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South Carolina is a beautiful state. However, as with any other state, it’s also home to potentially dangerous roads. No one in this state anticipates getting into a car accident until it happens.
Questions will rush through your mind after an automobile accident. You might ask yourself:
If you have any or all of these questions, a Columbia car accident lawyer can answer them and provide legal guidance during this difficult time.
As a team of South Carolina car accident lawyers, we often help our clients understand what to do after traumatic events. After this stressful and scary situation, there are four primary things to focus on.
Your health and safety are the most critical factors after a car accident. They’re also more important than speaking with any car accident lawyers. Sometimes, especially in severe accidents affecting your ability to stay conscious, a witness will likely make this literal call for you.
But what if your accident isn’t severe? It’s still important to visit your nearest walk-in medical clinic. A secondary benefit of post-accident medical care is that it records what happened. For instance, car accident cases in Columbia, SC, often use medical records to verify victims’ claims about their injuries.
As you continue to treat your injuries, you’ll likely deal with increasing medical expenses. Keeping your visit records handy is vital to potentially receiving a car accident settlement that can cover appointments, prescriptions, surgeries, and related medical costs.
After taking care of your well-being, the next factor on your mind is likely your vehicle. Sometimes, a collision totals a vehicle. A totaled automobile is a vehicle whose repair costs more than its value.
Dealing with a vehicle accident can be traumatizing. Throwing in the stress of car repairs and being without an automobile only adds to your worries. Contacting a car accident lawyer in South Carolina can help you recoup the compensation you deserve.
When an accident happens, the at-fault driver’s insurance representative starts working immediately. Quite possibly, they may offer you a few hundred dollars within a day or two to “make you go away,” especially before you hire a Columbia car accident lawyer. It’s an unfortunate situation. That’s because it often takes a week for someone to realize their injuries after a crash are more severe than they initially thought.
Insurance providers are businesses. They must pay out as little as possible. Otherwise, their profits are affected. Our South Carolina car accident lawyers stand up to insurance companies. Dayson Shalabi Burkett Law Firm, LLC, regularly negotiates on behalf of clients in car accident cases throughout Columbia, South Carolina.
No matter the size of an insurance company you’re up against, Dayson Shalabi Burkett Law Firm, LLC is a team of lawyers who aim to help people obtain car accident settlements.
If you sustained post-collision injuries, seek an attorney quickly. Insurance companies have been through this hundreds of thousands of times; they have the experience that you don’t, and you need a car accident lawyer in South Carolina, who will fight them for you to get you the compensation you are entitled to and deserve.
Plus, a local car accident lawyer can prove beneficial in helping you form your case. Having the most robust case could mean the difference between a victory and a defeat in court. A Columbia car accident lawyer can help you build a strong claim.
The other party may also be quicker to offer a substantial settlement when learning you have professional legal representation. A lawyer in South Carolina can also assist you with obtaining car accident settlements.
As mentioned in our last section, insurance providers typically succeed when they pay as little as possible for motor vehicle accidents caused by their policyholders. Sometimes, insurance companies achieve this objective because some victims don’t know the worth of their car accident cases in Columbia, SC, or elsewhere.
Additionally, the aftermath of a car crash means speaking with insurance professionals. A Columbia car accident lawyer can represent you during these sometimes tense negotiations. Our help could mean you receive a settlement reflective of your pain and suffering.
Not all car accidents are the same. And not all locations are either. A crash on a busy Charleston bridge, a downtown intersection, or a coastal highway comes with its own challenges. Traffic patterns, road conditions, and even tourism volume can all influence how an accident happens and how a claim is handled afterward. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg.
A Columbia car accident lawyer understands how these factors play into liability and insurance negotiations. That local context matters more than many people realize. Local attorneys know which roads experience frequent collisions, how law enforcement typically documents accidents in the area, and what insurers look for when evaluating claims arising from Charleston accidents. That insight helps avoid delays and strengthens the overall case.
There is also a practical advantage to working with a Columbia car accident lawyer who is familiar with the local courts. Judges, procedures, and timelines can vary by county. Knowing what to expect helps your legal team prepare more effectively and respond quickly when challenges arise.
At the same time, serious accidents often involve broader legal issues that extend beyond city limits. A South Carolina car accident lawyer can address state-wide traffic laws, insurance regulations, and comparative negligence rules that may affect your claim. This combination of local focus and statewide legal knowledge is essential in complex or high-value cases.
Car accident cases are rarely just about vehicle damage. They often involve missed work, long-term medical care, and uncertainty about the future. Having the proper legal guidance helps ensure those factors are fully considered when pursuing compensation. With experienced representation, you can focus on recovery while your attorney focuses on protecting your rights and seeking fair car accident settlements.
As lawyers, we often receive questions about vehicle collision laws and inquiries about how the claims process works. DSB Law Firm has the answers. Let our team of experienced car accident lawyers in Columbia answer your most frequently asked questions.
According to annual figures, about 150,000 car accidents occur in this state. This state often ranks higher than the nation’s average in annual accident figures. Using data from 2021, South Carolina drivers suffer fatal injuries at an accident rate of 1.97.
In most cases, especially when a collision is severe, these people contact car accident lawyers in Columbia, SC.
Unfortunately, South Carolina often places above the national average regarding car accidents. The previously mentioned fatal car crash rate of 1.97 sadly puts the Palmetto state with the most traffic fatalities per 1,000,000 miles drivers traveled. That said, this data comes from a 2020 study.
However, as most South Carolina car accident lawyers know, the state is often ranked highly on national accident-related lists.
