5 Signs You Need A Car Injury Attorney for Your Case

As the state capital, Columbia, SC, sees some hectic traffic every day. Unfortunately, car accidents are also common in the city, often resulting in grave injuries and deaths. The Columbia metro area registers hundreds of car crashes annually caused by violations of traffic laws, reckless lane shifting, distracted driving, intoxication, and car maintenance.

Even if you obey all traffic rules and remain careful on the road, a negligent driver may collide with your vehicle, leaving you with serious injuries. When this happens, contact a Columbia car accident lawyer to obtain compensation for recovery. Here are five signs you need a car injury attorney.

1. Multiple Parties Are Involved

While many car crashes involve two vehicles, multi-car collisions are also common. For example, a vehicle that swerves from its lane and into oncoming traffic may collide with several cars.

You need an attorney for these accidents because they get complex, especially when identifying the at-fault party. The other drivers may place the blame on you, so have an attorney fighting for your interests.

2. You Need Assistance Gathering Evidence

Car accident lawyers recommend gathering as much evidence as possible after a car crash. However, you may be severely injured and cannot collect evidence, or you may be busy dealing with the accident’s aftermath.

Luckily, a car accident attorney assembles the necessary evidence to support your claim. This information includes the police report, footage from road cameras and surveillance cameras from nearby buildings, 911 data from police departments, witness statements, and medical records. This evidence helps your lawyer prove the other party was at-fault and negotiate maximum compensation with the insurer.

3. Low Settlement Offer

If a negligent driver hits you, their insurance company is liable for your damages. After the accident, the insurer sends an insurance adjuster whose primary job is to reduce the insurer’s financial liability. In other words, the adjuster offers you the lowest offer possible to make you go away.

This offer is unlikely to cover all your expenses, especially because it is offered before you finish your medical treatment. If you accept this offer, you must settle long-term medical costs yourself. The insurer may even deny your claim altogether, leaving you struggling to recover after the accident.

A car accident attorney prevents you from settling for lowball offers since they have worked on many cases like yours. Moreover, car accident attorneys have honed various strategies to negotiate with your insurers and take the case to trial if the insurer won’t settle for just compensation. Don’t handle negotiations by yourself, as the insurer will shortchange you.

4. Severe Injuries

Vehicle accident injuries are often serious, including bone fractures, whiplash, loss of limbs, and traumatic brain injuries. You may need hospitalization and long-term treatment, or the injuries may leave you with permanent issues that prevent you from enjoying hobbies and returning to work.

If you have suffered serious injuries, you can’t recover the medical costs to facilitate recovery alone. Insurers rush to settle car accident cases quickly to avoid paying the compensation you deserve.
So, consult a car accident lawyer and document all medical expenses after the accident. An attorney will recover both present and future medical costs and compensation for loss of quality of life and reduced earning capacity.

5. A Company-Owned Vehicle Was Part of the Accident

Car accidents involving company vehicles are complex because both the driver and company may be liable for your damages. Employees can be held accountable for their workers’ actions under the vicarious liability doctrine. But you must substantiate that the driver was under the scope of their employment during the crash.

For example, a driver overspeeding to deliver a company package was acting in the scope of their employment. However, these cases are rarely straightforward, and the company may deny liability through a team of intimidating lawyers.

You need a seasoned and reputable litigator by your side as well who can negotiate with the company’s attorneys and get a fair settlement.

Recover the Compensation You Deserve with Car Accident Lawyers
In a vehicle crash that causes personal injuries, you have to deal with steep medical costs, lost wages, and emotional pain and suffering. Legal aid is invaluable during this time since you can focus on recovery while a car accident lawyer gathers evidence and negotiates with insurers. So, don’t wait to reach out to a law firm near you.