Car accident victims rarely think to contact an attorney for their compensation. When someone has been involved in a car accident, they often believe they must personally negotiate with the other driver’s insurance company to receive compensation.
Insurance agents want to exhaust all options before admitting to liability. They will find fault with the injuries that you’ve sustained and accuse you of being responsible for your accident.
Do not face insurance agents without a Columbia car accident attorney from the Shelly Leeke Law Firm on your side. Our Columbia personal injury lawyers are ready to go to work for you.
How Car Accidents Happen in Columbia, SC
Car accidents result from negligence on the part of either a single driver or several. Negligence is the act of recklessness that places someone or the general public in danger. When drivers fail to follow traffic regulations, that may be an act of negligence. Many actions can be considered negligent in a car accident, including:
- Speeding
- Failing to stop at a four-way stop sign
- Failing to yield the right of way
- Improperly changing lanes
- Tailgating
When drivers commit these reckless actions and cause a car crash, victims may be able to file a car accident claim.
Common Types of Columbia, SC, Car Accidents
There are several types of dangerous car accidents, including head-on collisions, rear-end crashes, sideswipe crashes, multi-car pile-ups, and more. Your Shelly Leeke car accident lawyer in Columbia, SC, has experience with these and other collisions, such as skidding on ice or running into a stationary object.
Head-On Collisions
Head-on collisions are car accidents that happen when both cars collide from the front. These accidents can happen when one or both cars travel in opposite directions and at dangerous speeds.
Rear-End Collisions
These accidents happen when one car hits another car from the rear. These accidents are often underestimated for the damage that they can cause drivers and passengers.
Sideswipe Accidents
These accidents happen when two cars drive in the same direction and strike one another from the side. These accidents often occur when drivers fail to check their blind spots before turning.
Multi-Car Pile-Ups
These accidents are similar to a chain reaction where the impact from one accident spills out and causes several other cars to crash. These accidents involve at least three or more cars and can result from different car accidents. One car can rear-end another car, which leads to another rear-end collision with the car behind them, and so on.
Merging Accidents
These accidents happen when drivers fail to yield the right of way or check their blind spots before merging. While these accidents can occur anywhere on the roadways, they often happen in construction areas or entering or exiting ramps.
The Reasons Why Drivers Act Negligently
Drivers will engage in negligent actions for various reasons. For example, drivers will often speed out of impatience or to avoid being late for an appointment. Drivers will also become more distracted when driving for long hours on the highways.
Traffic congestion can also cause drivers to lose focus. Even the hours of traveling on the roads can influence aggression in drivers. Regardless of the excuses that drivers use, none of them justify the drivers’ negligent actions.
Drivers found at fault for a car accident may be liable for a victim’s injuries. Talk to our car accident lawyers today about your case.
How You Can Recover Compensation Following a Columbia, SC, Car Accident
Car accident victims can start by filing insurance claims with the other driver’s insurance company. Every driver must carry auto insurance that helps cover the costs of a car accident victim’s injuries. Insurance claims are often taken seriously and evaluated by insurance agents.
Agents will inspect the facts of an accident and either approve or deny a victim’s claim. If a victim’s claim is denied, they can file a personal injury claim against the other driver’s insurance company. With a personal injury claim, victims can negotiate with the insurance company and agree on compensation.
If you cannot agree with the insurance agents in your claim, your claim may progress to a trial.
All parties want to exhaust all options outside of court before trial. You may have to prepare your claim for trial if this can’t happen.
That is why you want to begin working with a car accident attorney in Columbia, SC, from the beginning of your accident. It’s difficult to determine the route your claim will take to receive compensation.
The Statute of Limitations in South Carolina For a Car Accident Claim
Like other personal injury claims, car accident claims must be submitted under a certain statute of limitations. This is the period that victims have to submit their claims before they lose the ability to hold defendants accountable.
In South Carolina, car accident victims have a period of three years from the date of the accident to file their claims. To reduce the risk of filing your claim past the statute of limitations, you should consult with a car accident attorney from the Shelly Leeke Law Firm as soon as possible.
How a Car Accident Attorney in Columbia, SC, Helps Your Case
Car accident attorneys do more than just prepare for trial. They can add value to every portion of your claim, from collecting evidence to drafting a demand letter on your behalf. Car accident attorneys can offer legal protection against insurance agents.
They can issue statements on your behalf if insurance agents want additional information about your accident. This prevents you from sharing information that can be used against you during the negotiation process.
Talk to a Columbia Car Accident Lawyer at Shelly Leeke Law Firm Today
When you choose a car accident lawyer from the Shelly Leeke Law Firm, you gain a sense of clarity with your claim. Instead of feeling frightened and confused throughout the process, our car accident attorneys help navigate you through this challenging time in your life.
We are dedicated to creating a legal strategy that helps you obtain the outcome you deserve from your claim. To consult with a Columbia car accident attorney at the Shelly Leeke Law Firm, contact us online for a free case evaluation.
