Spartanburg Car Accident Lawyer

Car accidents are a painful part of life that many of us try to avoid. Chances are you have driven past at least a fender bender, if not a more serious accident, and thought that you were glad that was not you. Unfortunately, now you have suffered a major injury in a car accident, and you are struggling to recover.

While the safety measures auto manufacturers now take can help, a car crash can be a scary, dangerous event. Few people walk away without a scratch, which means you might be spending months or even years recovering. In some cases, permanent physical and mental damage are a sad reality.

When a car crash happens, you will need compensation to fully recover. That can be hard to fight for alone, so reach out to a Spartanburg car accident lawyer. At HawkLaw, P.A., we are committed to getting you the compensation you deserve.

Common Auto Wreck Injuries

Unfortunately, while cars have only gotten safer over time, there is still a major risk of injury. A car accident causes blunt-force trauma to your body, which can damage both bones and organs. The force of coming to a stop after high speeds can be traumatic in itself, but that’s not the only thing that can harm you. A fire may break out, and flying glass can do plenty of damage, too.

As such, your Spartanburg car accident lawyer will need to ensure that you get care and compensation for any of the following serious injuries in your car accident case:

• Brain injury and trauma
• Spinal cord injuries
• Organ damage
• Eye injuries
• Burns
• Broken bones
• Wrongful death, if you’ve lost a loved one

Who’s At Fault?

Once you’ve been treated for your injuries, you’ll need to seek out the person responsible for the accident. This is a concept important to almost every personal injury claim called “negligence.” South Carolina is a fault state, which means that if someone causes an accident, they’re also responsible for the cost of the accident.

Unfortunately, identifying the responsible party in motor vehicle accidents is not always straightforward. For example, the motorist responsible may have been on the clock, which means they might not be responsible for their actions. Instead, you might need to seek compensation from their employer. If you got hurt during the normal course of your duties, workers’ compensation may kick in.

Even if your accident was a single-vehicle crash, our auto attorneys will review the scene, look at any police report, examine the evidence, and determine whether someone else was responsible. For example, a defect in the road can cause drivers to lose control of their cars and crash. In this case, you’d need to file a claim against the government to cover your care. In other cases, a careless manufacturer and their defective part may have caused your crash.

If you are not sure who or what caused the crash, you will need to reach out for help before you file. We will investigate your claim and make sure the person responsible for your injuries pays for the damage they’ve caused.

Dealing With Insurance After A Car Wreck

Once the at-fault party is identified, the first option for injured people is usually your insurance. All South Carolina drivers are required to carry some insurance, so you may be able to recover without taking your claim to court.

The at-fault party will be the financially responsible party, but you’ll have two options for a settlement: your insurance company or a third-party claim. If you choose to file a claim with your insurance company, you will simply need to report the accident, explain that the other driver was at fault, and give them the other driver’s insurance information.

From there, they will investigate your claim, then decide if you are owed a settlement. They’ll send an insurance adjuster to examine the case and make you an offer, and then they’ll pursue the other insurer for repayment for your injuries and property damage. A third-party settlement, however, means that you will file a claim directly with the other driver’s insurer.

Unfortunately, that does not mean that the insurance companies will be eager to cover you. They are for-profit companies, which means that they’re thinking about their money, not your settlement. As such, after you speak to an insurance adjuster, you might see a slow response, no response, or a settlement offer that simply doesn’t cover your needs. In these cases, you’ll need to take your claim to court for your full compensation.  This is why legal representation is so important. We stand against any insurance company that is trying to avoid paying your claim. HawkLaw fights to win!

Compensation For Your Spartanburg Car Crash

So, what does full compensation for car accident injuries mean? You know that you’ll need coverage for all the damages you have suffered, but you might not be sure where to start. When you’re injured, it can be overwhelming. For South Carolina drivers, however, compensation that provides both economic and non-economic damages should cover all your suffering.

The first thing on your mind, once you’ve physically recovered, may be, “How am I going to pay for all this?” Even if you are financially comfortable, a car crash can be expensive. You might be dealing with life-saving but costly treatment and medical bills, your car is totaled, or you’re unable to work.

In the case of wrongful death, you may have funeral costs and medical expenses leading up to the death of your loved one, as well as the loss of support in terms of their salary. All these economic damages can be overwhelming, so you’ll need to add them up and estimate future costs.

Sadly, it’s not just your finances that will be affected by your auto accident. Non-economic damages can affect your mental and emotional well-being, making it difficult to recover from the trauma of an accident. For example, even if you weren’t seriously injured, you might suffer from anxiety or PTSD, which can affect your daily functioning.

Unfortunately, these damages are difficult to calculate. For example, while you know that your spinal injury and paralysis caused a loss of enjoyment of life, how much is that worth? For non-financial losses, you will need the tools a car accident attorney can provide. These resources can help you calculate the relative impact of your injuries and what those injuries are worth.

South Carolina Laws Will Matter

Once you’ve spoken to your lawyer about who’s at fault and what you’re owed, you’ll be ready to file a claim in court. However, you will still need help with your case. South Carolina laws can affect your claim. If you are not prepared to deal with these statutes, you could lose part or all your compensation, and that’s where a Spartanburg personal injury and car accident lawyer is important.

First, be sure that you’re acting in time. Spartanburg residents will need to file their claims within three years of the crash. If they don’t, their claim could be dismissed entirely. Fortunately, this means that you’ll likely have more viable evidence for your claim. Evidence can decay or be lost over time, so take advantage of your options and speak to Spartanburg car accident attorneys early.

It is important to note, however, that the statute of limitations can vary depending on a variety of situations. Just because your accident happened some time ago, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t call a law office. No matter how long ago you had a motor vehicle accident, you should seek legal advice from a qualified personal injury lawyer.

Once you have filed your auto accident claim, you will also need to prepare for defending your claim. Unfortunately, many accidents are not solely the fault of one driver, which means that you might be held partly responsible for the accident and have your compensation reduced. For example, if you are found 15 percent at fault, you will only receive 85 percent of your compensation. It is vital to have a car accident lawyer who can fight back to avoid this.

Contact A Spartanburg Car Accident Attorney

It is unfortunate, but a car crash can be difficult to recover from without help. You are suffering both physically and mentally, and that can be tough to overcome. You always want to be sure that your legal representation comes from a South Carolina car accident lawyer whose practice areas include personal injury law with a focus on car accident victims. Fortunately, that is where our car accident attorneys at the law offices of HawkLaw, P.A. can step in. If you are struggling to get the compensation you need, HawkLaw fights to win!

Our Spartanburg County law offices will get started on your auto accident personal injury claim with a free consultation* and case evaluation. We want you to know that we are the right team for your car accident case before you sign anything. So, take advantage of our consults and get the direction you need for your car accident claim. See our disclaimer for more information about a free consultation*.

Do not worry about attorney’s fees, either. A good Spartanburg personal injury lawyer works on a contingency fee basis. That means that unless our law offices get a fair settlement for you, you will not owe any attorney’s fees at all. *Case “worth” is determined from the total settlement amount. The settlement amount shown are gross numbers before attorney’s fees and cost deductions. The % fees will be computed before deducting expenses and costs from the gross settlement. No fees or costs with no recovery.

When you’re ready to get started on your car accident case, your Spartanburg car accident lawyer is ready to help. Reach out by calling 888.HAWK.LAW (429-5529) or by filling out the online contact form below, and a personal injury attorney from our offices will be in touch for your case evaluation.