If you or someone you love has been injured in a motor vehicle collision, it is important you consult with an experienced injury lawyer to help you recover the funds you need to try to move on. Call our experienced Charleston car accident lawyers today to learn how we can use our legal knowledge and decades of collective experience to help you fight for fair compensation for motor vehicle accident injuries.
Car Accident Causes
As the oldest city in South Carolina, and the second-largest city in the state, Charleston attracts many tourists each year. The city’s charming location on Charleston Harbor is chock full of famous restaurants, old-world architecture, and history that tourists love to partake in.
Unfortunately, having more tourists brings a greater risk of collisions when drivers visit the area and are on unfamiliar streets. The College of Charleston, the Citadel, Charleston Southern University, and the Medical University of South Carolina also mean many college students in the area, which can result in collisions by impaired drivers and by texting teens who take dangerous risks on the roads
Both local residents and visitors alike are in danger of crashes caused by drivers who don’t know where they are going, aren’t paying attention, are intoxicated, or otherwise break the rules of the road. Whenever a driver violates a safety law or makes an unsafe choice while operating a vehicle, that driver (and their insurer) can become responsible for compensating victims of crashes in the area.
Potential Damages
After an automobile accident, it is crucial that the Charleston attorney moves quickly, especially if the accident involves a series of catastrophic or fatal injuries. One of the most important steps is to hire an accident reconstructionist and/or engineer to go to the scene as soon as possible and secure testimony, any eyewitnesses before any memories fade and any evidence dies on the vine.
In most car accident cases in South Carolina, there is not a damages cap. However, if the at-fault driver, for example, is an employee of the government, then there will be a cap because the state government has a liability ceiling of $300,000. The biggest problem typically seen in terms of caps on damages is the lack of adequate liability coverage. When the at-fault driver causes an accident that ceiling may be the liability coverage that exists on the policy of the vehicle that caused the accident.
Rental Car Accident
A rental car is defined as any vehicle that is hired by way of a lease. After a car accident involving a rental car, a person driving a rental car and their Charleston attorney will have to prove that they have liability insurance on their own but also when a person rents a car, there are options for rental coverage as well. In a rental car accident, there may be multiple avenues for recovery of damages, and that is not even including the possibility of an underinsured motorist coverage on a person’s own vehicle.
Common Injuries
The injuries that result in a rental car accident differ very little from the injuries that would result in just about any other type of automobile accident. The rental cars are typically later models, so an individual is unlikely to see improper maintenance as a contributing factor in causing a rental car accident.
Schedule A Consultation With A Charleston Car Accident Attorney
Whenever a collision occurs, victims should speak with a lawyer serving the area. When you have your case evaluated, an attorney can help you to determine:
- If there is an individual or a company who could potentially be held liable for causing your collision
- What types of damages you should be entitled to as a result of your motor vehicle accident
- Whether you can, or should, pursue a claim to recover compensation for medical expenditures, wage and income losses, pain and discomfort, emotional distress, and wrongful death
If you place your trust in skilled Charleston car accident attorneys to handle your accident claim, they can begin right away after your crash with investigating the accident cause, dealing with the insurer on your behalf, and filing a civil case for personal injury or wrongful death. Strong evidence can help you to recover the compensation you deserve through an out-of-court settlement with an insurer or through a civil court lawsuit in which a jury awards damages for losses suffered as a result of an auto wreck. Reach out today to get started.
