Car Accident Lawyers in Columbia

Understanding Car Accidents

Car accidents are negative events in our lives. They can often have serious bad consequences. After car accidents, you have to undergo treatment and restore damaged cars. This requires high financial costs. Therefore, road accident victims need compensation for their suffering. Columbia car accident lawyers are very helpful in obtaining adequate compensation. They protect the interests of their clients in disputes with insurance companies and represent their interests in court.

Degree of Fault and Insurance in Columbia

Columbia is located in South Carolina, which is a fault state. The principle of comparative negligence is used to determine fault. The degree of guilt of each party is defined as a percentage. The party with less than 50% fault will have the right to file a compensation claim. The percentage of fault reduces the amount of compensation.

The statute of limitations for a car accident in Columbia is three years from the date of the accident.

All drivers must have a car insurance policy in the amount of at least:

• $25,000 personal injury per person
• $50,000 personal injury per accident
• $25,000 for property damage.

When Should I Hire Columbia Car Accident Lawyers?

Columbia car accident lawyers can help at any stage of your case. But the best option would be to contact a lawyer immediately after the accident. Then they will be able to effectively prepare the case materials and increase the chances of receiving a good amount of compensation.

Lawyers in Columbia investigate the causes of the accident, assess the degree of guilt of the parties to the accident, and collect evidence. They are studying the police report, witness statements, and surveillance video. They involve specialized specialists in the investigation, for example, in accident reconstruction. Reports from medical specialists on injuries and their consequences are added to the case file.

Through negotiations, they try to get insurance companies to pay compensation to cover the damage. In most cases, such negotiations result in a successful settlement and payment of the required compensation. Some negotiations still reach a dead end and then the case is referred to the court.

In court, lawyers present to the jury the client’s position based on the investigation and evidence collected. The task of Columbia car accident lawyers is to convince the jury of the fairness of clients’ claims for compensation.

What Qualifications Should Columbia Car Accident Lawyers Meet?

Communication skills
A lot of lawyers’ work involves communicating with other people. Whether it’s initial consultations where you need to gain the trust of potential clients, negotiations with insurance adjusters who need to be persuaded to accept clients’ demands, or convincing a jury of the correctness of your arguments.

Focus on maximum results
For good lawyers, simply winning a case should not be enough. This needs to be done effectively, for example, to settle at the negotiation stage, without bringing the case to court, or to achieve the highest possible level of compensation for clients. Such car accident lawyers in Columbia always have a high rating and impeccable reputation.

Compassion
Experienced Columbia car accident lawyers can achieve more than just financial results for their clients. It is also important to provide moral support to clients throughout the settlement process. Hear their needs and experiences. Create a feeling of security in them.

Ideas for Finding Car Accident Lawyers in Columbia

There are many ways to find car accident lawyers in Columbia. Below are steps that can be used as a road map in this process.

Start with your inner circle by asking your friends, family, or co-workers for a recommendation for a trusted car accident lawyer. You can trust these recommendations.

You probably have experience hiring lawyers on other matters. If you trust them, ask them for recommendations. They will be able to recommend good car accident lawyers in Columbia.

After this, you can proceed to search in specialized directories, forums social networking groups, and legal associations.

Use easy searches in directories like Avvo or Martindale-Hubbell to find car accident lawyers in your area.

Read reviews, ask questions, and ask for recommendations in legal groups and social media forums. There you can get the information you are interested in.

Contact the South Carolina Bar Association. They probably have a help desk that can provide you with a list of licensed lawyers in your area.

And of course, use a simple search on law firm websites, reading client reviews and researching lawyers’ accomplishments.

Be sure to sign up for your initial consultation. There you will be able to personally discuss the issues that interest you with a lawyer and finally choose the lawyer that suits you.

What Should I Do After a Car Accident

Following a car accident, follow this action plan:

• anyone injured should seek medical attention.
• move to a safe place to avoid another accident
• mark the location of the accident with emergency signals on the vehicles involved in the accident
• call the police to the scene
• notify your insurance company about the accident
• take photos of the accident scene, and damaged vehicles, and exchange information with other participants in the accident
• save contact details of accident witnesses
• consult a car accident lawyer for advice.

Don’t Do This After a Car Accident

Agreement for a quick settlement
Insurance companies look after their interests first and foremost. Therefore, the proposal for a quick settlement is likely to underestimate the amount of compensation. Consult with a car accident lawyer in Columbia before accepting a quick settlement offer. He can estimate the possible amount of compensation due. Based on these findings, you can make a decision.

Guilty plea
Never admit fault after a car accident. Leave the determination of fault to the experts who will investigate the accident. When communicating with the police, insurance company, or other parties involved in the accident, report only the facts that you know.

Delaying seeking medical help
Seek medical attention immediately if you have or even suspect injuries. This will help you quickly begin treatment and associate the injury with the accident. Delayed seeking of medical attention can make it impossible to obtain compensation for an injury or make it much more difficult to prove that the injury is related to the accident.

Car Accident Compensations

In Columbia, you can claim compensation for economic and non-economic damages. Punitive damages are sometimes awarded.

Economic damage includes objective costs:

• lost wages
• medical expenses
• material damage
• rehabilitation costs

Non-economic damage is subjective:

• pain and suffering
• loss of pleasure from life
• scars and disfigurement.

Punitive damages are awarded to punish the offender for disregarding the safety of others. And they are aimed at preventing something like this from happening again in the future.

You Can Avoid a Car Accident Following Simple Recommendations

Follow traffic rules.

Practice responsible driving.

Don’t drive while drunk or under the influence of drugs.

Adapt to weather conditions.

Avoid aggressive driving style.

Keep your car in good condition.

Maintain a safe distance and speed limit.

What About Car Accidents in Columbia

According to the South Carolina Department of Public Safety (SCDPS), there were 147,724 crashes across the state in 2021:

• Fatal – 1,112
• Serious Injury – 2,392
• Other Injury – 34,068
• Property Damage Only – 110,152.

Unfortunately, the following were injured in these accidents:

• Killed – 1,198
• Seriously Injured – 2,975
• Other Injuries – 50,621.

Fatalities from collisions involving:

Causes of Car Accidents

The 2021 SCDPS Report provides insight into the causes of crashes occurring in the state:

Typical Injuries in Car Accidents

The list of all possible injuries that can be sustained in an accident is huge. Typical injuries include:

• spinal and back injuries
• whiplash
• limb injuries
• traumatic brain injuries
• internal organ injuries
• rib fractures
• pinched nerves
• lacerations
• burns.

Car Accident Lawyers in Columbia FAQ