South Carolina Car Accident Lawyer

If you or someone you know was recently injured in a vehicle collision, you should seriously consider your legal options. People often want to move on from accidents quickly, and they end up paying numerous costs out of pocket. Do not leave money on the table. Contact a lawyer about how to get fair compensation.

Many people avoid taking legal action because they are unsure what their claims are worth. Many are surprised to learn their damages and losses are worth substantial compensation. To begin, our legal team can help you determine exactly how your crash happened and who is likely responsible. Knowing these details can help us determine where to find evidence and the most effective legal strategies. If you are hesitant to file a case, talk to a lawyer about your concerns.

Call Rice, Murtha & Psoras at (803) 219-4906 for a private assessment of your claims for no charge and talk to our car accident lawyers.

What Your Auto Accident Case in South Carolina Might Be Worth

One of the biggest questions plaintiffs have before initiating a car accident claim is what their case might be worth. This is a fair question to ask. After all, you want to make sure your costs and damages are adequately covered so you are not left scrambling to cover debts while also recovering from painful injuries.

Compensatory Damages

You likely incurred some significant costs from the accident in addition to deeply painful experiences. Compensatory damages are designed to make up for these losses and hopefully place you in the same financial position you were in before the accident. Compensatory damages are generally divided into two categories: economic and non-economic damages.

Economic damages include the money you spend after a car accident. Accidents are not cheap, and getting back on your feet can be expensive. First, keep track of your medical bills. Any treatment you received for injuries from the crash is probably costly, and these costs should be factored into your damages. Second, account for the cost of your damaged vehicle and property inside the vehicle during the crash. Third, consider your income. Are you able to work after the accident? If not, your lost wages should be accounted for in your damages.

Non-economic damages are harder to evaluate because they often do not cost money. Instead, they take a significant toll on your mental health or otherwise disrupt your life. People sometimes feel uneasy about claiming damages for things that did not cost them money, but our car accident lawyers will assert your rights and get you the compensation you deserve. For example, you may claim non-economic damages for pain, emotional distress, trauma, and reduced quality of life. These damages might be quite high for those who are left with permanent disabilities or long-term complications.

Punitive Damages

Not all damages are meant to make up for something you lost. Punitive damages are different in that they are meant to punish the defendant. According to S.C. Code Ann. § 15-32-520(D), the plaintiff must prove by clear and convincing evidence that the defendant caused the plaintiff’s injuries through reckless, wanton, or willful conduct. This is not an easy burden to meet, and punitive damages are rare. Acts of ordinary or typical negligence are usually not grounds for punitive damages.

If punitive damages are on the table, they are capped according to § 15-32-530(A). Punitive damages are capped at triple the value of compensatory damages or $500,000, whichever amount is more. The higher your compensatory damages, the higher your punitive damages may be.

How Your Car Crash in South Carolina Might Have Happed

A big part of what makes car accidents so scary is that they might happen at almost any time on the road. Even when drivers are as safe as they can be behind the wheel, other drivers might be negligent. How your accident happened may shed light on who should be held accountable and how we can obtain evidence.

Ordinary traffic violations are a common cause of accidents, probably because so many people commit them. For example, speeding, running a stop sign, failing to signal a turn, or failing to check blind spots are common mistakes that can cause serious accidents. If you believe the other driver did something like this, we can review security camera footage and talk to witnesses to figure out exactly what happened.

Another problem that is becoming more and more common on the road is distracted driving. While drivers have always had a duty to keep their eyes on the road, doing so is becoming harder and harder. Drivers often rely on their phones for GPS directions, or they might be texting when they should be watching the road. It only takes a second for an accident to happen, and the other driver might have been distracted when they crashed into you.

Recovering Evidence for a South Carolina Auto Accident Case

It is typical for drivers to take pictures and record videos of the accident scene after the crash. First, these pictures and videos are often used as proof in an insurance claim. However, if they contain evidence and details lost when the police clean up the scene, they may also be used as evidence in court.

We should also speak to witnesses from the accident to see what they know. Maybe another driver who was not involved in the crash stopped to help. Maybe they saw the other driver run the stop sign or swerve into your lane, crashing into you. Their testimony may be invaluable to your case.

While some drivers are able to exchange information with the other driver after the accident, others are not so lucky. If you were the victim of a hit-and-run, the other driver might be long gone. In such a case, we might need to rely on law enforcement to conduct a criminal investigation and hopefully track down the driver. Until then, your claims might be on hold for a bit. Once the other driver is found, they may be prosecuted for the hit-and-run, and a guilty verdict can be used as evidence in your civil lawsuit.