St. Andrews Car Accident Lawyer
Car crashes are an unfortunately common part of our daily lives. Most of us have probably been in an accident before or know someone who has. Whether your injuries are severe or relatively minor, you have the right to take legal action against the person or people who harmed you. Talk to a lawyer about starting a case so you can get fair compensation.
Car accidents can happen in hundreds or even thousands of ways. While you should definitely talk to your attorney about the specific details of your accident, there are common causes of accidents worth considering, including distractions, intoxication, and traffic code violations. How your accident happened and the extent of your injuries may help us determine the extent of your damages, including economic and non-economic losses and injuries. To prove these claims for damages, we need as much evidence as we can find, and we must collect it quickly before it is lost.
Speak to our Columbia car accident attorneys at Burriss Ridgeway Injury Lawyers by calling (803) 451-4000 and ask about a free case review to get started.
How a Car Accident Can Occur in St. Andrews
How a car accident happens can tell us a lot about who is responsible and how we can prove it. Was the other driver not paying attention to the road? Were they intoxicated or otherwise unable to drive safely? Maybe they hit you after running a red light. The reason behind the accident is just as important as the accident itself.
Distractions
Staying focused on the road is not always easy, and drivers often split their focus, if only for a few moments. Unfortunately, some drivers cannot be bothered to fully pay attention while driving, and they often cause serious collisions that might otherwise be easily avoidable. For example, texting or making phone calls while driving is a serious problem nationwide, including in South Carolina. In addition, vehicles today are often designed to sync with electronic devices like phones and GPS devices, making it even harder for drivers to stay focused on the road. Tell your lawyer immediately if you believe the other driver was distracted when the crash happened.
Intoxication
Drinking and controlled substances are prohibited behind the wheel. Even slight intoxication might be enough to cause an accident. Drivers who are intoxicated often have dulled reflexes, and their decision-making abilities and judgment are impaired. They are more likely not to make mistakes on the road or drive in a risky and unsafe manner. Such drivers might be held civilly liable for causing accidents and injuries and might also face serious criminal charges.
Common Traffic Violations
Violations of common traffic rules and laws happen all the time. Drivers often speed, fail to signal, or roll through stop signs without anything bad happening. However, this does not mean that traffic violations are harmless. While many drivers commit such violations without consequences, others cause massive accidents. People often commit traffic violations because they have done it before and nothing happened, so they are inclined to do it again. It only takes one mistake to cause an accident. If you suspect the other driver did something to violate the law, talk to your attorney and the police who investigated the crash.
Recoverable Damages in St. Andrews Car Accident Cases
Your damages reflect all the ways the car accident cost you, both economically and mentally or emotionally. Assessing damages may be difficult, especially if you have a lot of them to comb through or your injuries are severe. Your attorney can help you take stock of your damages and determine what kind of compensation they might be worth.
Economic Damages
Your economic damages are based on the money you spent because of the car accident. This often includes large expenses like hospital bills and vehicle repairs. If your accident was severe, your injuries might require long-term treatment, and your vehicle might have been totaled. Additionally, severe accidents involving severe injuries often lead to lost income. If your injuries are bad, you might be unable to work for a while. Some people can never work again. Your lawyer can help you estimate the value of the income you have lost and might continue to lose in the future.
Non-Economic Damages
Non-economic damages are not measured in how much money they cost the plaintiff but in how they impact the plaintiff’s overall quality of life. This often includes mental, psychological, and emotional considerations that can be hard to quantify. For example, physical pain, psychological injuries, disfigurement, embarrassment, and the loss of enjoyment of your life should all be considered. Since these damages are subjective and unique to each person, the jury typically decides what kind of compensation is warranted.
How Long You Can Wait After an Accident in St. Andrews Before Filing a Case
It can take a fair bit of time to recover from a car accident mentally, physically, and financially. While you should take some time to rest, recover, and get back on your feet, you should also be mindful of how long you wait before speaking to a lawyer. You have a limited amount of time to file a case, and if you wait too long, you might lose the right to sue for this particular cause of action.
The statute of limitations for personal injuries in South Carolina is 3 years. According to S.C. Code Ann. § 15-3-530(5), this limitation period begins on the same day that the accident occurs, which means your time limit begins counting down immediately. Having 3 years to file a case might sound like more than enough time, but this is not always true. It takes many plaintiffs months and months to fully prepare their case before filing it. The more time you give your lawyer to prepare, the better your odds of success.
Contact Our St. Andrews Car Accident Attorneys to Begin Your Case
Speak to our car accident attorneys at Burriss Ridgeway Injury Lawyers by calling (803) 451-4000 and ask about a free case review to get started.
