A lot can be happening after you’ve been in a car accident in South Carolina. You may be dealing with any damage to your vehicle. If you’ve been injured hopefully you are getting the medical attention you need. You also may have to deal with a lot of paperwork. Police reports, forms for the insurance company, medical documents, estimates for getting your vehicle fixed, and all the bills that start to come in can be a lot of documentation for just one accident. There’s also the South Carolina FR-10 form that you need to have filled out and turned in. Learn more about what an FR-10 SC form is, why it’s important after your accident, and connect with a South Carolina car accident lawyer near you.
South Carolina Liability Laws
In the state of South Carolina, all drivers must have liability insurance that covers them in the case of an accident. It’s against the law for you to drive a vehicle without insurance. Your insurance status can play a role in any accidents you are involved in and how any claims are paid out.
Accident Reports
In South Carolina, an accident report is not always necessary. For example, an accident report isn’t required for minor accidents with no injuries or damages less than $1,000. However, if police respond to the scene, they’ll file a report with the South Carolina Department of Public Safety, no matter how minor the accident. Along with the typical documentation you’d expect after an accident, the police officer responding to the crash will also give you an FR-10 South Carolina form. Every driver involved in the accident should be given this form. In addition, if there was property damage of $400 or more, the SC FR-10 form is required even if there wasn’t an investigation by the police.
What is a South Carolina FR-10?
After you’ve been in a car accident in South Carolina, a responding police officer should give you an SC FR-10. In addition, you may hear this form called the South Carolina FR-10 Insurance Verification Form. It’ll be a single piece of paper you need to send to your insurance company after your accident. The form is green which can help you find it.
This form aims to ensure that you have the required automobile insurance on your car and that you’re covered for the accident. Some people may mistake this form as the official police report for the car accident and set it aside with any other paperwork they received after the accident, but it’s not. The officer will have some sections filled out for you, but there are several sections you need to have your insurance company fill out. Paying attention to this piece of paper is essential, as not turning it in can result in legal penalties.
FR-10 South Carolina Form Timeline
An SC FR-10 Form will be given to you at the time of your accident or when the accident has been reported to the police. It’s required by law. You’ll have 15 days to get it filled out and returned to the South Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles. This form can be submitted either electronically or by mail.
What If the Accident Wasn’t Your Fault?
It doesn’t matter who is at fault for the car accident when it comes to the FR-10 in South Carolina. This form must be filled out by all drivers involved in the accident. It helps determine if drivers have the proper liability insurance as required by law.
What Happens If I Don’t Turn in the Form?
If you don’t have this form completed and filed out, South Carolina law may take that as evidence that you’re not insured as required by the law, and you may face penalties. Penalties may include suspension of your driver’s license and car registration, especially if you don’t have insurance and didn’t just forget to turn in the form. If you don’t have insurance at the time of your accident, it can also play a role in any claims you may have against the at-fault driver.
What Happens If the At-Fault Driver Doesn’t Have Insurance?
If you were injured in a crash and/or your vehicle was damaged, requiring expensive repairs and the at-fault driver doesn’t have insurance, what happens? Your insurance policy should hopefully help cover you. An experienced South Carolina personal injury attorney near you can help you review your available coverages, such as your uninsured motorist coverage, to determine whether you might be covered and if so, to what extent. To best protect yourself in this situation and receive the compensation you’re due, it can be useful to quickly speak with an attorney familiar with personal injury claims.
Have you been involved in a car accident? If you need assistance with your FR-10 form in South Carolina and were injured by someone else’s carelessness or negligence, the car accident attorneys near you at Jeffcoat Injury and Car Accident Lawyers are ready to talk. Contact us today for a no-cost consultation to see if we can help with your car accident and SC FR-10 form.
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