SC Traffic Accidents

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety shared that in 2018, South Carolina was the deadliest state across the entire country for every 100 million vehicle miles traveled. Mississippi came in second place, and when those numbers are ranked by population rather than miles driven, South Carolina comes in second. In 2018, over 1000 people suffered fatal injuries on South Carolina roads. Approximately 65% of those fatal accidents involved trucks, SUVs, or cars.

The lawyers at Morgan & Morgan are very familiar with pursuing wrongful death lawsuits when a fatal traffic accident in South Carolina has claimed the life of a loved one. Drivers are primarily responsible for fatal traffic accidents in South Carolina, according to the statistics. Investigating officers complete paperwork known as South Carolina form TR-310, and over 82% of the time, drivers are noted as the cause of accidents that lead to fatal injuries. Non-motorists, environmental factors, roadway conditions, and vehicle defects account for only 18% of accident causes.

Research shows that between 2000 and 2016, the annual number of miles driven on roads in South Carolina increased by 19%. This leads to serious accidents and lifelong injuries or even fatalities. Approximately 1 out of every 18 licensed drivers in South Carolina was involved in a vehicle accident in 2018. If you've been harmed in an accident that left you with substantial medical bills and other expenses, you may need to consult with a qualified personal injury lawyer. 

An SC traffic accidents lawyer can help you to recover compensation and to begin moving forward with your life. It can be devastating to live through an SC traffic accident and realize that you are then responsible for substantial medical bills and other expenses. In fact, you may not be able to go back to work immediately, leaving you to suffer the consequences of this serious and life-changing situation. If you're trying to figure out what your life looks like following an SC traffic accident, the lawyers at Morgan & Morgan are here to help you begin gathering evidence so you can file a personal injury claim. 

You do not have to go through this process on your own, and you deserve to have the support of a dedicated lawyer who is familiar with each aspect of your case and someone who has been through this process before. There are many different questions that must be answered in an SC traffic accidents case, so do not hesitate to get help from a qualified lawyer who can give you valuable information about protecting your legal rights.

After getting involved in an accident, your investigating officer will give you a green piece of paper known as an FR10. Hold on to this, as this has important details related to the accident and may need to be given to your insurance agent. A copy can also be used to get a formal crash report prepared by that officer.

 The insurance company of the at-fault driver will likely contact you next and this person is known as an insurance adjuster, but bear in mind that they may not be representing your best interests. You are likely to have two different insurance claims, a property damage claim for your car and an injury claim for your bodily injuries. There may also be separate adjustors assigned to each of these claims. 

You may have a claim with your own insurance company to pay some of your medical bills in South Carolina due to personal injury protection or MedPay. There may also be more coverage available to help you financially recover from injuries, and you may need to file a lawsuit against the responsible party. Your SC traffic accidents lawyer will help you with the legal aspect of your case.

When fully loaded, a commercial truck can weigh as much as 80,000 pounds. In some cases, these trucks are also carrying hazardous and extremely heavy materials that, when offloaded during an accident, can cause additional injuries. It is also harder for truck drivers to stop their vehicles quickly, meaning that someone who needs to reposition themselves on the roadway due to another negligent driver may be unable to do so in a timely fashion. This can put others at risk of a major injury, disability, or fatality as a result of a South Carolina trucking accident. Truck drivers and the companies who employ them may be held responsible for injuries caused by trucking accidents, so you need to have an experienced SC traffic accident lawyer work in your case to carry out investigations as soon as possible. 

Other parties may also be held liable for injuries sustained in trucking accidents, especially if a defective product on your vehicle or on the truck contributed to or fully caused the accident. You will need to investigate what prompted the accident, such as excessive speeding, drowsy driving, distracted driving, or a driver who did not have appropriate training or supervision behind the wheel. Many trucking companies recognize the significant cost and risk exposure they have when named in a lawsuit for personal injury, so you can expect that they will dispatch a research and investigation team as soon as possible. To help protect your rights when this happens, you need to have a knowledgeable traffic accidents lawyer there to support you and help you decide on your next steps. 

If you've been seriously injured in a South Carolina car accident, a couple of different state laws will influence your ability to recover compensation. The first of these is known as the statute of limitations which sets a three-year deadline for filing the vast majority of car accident lawsuits in the civil court system in South Carolina. The second law to be aware of is the modified comparative fault law, which allows for financial recovery only when your risk amount of responsibility for causing the accident is less than that of the other party involved. This means that if you are found to be more than 50% responsible for causing the accident, you will be unable to recover compensation for your injuries. 

The clock for the statute of limitations begins running on the date of the accident and the other party will attempt to get your case dismissed if you exceed this three-year deadline. They will also likely be successful in getting your case dismissed, so it's important that you hire lawyers from Morgan & Morgan immediately after the accident happens to give you the best possible chance for compensation.

You will want to know that your attorney has the right experience, approach, and communication skills to drive your case to a successful conclusion. There is no doubt that your SC traffic accident may have turned your life upside down, and you want someone who is willing to do everything in their power to make sure that you get justice. Working with the right personal injury lawyer can have a big impact on the outcome of your case, so it is very important to take the research and selection process seriously. 

Regardless of the kind of accident that you have survived in South Carolina, it is imperative that you have legal counsel with the right background and experience to handle this case. You'll want to know more about your lawyer's typical process for investigating these cases, if they involve other people such as expert Witnesses, and how you'll be informed as the case moves through the court system. You'll also want to know about your lawyer's specific settlement negotiation experience and their ability to take cases to trial. 

If you want your case taken seriously, you will want to work with the best. Morgan & Morgan is the nation’s largest personal injury firm and has over 30 years of experience in fighting for justice for those who have been needlessly harmed. Contact us today to receive a free, no-obligation case evaluation to learn more about how Morgan & Morgan can fight for you.