Common Injuries In South Carolina Car Accidents

People can suffer a wide range of injuries in car accidents in South Carolina. Multiple factors such as seat location, the point of impact, and the speed of the vehicles at impact can all determine the nature and severity of the injuries. As a result of their injuries, victims may need extensive medical treatment, hospitalization, physical therapy, and months or even years of follow-up care. Many of them cannot return to work due to their injuries.

Did you suffer serious injuries or was your loved one killed in a South Carolina car crash caused by another party’s negligence in the greater Rock Hill area? You should contact McKinney, Tucker & Lemel LLC, right away for assistance with pursuing the compensation you need and deserve.

Our law firm has helped car accident victims in communities throughout York County and Lancaster County since 1977. You can have our injury lawyers provide an honest and thorough evaluation of your case when you call or contact us online to set up a consultation.

What Are the Most Common Car Accident Injuries in South Carolina?

Through the years, our injury attorneys have worked with clients who suffered many different types of physical and mental injuries in South Carolina car accidents. Some of the most common injuries that we have seen are:

Unfortunately, some injuries are fatal. When a loved one dies in a car accident caused by another driver’s negligence, the surviving family members of the deceased person may be eligible to file a wrongful death lawsuit.

Why Should You See a Doctor After A Car Accident in Rock Hill?

If you have been involved in a South Carolina car accident, one of your very first steps should be to get medical attention. This is important for two reasons:

• Your health – Some injuries like a cut or a fracture are obvious. Many other types of injuries are not as easy to detect, but they can still be serious and even life-threatening. Internal bleeding and traumatic brain injury are two examples of those types of injuries. For this reason, you should see a doctor as soon as possible after a crash. The doctor can examine you and order any necessary tests such as an X-ray or MRI. The doctor can also start your treatment. Make sure to follow that treatment plan.
• Your legal claim – If you wait too long to see a doctor after an accident, an insurance company may try to use that delay against you if you pursue an injury claim. The insurer may claim that the car accident did not cause your injuries, or the insurer may argue that your injuries are not as severe as you claim.

A personal injury attorney from McKinney, Tucker & Lemel LLC, can work with your medical care provider or health insurance provider while your injury claim is pending in order to ensure that you get the medical attention you need.

What Should You Do If You Are Injured in a Car Accident in South Carolina?

In addition to getting medical attention, you can take several other steps after you suffer injuries in a car crash which can help with your potential injury claim. Those steps include:

• Contact authorities to report your accident. You should call the police even if the other driver asks you to keep the police out of it. You will want a police report for the record. Also, the officer may issue a citation to a negligent driver who violated a traffic law and caused your accident, which can help to establish your legal claim.
• Try to collect whatever evidence you can from the scene of your crash. In most cases, taking pictures is the best way to do this. Get photographs of the vehicles and people involved as well as any other contributing factors. Take the pictures from multiple angles and distances. Do not worry about taking too many photos, as it is better to have more photos than you need than not enough photos.
• Get witness names and phone numbers. If there were witnesses to your crash, try to get their names and contact information. If you are not able to stay at the accident scene to get this information because of your need for medical treatment, ask a friend or family member to take these measures for you. Keep in mind: Most witnesses will leave the scene shortly after police officers and emergency responders arrive.
• Report your accident to your insurance company. Most if not all insurance companies require that policyholders report an accident within a reasonable time after it occurs – regardless of who may have been at fault. You should comply with your policy and give notice to your insurer as early as you can.
• Talk to your lawyer before you talk with the other driver’s insurer. You should be careful about talking with another driver’s insurance provider. If the insurer contacts you, then you can ask the insurer to call your lawyer at McKinney, Tucker & Lemel LLC, instead. Before you talk with your lawyer first, you should avoid giving a recorded statement or accepting a settlement offer. The insurer may try to use your statement against you, and the offer may be for much less than what you deserve for your injuries and losses.

How Long Do I Have To File A Car Accident Injury Lawsuit in South Carolina?

You have three years to file your personal injury lawsuit for your car accident injuries. This is known as the South Carolina statute of limitations. It is important to keep this time period in mind if you are considering filing a lawsuit. Should you fail to file your lawsuit before those three years pass, you will lose your chance to have your lawsuit heard in court. For that reason, if you are considering filing a lawsuit, you should contact our law firm as soon as possible.

Contact Our Rock Hill Car Accident Injury Law Firm Today

If you suffered severe injuries, or if your loved one was killed in a car accident in Rock Hill or a surrounding area in South Carolina, you should quickly retain legal counsel. A skilled personal injury attorney will protect your rights and help you to pursue all compensation that you are due from the at-fault party or parties.

Contact McKinney, Tucker & Lemel LLC, today. We can review your accident and injuries and discuss your legal rights and options in a consultation. We represent clients on a contingency fee basis. So, you will pay us nothing unless we secure compensation for you through a settlement or jury award.

Contact Our Car Accident Law Offices