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A car accident can have a sudden and devastating impact on you, taking the life that you knew away from you in an instant. The driver who was responsible for your car accident injuries cannot get away with what they did when you take steps to hold them accountable.
You can have an experienced car accident lawyer in Charleston represent you in the auto insurance claims process. For help with your car accident claim or lawsuit, reach out to Trey Harrell Auto Accident and Personal Injury Lawyer for a free initial consultation.
Types of Car Accidents We Handle
Trey Harrell Auto Accident and Personal Injury Lawyer can represent you in any type of car accident case, including the following:
- Head-on: these are the most dangerous car accidents, with a tremendous amount of force being unleashed on both drivers. Head-on car crashes have the highest fatality rate of any type of car accident.
- Rear-end: these crashes are the most common type of car accident, but they can still be very serious. The driver of the front car can suffer whiplash when their head snaps forward. Whiplash can lead to debilitating symptoms, and perhaps even brain damage.
- Sideswipe accidents: one driver can make an illegal lane change, or veer out of their lane because they became distracted. Either driver can end up losing control of their car and become seriously injured.
- T-bone crashes: these crashes occur at stop signs or intersections, and they can be very dangerous for either driver. Typically, one driver has failed to yield the right-of-way to the other driver when required to by law.
- Rollover accidents: A driver can lose control of their car, either because they were cut off by another driver, or there was a defect in their car that resulted in an off-balance center of gravity on a turn.
No matter what type of car accident has injured you, getting the help of an experienced lawyer is a must in a car accident case.
Common Car Accident Injuries
Any type of car accident injury can leave you with lasting damage that can change your life for an extended period of time, and perhaps even permanently. You will incur medical costs, and there will be other impacts on your life.
Common car accident injuries include:
- Fractures and broken bones
- Cuts and lacerations
- Internal injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Head and neck injuries
It is vital that you seek medical treatment as soon as you begin to feel any symptoms of an injury. You may want to consider being proactive and see a doctor after a car accident because some injuries can lurk beneath the surface, getting worse without any type of medical treatment.
How Many Accidents Happen in Charleston County in a Given Year?
Charleston County has the second-highest number of car accidents in South Carolina. In 2021, there were 16,071 traffic collisions in the county, a figure which trailed only Greenville County.
Charleston County had the fourth-highest number of traffic fatalities in the state, with 77 people losing their lives in car accidents. However, the death rate per vehicle miles traveled was not comparatively high in Charleston County.
Even though Charleston County did not have the highest number of traffic accidents in South Carolina, it did have the most injury-causing crashes in the state, with over 4,000 crashes involving personal injury.
In other words, more than one out of every four auto accidents in Charleston County resulted in an injury to the driver or an occupant of the car. There were nearly 6,000 people who were injured in Charleston County car accidents.
What to Do at the Scene of a Car Accident
You may not know this, but your car accident legal process actually begins the moment after the crash. What you do at the scene can help determine whether you have a strong case for compensation.
The first thing to do is to tend to your health and get the medical treatment that you need immediately. If you are able to, you should try to document the accident as best as you can, which can include taking pictures of the scene of the accident and talking to people who saw the accident.
You should remain as calm as possible at the scene of the accident. Never get into an argument with the other driver or try to litigate the case with them on the spot. You could become distracted from the important things that you need to do, or you may say something that can harm your legal case.
Finally, you should always call law enforcement to the scene of the accident, so a police officer can write an accident report. This report could be helpful once you begin the process of seeking compensation for your injuries.
The Car Accident Statute of Limitations in South Carolina
The statute of limitations is a law that sets an outer limit on the amount of time that you have to sue after a car accident. If you do not file your lawsuit in time, you lose the right to seek compensation forever. Therefore, you must be very mindful of the deadline at all times during your case.
In South Carolina, you have three years from the date that you were injured, or should have known that you were injured, to file a claim or lawsuit in your case. Realistically, there is no reason why you would wait that long to begin the legal process, as your car accident claim gets harder the longer that you wait. You should always contact an attorney immediately after a car accident in Charleston so you can begin the process of filing a claim.
Who May Be Liable for a Car Accident
Most often, the other driver would be the one who is liable for your car accident. You would need to prove that they were negligent, meaning that they did something that a reasonable driver would not have done under the circumstances.
In other cases, the following could be held responsible for your car accident injuries:
- Another driver who caused you to lose control of your car
- The manufacturer of your car or a defective part
- The local government, which failed to maintain the road in a reasonable condition
How Trey Harrell Auto Accident and Personal Injury Lawyer Can Help You
The other driver’s insurance company, and perhaps even your own, can try to push you around after a car accident. You need a tough and aggressive personal injury lawyer in Charleston, who will fight to preserve your right to full compensation for your injuries. We will get to work to investigate your accident and compile the proof that you need to show that you are owed money. Then, we will work to maximize the value of your claim.
Contact a Charleston Car Accident Lawyer Today
Trey Harrell Auto Accident and Personal Injury Lawyer is a dedicated and determined advocate for your legal rights when you have been hurt in a car crash. We do not rest until we have made every possible effort to get you top dollar for your car accident claim. You should reach out to us as soon as you can after your accident to give you the best chance of succeeding in your claim. Call us today at 843-636-8739 or send us a message online to schedule a free consultation with an attorney. You do not have to pay us anything unless you win.
Car Accident Case FAQs
How much does it cost to hire a car accident lawyer?
Money worries will never stand between you and getting the legal help that you need after a car accident. Your lawyer is paid from the proceeds of your settlement or jury award should you receive one, and that is the only time they are paid.
Is South Carolina a no-fault accident state?
South Carolina is a fault state as far as car accidents are concerned. You need to prove that the other driver was negligent as a prerequisite to receiving a settlement or jury award in your case. If not, you cannot be compensated for your injuries.
When do car accidents go to trial?
In most cases, a car accident case will settle, either before it reaches a trial or without even filing a lawsuit in court. You only go to trial if your claim is denied or if you cannot reach a settlement agreement.
