- December 11, 2022
Car accidents are common on American roads, including South Carolina roadways. According to the U.S Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), over 1,000 people lose their lives in car crashes in South Carolina annually. The agency also reports close to 3,000 serious injuries from car accidents in the State. A car accident in South Carolina could change your life.
If you are involved in a car accident in South Carolina, handling the case alone may lower your chances of receiving fair compensation. Most people often need help figuring out what to do to improve their chances of receiving full compensation from insurance companies.
What you do after a car accident in South Carolina determines the fate of your claim. Your case’s strength and the compensation you receive may be negatively affected if you make a few mistakes. If you were involved in a car crash, a seasoned car accident attorney can help you build a solid case.
Keep reading to learn about the most frequent mistakes people make after a car accident in South Carolina and the steps you may take to correct them.
Failure to Get Enough Information at the Scene
South Carolina car accident victims often make the mistake of not gathering enough information at the accident scene. Since there is so much going on after a car accident, it’s easy to get confused and forget what happened. This makes it far more challenging to receive compensation for your injuries if you don’t write down important information such names, phone numbers, and insurance policies.
Another thing that can hurt a future accident case is forgetting to write down the names of witnesses or other relevant accident scene information that may not be included in the police report.
Talking Excessively
Although people believe they shouldn’t withhold information from a police officer who arrives to take a police report, you aren’t obliged to share damaging information voluntarily.
You must help the police officer with their investigation, but you should not say anything that could be used to suggest you are accepting blame for the accident.
While it’s understandable to feel a range of emotions after a car collision, it’s best to remain calm and avoid making hasty decisions like apologizing to the other driver. Doing so may seem like a lovely gesture at the time, but it might be used against you if the other party decides to sue you for damages after the accident.
Remember that whatever you say can be used against you in a court of law. Don’t say a word to anyone at the scene; instead, think about what you want to tell your Greensville car accident lawyer.
Failing to Seek Medical Attention
If you’ve sustained injuries in an accident, it’s best to get checked out as quickly as possible so that any resulting issues can be treated more effectively. Some injuries, if left untreated for too long, might worsen, making recovery more time-consuming than it would have been otherwise.
Seeking medical attention promptly after a car accident in South Carolina is also recommended because it provides an opportunity to get your condition documented by a doctor. It’s crucial to seek medical attention after an accident because the sooner you do it, the more accurately your medical records will represent the extent of your injuries.
If you sustained an accident, being checked out as quickly as possible is recommended so that insurance companies can’t later claim your injuries weren’t severe. Insurance companies often portray a patient who delays treatment as an opportunist who only goes to the doctor to get money.
Seeking prompt medical attention will strengthen your case that you suffered severe injuries from the accident.
Settling too Hastily with Insurance Companies
Although people who have been injured would like to resolve their disputes as quickly as possible, there are times when doing so can be detrimental to the plaintiff’s interests.
It’s always a bad idea to settle with an insurer immediately after an accident. If your wounds are particularly severe, it could be some time before you are sure the medical attention you received worked. You might have accepted an amount that is far too low to cover ongoing costs like rehabilitation or future surgery if you did not know the full extent of your injury.
Unfortunately, once a settlement is reached, it cannot be revisited, even if new, serious health issues arise afterward.
Negotiating with Insurance Adjusters Alone
Although it may be tempting, injured plaintiffs should refrain from independently communicating with insurance claims adjusters. Insurance claims adjusters are only interested in one thing: resolving injury cases for the least amount of money possible. They are motivated to prevent you from collecting a significant payout, unlike personal injury attorneys, who only benefit when you win the case.
Claims adjusters are paid by the firm that is distributing the funds. Therefore, they are incentivized to keep as much money as possible for the company.
Offering a statement to an insurance adjuster exposes you to receiving lowball settlement offers. Your auto accident attorney can negotiate with insurance companies on your behalf.
Delaying to Retain Legal Counsel
With the help of a qualified auto accident attorney in Greensville, South Carolina, all of these issues are preventable. Hiring an experienced professional might help you avoid making many rookie blunders.
If you hire a lawyer, they will help you position your case so that you receive maximum compensation and will work relentlessly on your case until it is resolved.
Hiring a lawyer means you won’t have to deal with insurance claims adjusters or risk forgetting any steps in the claims process following a car accident in South Carolina.
Contact an Experienced Greenwood Car Accident Lawyer Today
Our dedicated attorneys at ASB Law Firm have helped countless injured people in South Carolina get compensated for their losses. Ayers Smithdeal & Bettis PC knows how stressful and complicated a car accident can be for everyone involved, from the injured driver to family and loved ones, who must deal with mounting medical expenditures and uncertainty about the future.
Contact Ayers Smithdeal & Bettis PC today at (855) 213 -4405 if you or a loved one has been injured in a South Carolina car accident.
