Not every car accident involves more than one vehicle. Many drivers are injured in single-car accidents where their vehicle is the only one involved. Even so, that does not mean that someone else is not responsible. Our legal team can help you determine who is responsible for your accident, enabling you to obtain fair compensation.
You may sue for single-car accidents, but you might not necessarily sue another driver. Single-car accidents can happen for several reasons. Another driver might have caused you to swerve and hit something, or your brakes might have failed. As such, you might sue another person on the road, the manufacturer of faulty car parts, or someone else entirely. In many cases, plaintiffs have a hard time identifying the defendants, as they might not have been present for you to exchange information with after the crash.
For a free case evaluation from our South Carolina car accident lawyers, call Burriss Ridgeway Injury Lawyers at (803) 451-4000.
Can I Sue for a Single-Vehicle Accident in South Carolina?
Although you might have been the only person driving when your accident occurred, you may still file a lawsuit to recover damages. Just because another driver was not involved in the collision does not mean that someone else did not cause it.
Many single-vehicle accidents involve drivers striking stationary objects. Often, single-car accidents involve striking telephone poles, road barriers, fences, or objects left in the road. Drivers cannot always safely avoid collisions, and they might hit them, causing serious damage and injuries.
If another driver were somehow responsible for the accident without striking your vehicle, our South Carolina car accident lawyers may need to investigate to determine their identity. The driver might not have realized they were at fault for the accident, and they might not have stopped to exchange information. Even so, we can find them and hold them responsible.
Who You Can Sue for a Single Vehicle Accident
Numerous people might be held responsible for a single-car accident, even if they were not driving when you crashed.
Perhaps you were a passenger, and the person driving the vehicle you were in was negligent and caused the crash. In that case, you may sue the driver for damages. This might involve suing someone close to you, like a family member, or a total stranger, like a cab or rideshare driver.
It is also possible that another driver might have caused your accident, but they were not actually involved in the collision. For example, perhaps they were traveling in the wrong direction, and you had to swerve to avoid them, only to end up striking a parked car or other stationary object.
Your car might be the reason for the accident. Faulty car parts are extremely dangerous, and negligent manufacturers should be held accountable. Maybe your brakes failed or something else malfunctioned, causing the accident.
How to Start a Lawsuit for a Single-Vehicle Accident
Starting a lawsuit for a single-car accident may be challenging for several reasons. Since your vehicle was the only one involved, we might have a hard time identifying the defendant and finding evidence.
Since there is no other driver, you may not have to exchange information with anyone at the crash site. You might not even be immediately aware that someone else is to blame. You should call the police, especially if there is extensive property damage or serious injuries. They can investigate and hopefully help us figure out who is responsible.
Did you hit someone else’s property? If so, was it negligently in the way or somewhere it should not have been? We may need to determine who owned the property before we can start your lawsuit.
Can I Sue My Insurance for Not Covering a Single-Car Accident in South Carolina?
Many drivers injured in single-car accidents often cannot identify the defendants, and as a result, they must file claims for first-party benefits with their own insurance coverage. If your insurance company wrongfully denies your claim, you may need to file a lawsuit to get the compensation you need.
First-party benefits may be available through certain optional insurance claims, such as MedPay, that cover certain damages regardless of who is at fault. If your insurance company denied your claim in bad faith, we need to gather evidence to prove it and make them pay in court.
To prove your claims, we first need a copy of your insurance policy so we can examine the terms and compare it to the denial letter sent by the insurance company. Often, it is clear that your policy covers your claim, and the insurance company should have approved it.
Am I Automatically At Fault for a Single-Car Accident in South Carolina?
Although the odds might feel stacked against you, you should not be automatically presumed negligent after a single-car accident.
One benefit of contacting the police, even if the accident is not extremely serious, is that they can investigate and help determine who is responsible. Contact them immediately after the accident and explain everything. In some cases, they can use descriptions of other vehicles to track down negligent drivers before they get too far.
Police reports are typically inadmissible as evidence in court, but the report may lead us to admissible evidence uncovered by the police.
What if I Do Not Know Who is Responsible for My Single-Car Accident?
If you do not know who is responsible for your accident even after an investigation, an attorney can still help you build a case for damages. We can use descriptions of vehicles or information about the stationary object you hit to find the proper defendant.
This is a common problem. You might have hit something like a parked car or some other stationary object, and you cannot identify the owner. If a lawsuit is just not possible because we cannot find the defendant, your lawyer can help you explore other legal options.
Call Our South Carolina Car Accident Attorneys if You Were Injured in a Crash
For a free case evaluation from our South Carolina personal injury lawyers, call Burriss Ridgeway Injury Lawyers at (803) 451-4000.