According to a 2021 study by Insurify, Charleston has the highest rate of at-fault car accidents in South Carolina. 15.76% of Charleston’s drivers have prior at-fault car accidents on their records, 1.06 times the state average. As Columbia car accident lawyers who also practice in Charleston, we help clients in popular cities such as Columbia, Charleston, Mount Pleasant, and Myrtle Beach during these challenging times.
No. South Carolina is an at-fault accident state. That means drivers at fault for accidents are liable for the damages they cause. A no-fault state allows each involved party to receive necessary medical treatment. That’s because no-fault states only focus on medical treatment-related matters, meaning one driver can hold another liable for vehicle and property damage.
Schedule a consultation with a Columbia car accident lawyer to learn more about this topic. We’re here to help. Let our team take the complexity out of the way forward.
In South Carolina, you must be 50% or less responsible for the crash that happened. What if you’re not? If a South Carolina judge or jury finds you responsible for 51% or more of a car accident, you can not seek damages or attempt to obtain compensation for this incident.
A car accident lawyer in South Carolina can provide a more in-depth understanding of this state’s compensation laws and how they pertain to your case. Contact the Columbia car accident lawyers at DSB Law Firm today.
There’s a reason why you’ll often hear about statutes of limitations while speaking with a car accident lawyer in Columbia. That crucial time frame is the period during which you must report a crime. In South Carolina, you have up to three years from the date of your collision to file a claim.
This statute means you must file a personal injury claim up to three years after your car accident. You won’t be legally able to file a claim after that. Therefore, seeking a car accident lawyer in Columbia is critical long before that crucial date arrives. Doing so can help ensure you don’t miss the statute of limitations for your car accident case in Columbia, SC.
However, there are specific scenarios where you are limited to a two-year statute of limitations. This is typically for government entities and non-profit organizations (which include hospitals). Contacting a car accident lawyer in SC, can help. We’ll look at your case. That lets us determine your precise limitations.
As our Columbia car accident lawyers know, determining fault is vital after a vehicle collision. Given the damage caused by typical car accidents, fault is typically assessed by several parties in South Carolina. Things become even more complex if a collision involves more than two vehicles.
First, as often legally required, law enforcement should arrive at the scene of your accident. Police officers can use the following to determine fault:
A police officer may find you at fault. But they could be wrong. It is important to remember that even if law enforcement suspects you caused a crash, you should still consult a car accident lawyer in Columbia, SC. Our investigation could uncover that a police officer made mistakes.
Insurance company representatives for each driver will also want to check out this accident scene. Understandably, each side participating in this activity seeks evidence and information favorable to their respective client.
If you and a car accident lawyer in SC go to court, a judge or jury will conduct a trial-related investigation to determine who’s at fault after a collision.
The average settlement in a car accident case can vary. Additionally, it’s nearly impossible to accurately determine a precise average due to many different factors that come into play in a car accident. If your accident resulted in minor injuries, an average of $1,000 to $10,000 is possible. Motor vehicle accidents leading to more severe injuries or death can yield settlements anywhere from $25,000 to six or seven-figure totals.
Therefore, our team of SC car accident lawyers must evaluate every claim on a case-by-case basis. Venue and jurisdiction, aggravating factors such as a DUI or hit and run, the amount of insurance the at-fault driver has, and the extent of your injuries are all critical factors in determining a car accident settlement value for your case.
You can obtain more accurate settlement-related information by speaking with a car accident lawyer in South Carolina.
The average settlement in a car accident case can vary. Additionally, it’s nearly impossible to determine an accurate average because many factors come into play in a car accident. If your accident resulted in minor injuries, you may be able to recover an average of $1,000 to $10,000. Motor vehicle accidents leading to more severe injuries or death can yield settlements anywhere from $25,000 to six or seven-figure totals.
Therefore, our team of car accident lawyers must evaluate every claim on a case-by-case basis. Venue and jurisdiction, aggravating factors such as a DUI or hit and run, the amount of insurance the at-fault driver has, and the extent of your injuries are all critical factors in determining a car accident settlement value for your case.
You can obtain more accurate settlement-related information by speaking with a car accident lawyer in Columbia, SC.
A “good” settlement figure is only possible to determine after a legal professional hears the details of a case, including your injuries, pain, suffering, and vehicle-related damage. A car accident lawyer in Columbia can help you determine an accurate settlement amount to propose if it’s not initially offered.
As with determining a post-accident settlement, there’s no way any car accident lawyer in SC, or beyond can know how long it will take to settle your car accident claim. Some people or companies want to avoid legal issues and may quickly offer attractive car accident settlements.
Should the other party not offer a settlement we can accept, we will take matters to court by filing a lawsuit against the at-fault driver. We file lawsuits on behalf of our clients only if they do not accept the insurance company’s “highest” offer.
The court process typically involves car accident lawyers in South Carolina representing each driver. If that happens, expect your case to take longer to resolve. Sometimes, drivers, companies, and insurance businesses can resolve an accident in several weeks. When neither party budges, the aftermath of a car accident may take one to two years to resolve, even when all parties have representation from car accident lawyers in Columbia, SC.
Dayson Shalabi Burkett Law Firm, LLC, is an experienced personal injury law firm. We ensure that our Charleston and Columbia car accident lawyers get big-firm results while maintaining a small-firm level of attention to each client we serve. After working with and helping many of South Carolina’s hard-working people, our car accident attorneys know exactly what they’re going through.
If a negligent driver caused an accident that injured you or a loved one, call our Columbia car accident lawyers at Dayson Shalabi Burkett Law Firm, LLC, at 803-973-0304 or in Charleston at 843-388-3368 for help today!
