When car accidents occur, the injuries and property damage victims experience are often life-changing. From medical bills that can total thousands of dollars to lost wages and costs related to recovery, car accident victims may become quickly overwhelmed in the aftermath. At Jeffcoat Injury and Car Accident Lawyers, our car accident lawyers can evaluate car crash injury cases and answer some important questions regarding the value of a case, different types of damages and how we assist our clients with recovering compensation for their injuries.
What Causes Serious Car Wrecks?
Accidents that cause serious injuries can occur due to poor visibility or road conditions. However, driver negligence also causes these wrecks. In almost any driving situation, it only takes a few seconds of inattention to cause an accident. Texting or talking on a cell phone while driving, speeding, or following the line of traffic too closely can all cause significant injuries to others.
Even poor weather or road conditions do not always excuse negligent driving. Motorists must remain in control of their vehicles at all times and adjust their speed or position as necessary. For example, if heavy rains make roads slippery and the chances of skidding or hydroplaning increase, drivers have the responsibility of adjusting their driving actions, such as braking slowly, to keep other motorists safe
What Are Some Common Car Crash Injuries?
Serious car wrecks can cause injuries that affect the victims involved for months or even years. In most cases, the velocity of the vehicles involved usually determines the seriousness of the injuries, which can include:
- Traumatic brain injury
- Broken bones
- Spinal cord injuries
- Crushing injuries
Traumatic brain injuries usually occur when victims strike their heads against the interior of the vehicle or if loose objects in the vehicle become projectiles at the time of impact and strike drivers or passengers in the head. Severe whiplash can cause spinal cord injuries, which affect different parts of the body. These injuries may even lead to partial or complete paralysis. As the cost of treatment for these injuries mounts, victims who turn to our firm for assistance may better understand how to seek compensation for their injuries.
What Losses Can Car Crash Victims Pursue?
Some victims of serious car crashes may not know where to begin when filing a lawsuit, but our attorneys can explain their rights, place a value on their losses and investigate the crash itself to determine what actions another driver might have taken to cause the accident.
Medical costs
Those who experience severe injuries during a car crash can incur major medical bills almost right away. The cost of medication, triage treatment, surgery and a lengthy hospital stay usually rise quickly and eclipse any kind of insurance coverage victims may have. Our attorneys can review and calculate these costs and build a case based on the value or dollar amount of medical costs.
Property damage
When drivers act negligently and cause damage to others’ vehicles and any valuable property inside them, such as cell phones and laptops, our attorneys help our clients list such damages to add to the total value of their prospective case.
Loss of wages
Those who suffer serious injuries in a car wreck may find they cannot return to work for weeks or months because of limited mobility or brain injuries that prevent them from working at all in the future. Some victims may find it difficult to their former job because of their new physical limitations and must find a job that pays less. Our attorneys can assist clients with calculating these losses, which often affect the victims’ loved ones when a job generates the main source of household income.
Emotional or mental anguish
When serious car accidents occur, drivers and passengers may suffer from a variety of mental or emotional trauma. Flashbacks to the accident itself, night terrors, insomnia and new or worsening anxiety can all cause poor mental health. Speaking with our attorneys can help those suffering from these problems gain compensation in a car crash lawsuit.
If a serious accident causes the death of a loved one, those left behind face recovering from this wrongful death, which may take years. Such losses are difficult to calculate without the assistance of our attorneys, and our firm also offers a variety of other benefits as well.
What Benefits Does Legal Assistance Offer After a Car Crash?
Those injured in a serious car crash can gain peace of mind and reduce stress caused by the wreck by speaking to our attorneys, who have experience with building car crash cases. From a free initial consultation to complete representation in court, our attorneys guide clients through the often-confusing maze of litigation.
Finding fault
In at-fault states like South Carolina, car accident victims usually gain monetary compensation through the at-fault driver’s insurance. However, when both physical and emotional pain eclipses insurance payouts, those injured may find themselves responsible for other or future costs. Our attorneys seek evidence to prove negligence occurred on the part of the other motorist.
Gathering documentation
One crucial aspect of building a car crash injury case is gathering proof that others acted negligently and caused injuries. Our attorneys take this responsibility out of the hands of our clients and gather medical reports, hospital bills, pay stubs, and police and insurance reports. These documents often meet the burden of proof that courts require.
Experience with gathering evidence
Serious car accidents are difficult to untangle, particularly when it comes to uncovering evidence that supports a victim’s case. Our attorneys have experience with collecting police reports, insurance papers, and witness statements that injured people may have trouble obtaining, especially if they were badly hurt in the crash. Evidence builds the foundation of any personal injury case, and our attorneys understand its value.
Insurance representation
In at-fault states, insurance company representatives of the other driver may contact those injured in a serious crash to offer insurance settlements. Some companies may pressure injured individuals to settle out of court. Our attorneys field phone calls, examine settlement amounts and offer our clients protection from unfair offers.
Case protection
Our attorneys understand the value of privacy during any stage of a personal injury case and provide our clients with guidance concerning its protection. They understand that real-time social media and texting cause information to spread quickly, which could damage a case in progress. Cases that include possible punitive actions need particular protection, including keeping any details regarding the accident off the internet.
What Is Punitive Damage?
When some car accidents occur, the at-fault driver may have acted in a way that breached the duty of general care or with extreme negligence. Several types of actions fall under punitive damage, including:
- Speeding
- Racing with other drivers
- Cell phone usage in a school zone
- Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs
- Driving aggressively
Our attorneys review police and witness statements to prove driver negligence and guide our clients through the process of litigation that includes punitive damages.
We Assist Injured Car Crash Victims
At Jeffcoat Injury and Car Accident Lawyers, our attorneys stand ready to assist injured individuals who are unsure of where to turn after a car crash. From assigning monetary value to a case to complete representation in court, we can assist with every step of litigation. Call us today for a free consultation at 803-200-2000 or for further information.
