent domain cases, appraisers help property owners by conducting independent valuations that consider not only the portion taken but also any negative impact on the remaining land. Their appraisal can challenge undervalued government offers and support efforts to obtain full and fair compensation.
Example: We represented an owner in an eminent domain taking where our independent appraiser determined just compensation should be more than 200x the amount arrived at by the government’s hired appraiser. Knowing the right appraiser to hire for a particular case can be critical when fighting for full compensation.1
Environmental Experts
An environmental expert evaluates the ecological and regulatory aspects of a property, including contamination, wetlands, endangered species habitats, and compliance with environmental laws.
In eminent domain cases, environmental experts identify environmental conditions that affect land value or development potential and analyze how the taking may introduce new environmental constraints. Their findings can help justify adjustments in compensation by revealing environmental impacts the government may have overlooked.
Example: We sometimes consult environmental experts, particularly in cases where a business engaging in use of hazardous materials once occupied the land. If the NCDOT makes a negative environmental adjustment to the value, we need to ascertain if that is an appropriate modification.1
Financial and Economics Experts
A financial and economics expert analyzes the monetary impacts of property takings, using economic modeling, market data, and financial forecasts.
In eminent domain cases, financial and economics experts quantify potential losses such as reduced income, diminished investment potential, or broader economic harm caused by the taking. Their expertise can support claims for just compensation by providing data-driven evidence of financial consequences beyond simple land value.
Example: Financial and economics experts were critical in many Map Act claims and were used to illustrate why the compensation arrived at by the government wasn’t adequate once factoring in the length of time a property was subject to restrictions.1
Land Use Experts
A land use expert specializes in zoning, land planning, and property development regulations. They often analyze how land can best be used or developed, considering zoning laws, environmental factors, and community needs.
In eminent domain cases, land use experts may provide expert testimony to strengthen the case for increased compensation based on an evaluation of how government takings affect the property’s highest and best use, including how a taking may impact development potential.
Example: When the government argued a small remnant lot of our client’s property could still be used commercially, we hired a land planner who was able to illustrate the parking, setback, and zoning restrictions on the remaining lot, helping our appraiser prove there was little, if any, value remaining in the land.1
Surveyors
A surveyor measures and maps land boundaries, features, and elevations to establish legal property lines and physical characteristics.
In eminent domain cases, surveyors identify exactly what portion of land is being taken and how it alters the overall parcel, access, or legal boundaries. Their precise measurements can be critical in supporting cases for fair compensation and uncovering impacts that may not be obvious without detailed mapping.
Example: The government is unlikely to fully compensate an owner for signage, fencing, buildings, or other improvements that are on land it believes it already owns. Surveyors can be critical to your claim if you and the government disagree on your current property line or the location of existing easements on your property.
Traffic Engineers
A traffic engineer studies the flow and safety of vehicle and pedestrian movement, focusing on access, visibility, and roadway design.
In eminent domain cases, traffic engineers evaluate how the government’s taking — such as removing a driveway or altering traffic patterns — may impact access to the property or reduces business visibility and customer flow. Their analysis can support claims for greater compensation by showing functional losses that affect the property’s utility or commercial success.
Example: We often hire traffic engineers to analyze traffic flow and driveway slope changes after the NCDOT taking. We commonly employ them to conduct an auto-turn analysis on commercial properties to ascertain whether commercial truck traffic can still navigate the site after the DOT taking and changes to the road access.1
Zoning Experts
A zoning expert specializes in interpreting and applying local zoning regulations that govern how land can be used or developed.
In eminent domain cases, zoning experts analyze how zoning laws affect the property’s value and potential uses and identify whether the taking limits future development options. Their insights can strengthen compensation claims by showing the true impact of the government’s actions on the property’s usability.
Example: When the government wanted to value one of our client’s property as vacant farmland, we worked with a zoning expert who was familiar with the local regulations and decision makers. Their work helped prove the property was well suited for residential development before the government’s taking, resulting in our appraiser being able to find more appropriate comparable sales and justifying substantially higher just compensation.1
How the NC Eminent Domain Law Firm and its network of experts can help you
Working as needed with our trusted network of land experts, we aim to leave no stone unturned and ensure that your appraisal is done correctly and you are compensated fairly.
Our eminent domain attorneys have many decades of combined experience working exclusively in eminent domain. They have argued cases before the North Carolina Court of Appeals and the North Carolina Supreme Court and tried dozens of jury trials. Several of our attorneys even used to work for the NCDOT, working on some of its biggest cases. Now, they fight to keep property owners from leaving their hard-earned money on the table.
Before you do anything, have one of our attorneys evaluate your case for free. There is no obligation to hire us afterwards. And if you do hire us, we only charge you a fee based on what we are able to obtain above what the government initially offered you. That’s right – if we don’t get you additional compensation over what the government offered you for your property, we don’t collect any fee. Guaranteed.
Check out our You-First Policy to see how we put your concerns, needs, and rights first. Then call 1-877-393-4990 today to see how we can help you.
There are only a handful of attorneys in NC who practice eminent domain exclusively, and even fewer with NCDOT experience. We have six. That’s why it’s worth getting in touch with us for a free case evaluation.
Here’s how it works:
1) Tell us about your situation.
2) We research your property as needed, using DOT maps, our own technology, and experience to see the exact effects.
3) We will give you our professional evaluation of your legal situation and recommend next steps. This evaluation is free, and there’s no pressure or obligation to hire us after.
But please don’t wait to act. Waiting can hurt your case, and the cost is the same: free.
1-877-393-4990
Access Experts
A civil engineer designs and evaluates infrastructure systems such as roads, drainage, utilities, and site layouts.
A surveyor measures and maps land boundaries, features, and elevations to establish legal property lines and physical characteristics.
Before you do anything, have one of our attorneys 
1-877-393-4990