Georgetown Car Accident Lawyer

Georgetown Car Accident Attorney

Car accidents can result from a wide range of factors. When a collision is the result of another driver’s negligence, however, the at-fault party is legally responsible for covering the ensuing damages. If you’ve been involved in a car accident, even if you are partially to blame, reach out to a Georgetown car accident lawyer to begin recovering compensation for your injuries and loss.

Georgetown, SC, Car Accident Lawyer & Law Firm

Partnering with a local car accident attorney can be the most effective way to secure the compensation you deserve. The team at Axelrod & Associates, P.A., can work diligently to obtain the most favorable outcome in your case by assessing the evidence, evaluating the damages, and fighting to reach a settlement when filing your claim.

We have extensive experience negotiating with insurance companies and helping clients receive what they need to reach a full recovery after an accident.

What Are the Most Common Causes of Car Accidents?

While there are many potential factors that could lead to a vehicle collision, understanding some of the most common reasons that car crashes occur can assist you in identifying responsible parties. Generally, car accidents result from one or more of the following:

• Driving while distracted. As one of the leading causes of car accidents across the nation, most accidents result when a driver’s attention is diverted from the road. This happens when a driver engages in texting, calling, browsing, eating, or using GPS.
• Driving recklessly. Driving above the speed limit or driving too fast for the present road conditions puts everyone on the road, including the speeding driver, at risk for an accident. Other aggressive driving behaviors, such as tailgating, erratic lane changes, and failure to adhere to posted signage and traffic signals, can all lead to serious accidents.
• Driving while under the influence. Driving a vehicle while under the influence of drugs or alcohol can severely impact a driver’s ability to drive safely, impairing their judgment, reaction time, and coordination. In addition to being illegal, driving under the influence (DUI) is dangerous and commonly leads to accidents.
• Driving while fatigued. Similar to impairment, fatigue can cause a driver to have reduced awareness, reaction time, coordination, and judgment. This is particularly common for commercial truck drivers who drive for long hours over consecutive days. When a truck driver’s fatigue causes an accident, the driver or the trucking company could be held liable.
• Driving in hazardous conditions. Each driver is responsible for continually assessing the weather and road conditions when operating their vehicle and making every reasonable attempt to drive safely. When a driver neglects to account for conditions on the road, such as rain, road damage, ice, or visibility concerns, such as driving in fog, they could be held liable for any accident they cause.

How Can a Car Accident Attorney Help in My Claim?

Insurance companies are typically reluctant to pay out claims and may attempt to mitigate or avoid responsibility in order to increase their profits. South Carolina is a comparative fault state, meaning that if they try to demonstrate that you shared fault in the accident, it could reduce the final settlement amount. For this reason, it is important that you work with a qualified and experienced personal injury attorney to help handle your claim.

Your car accident attorney can provide guidance throughout the legal process, protect your rights, and petition for a fair settlement amount from the at-fault party. There are several skills and strategies your attorney may use to help obtain the most favorable outcome in your case, including:

• Investigation. Your attorney can gather evidence, interview witnesses, assess police reports, evaluate medical records, and collect other necessary documentation in order to piece together the events of the accident and sufficiently demonstrate fault.
• Negotiation. Your attorney can communicate with the other driver’s insurance company to present an agreeable settlement amount. Often, this requires engaging in back-and-forth discussions with the carrier and negotiating for fair compensation. Your attorney understands how to leverage the threat of litigation to secure a favorable agreement.
• Representation. Your attorney can represent you throughout the legal process, including in court, if the case goes to trial. By advocating on your behalf, your attorney can ensure all appropriate damages will be included in the settlement offer. They can also protect you against counter-claims of fault intended to avoid liability by the defendant.

By employing these and other strategies and roles, your attorney is most suited to ensure that your rights are protected and that the at-fault party is held legally responsible to cover the damages caused by their negligence.

What Types of Compensation Can I Recover in My Car Accident Case?

When seeking a settlement for a car accident in Georgetown, South Carolina, your claim should seek to recover damages for all costs associated with your injury, property damage, and the suffering you experienced as a result of the accident. The settlement should include economic damages and non-economic damages, as well as punitive damages in some cases.

• Economic damages. These damages represent tangible values, such as medical costs, lost wages, and property damage. In a car accident, the victim often faces steep medical bills that cover emergency services, procedures, medication, and follow-up visits. The time spent recovering from these injuries can keep victims out of work temporarily or even, in severe cases, permanently. These losses, combined with the cost to repair or replace their damaged vehicle or other property, should be covered by the settlement.
• Non-economic damages. Some injuries, whether physical, emotional, or mental, cannot be easily quantified. Nevertheless, they represent real losses and should be covered by the settlement. Generally, courts will award an amount for pain and suffering to represent the distress and physical pain inflicted on the victim by the accident. The loss of enjoyment of life considers the impact the victim’s injuries have on their everyday activities and well-being.
• Punitive damages. In some cases, the at-fault driver acted with gross negligence, such as driving recklessly, driving under the influence, or engaging in some other behavior that needlessly put others in danger. When this occurs, a judge may choose to add additional damages to the settlement in an effort to punish the defendant and discourage the same type of future behavior. Rather than attempting to restore the victim, these damages are intended to penalize the offender.

Your attorney can help you understand what your case is worth by assessing the details of your case and evaluating the extent and severity of your injuries and loss compared with the assignment of fault for the accident.

FAQs

Q: How Much Can You Settle for in a Car Accident?

A: In South Carolina, settlement amounts can vary widely depending on your circumstances. The extent of the property damage involved, the severity of the injuries, and the share of fault in your accident will all impact the final settlement amounts.

Generally, you can expect to recover damages for medical costs, lost income, property damage, pain and suffering, and other potential damages, such as punitive damages. This could result in anywhere from a couple thousand to hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Q: What Is Pain and Suffering Worth?

A: South Carolina courts place no particular value on pain and suffering, meaning the exact amount will be dependent on the details of the case. Generally, these damages are calculated by considering the severity of the pain experienced, the suffering inflicted by the injury, and the present and future loss of enjoyment of life. Pain and suffering damages tend to be at least 1.5 to two times the total economic damages calculated in the settlement.

Q: What Is a Typical Settlement Percentage?

A: Most attorneys work on a contingency fee basis, meaning that all legal fees will be covered with a percentage of the settlement. This amount tends to be between 33% to 45% of the gross settlement. The exact amount can vary based on the experience of the attorney, the complexity of the case, and whether the case settles in or out of court. When hiring a car accident attorney, it is important to discuss payment arrangements from the very beginning.

Q: At What Point Do Most Cases Settle?

A: Most car accident cases will settle during the pre-trial phase to avoid trial. Taking a claim to court is a risky and expensive legal endeavor, and most insurance companies and defending parties will try to avoid letting the claim reach this point. After the discovery phase, in which each side can gather evidence, assess the situation, and exchange documentation, the defense is usually more willing to agree to a settlement. Your attorney can negotiate for a fair settlement amount.

Contact Your Georgetown Car Accident Lawyer Today

If you’ve been involved in a car accident, the at-fault party should be held liable for the damages you’ve suffered as a result. Ensure you recover the full extent of compensation to which you are entitled by working with an experienced Georgetown car accident lawyer. Our team at Axelrod & Associates, P.A., is ready to help make you whole again after your accident. Contact our office today.