Car Accident Lawyers in Charleston

General Information About Car Accidents

There are dozens of accidents every day in Charleston County. Most of them have consequences, be it car damage or serious injuries. This can make negative changes to your normal life. Charleston car accident lawyers can help you best overcome these consequences. For them, these are ordinary work tasks and they perform them professionally.

How Can Charleston Car Accident Lawyers Help Me?

After a car accident, many people do not know what and how to do to settle a car accident case. Car accident lawyers in Charleston are great at this. They can help with all aspects of a car accident case.

Conducting an Investigation: Charleston car accident lawyers use accident reconstruction specialists to find out the true cause of the accident. This gives an understanding of the guilt of each side. They study the police report and witness statements and review CCTV footage.

Preparing a claim: collect all receipts for medical care and other expenses related to the accident. Receive reports from medical experts on the consequences of injuries received in road accidents. They assess the damage and form claims based on this.

Negotiations with the insurance company: convince representatives of the insurance company of the correctness of the conclusions of the investigation into the causes of the accident and the fairness of the claims. During the negotiation phase, most car accident cases result in a successful settlement.

Representation in court: When taking a case to trial, car accident lawyers in Charleston must prove to the jury that the client is innocent or partially guilty and that his or her claims for compensation are justified.

Basic Requirements for Charleston Car Accident Lawyers

Experience
The experience of Charleston car accident lawyers consists of several components: preparation of case materials, negotiations with the insurance company, and presentation of cases in court. A lawyer must have experience in each of these parts of a car accident case. Because a weak position in at least one of them weakens the overall position on the case.

Specialization
A good car accident lawyer in Charleston should specialize in personal injury law. Often injuries, including serious ones, are the consequences of road accidents. The lawyer’s task is to obtain compensation for the client to cover damages from injuries.

Compassion
A good lawyer should devote time not only to the legal aspects of the case but also to positively influence the client’s condition. Provide clients with up-to-date information regarding the settlement of the case. Clients should have a feeling of security and care for their interests.

Ideas for Finding Charleston Car Accident Lawyers

Collegium of Advocates
Request a list of lawyers from the Charleston County Bar Association or the South Carolina Bar Association. They likely have a database of lawyers licensed to practice in the area.

Legal reference books
Visit legal directory websites such as Avvo or FindLaw. In them, you can find suitable Charleston car accident lawyers and their ratings.

Social media
Go through legal forums or groups on various social networks. Look for recommendations on lawyers and ask your questions.

Local law firms
Visit local law firm websites. Read about the experience and achievements of their lawyers. Pay attention to customer reviews.

Recommendations
Ask friends, family members, or co-workers to see if anyone has had experience hiring a good car accident lawyer in Charleson. Ask them for recommendations.

Initial consultations
Most law firms offer free initial consultations. Meet with potential lawyers to discuss your case and determine if they are a good fit for you.

What Should I Do After a Car Accident?

The list of recommended actions after a car accident is quite simple:

• get medical help if injured
• help others injured get medical care
• go to a safe place
• turn on the hazard lights on vehicles involved in the accident
• notify the police and wait for them to arrive
• notify your insurance company about the incident
• exchange all necessary information with other participants
• save contact details of witnesses
• consult a car accident lawyer.

Actions That Can Weaken Your Position After a Car Accident

Guilty plea
When giving statements to the police, or communicating with the insurance company or other participants in the accident, do not discuss the topic of admitting guilt. Any mention of a guilty plea may be interpreted against you and used against you in the future.

Agreement for a quick settlement
Pay special attention to the amount of compensation that the insurance company offers for a quick settlement. Very often this amount does not cover the damage incurred. Therefore, it is advisable to consult with Charleston car accident lawyer before deciding on a quick settlement.

Discussion of a case about an accident on social networks
Social networks cover many aspects of our lives, but discussing a case of a road accident on social networks would be very stupid. There will be no benefit from this, but various statements and assessments can harm.

List of Typical Car Accident Compensations

Economic damages: medical expenses, lost wages, repair or replacement of damaged property, rehabilitation costs.

Non-economic damages: pain and suffering, decreased quality of life, loss of consortium.

Punitive damages: are used to punish an offender for reckless behavior and prevent it from happening in the future.

Do This to Avoid a Car Accident

Follow traffic rules.

Do not drive under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

Practice responsible driving.

Adapt to weather conditions.

Plan your route.

Avoid aggressive driving.

How Many Car Accidents Happen in Charleston

According to the South Carolina Department of Public Safety (SCDPS), there were 16,071 accidents in Charleston County in 2021:

• Fatal – 72
• Serious Injury – 260
• Other Injury – 3,858
• Property Damage Only – 11,881

Casualties due to accidents:

• Killed – 77
• Seriously Injured – 311
• Other Injuries – 5,600.

Statistics for Charleston County are alarming: second in the total number of accidents, the leader in serious injury collisions, and into the top five in fatal collisions.

Causes of Car Accidents and Dangerous Places

SCDPS statistics for 2021 provide insight into the most common causes of accidents, dangerous roads and intersections:

Car Accidents Lead to These Injuries

Car accidents cause many injuries. They can be grouped into general categories such as:

Orthopedic injuries:

• upper limbs
• lower limbs
• soft tissue injuries.

Fractures:

• femur
• fibula/tibia
• ribs
• hips
• hands
• wrists
• pelvis
• collarbone.

Nerve damage:

• spinal nerves
• sensory nerves
• digital nerves.

Internal damage:

• abdominal aortic aneurysm
• internal bleeding
• pneumothorax
• splenic rupture.

Head, back, chest, and psychological injuries.

Charleston Car Accident Liability Laws

Charleston is located in South Carolina, the fault state. This means that liability for damage falls on the at-fault party. You can also read about car accident lawyers in South Carolina on our website.

The modified comparative negligence rule applies. When it is necessary to establish the share of guilt of each party. If the fault exceeds 50%, the party cannot claim damages. The party that is less than 50% at fault will be able to receive compensation, but the amount will be reduced by the percentage of fault.

The statute of limitations in Charleston is three years. The countdown begins from the moment of the accident.

The law requires auto insurance policies to include uninsured motorist (UM) coverage. In the event of an accident with an uninsured driver, this will cover your losses.

Minimum car insurance requirements:

• for property damage $25,000 per accident
• for bodily injury $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident
• Uninsured Motorist Property Damage Coverage $25,000 per accident
• Uninsured Motorist Bodily Injury Coverage is $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident.

Charleston Car Accident Lawyers FAQ