auto accident – The Nye Law Group, P.C.

Actions To Take After a Car Accident in South Carolina

Posted on May 23, 2018April 6, 2023 by productionnye

Many people have been involved in motor vehicle collisions, but certain wrecks require the individuals involved to take steps to preserve their opportunities to obtain compensation for various damages. The immediate aftermath of any crash can be an extremely confusing and disorienting time, especially when a victim has suffered serious injuries so it’s important to know about these steps before an accident occurs.

Injured in a Car Accident

If you sustained severe injuries or your loved one was killed in an automobile accident in South Carolina, it is in your best interest to retain legal counsel as soon as possible. The Nye Law Group can fight to get you all of the compensation you need and deserve. Call (855) 636-9277 to have our firm review your case and help you understand all of your legal options during a free consultation.

Common Causes of Car Accidents in South Carolina

Most crashes are the result of some kind of driver negligence. In such cases, a negligent driver is liable to victims for their injuries.

Some of the most frequent causes of automobile accidents in South Carolina include, but are not limited to:

Distracted driving
Operating a motor vehicle while under influence of alcohol or drugs (also known as driving under the influence [DUI] or driving while intoxicated [DWI])
Speeding
Reckless driving
Driver fatigue
Automobile defects
Violation of local or state traffic laws

When you have been involved in any kind of crash, the first thing you should do is make sure that you receive medical attention. Even if you do not think that you were hurt, you should still consent to a medical evaluation to be sure you did not sustain an injury with delayed symptoms. Insurance companies defending negligent motorists will use any delay in treatment to argue that a victim’s injuries were not that serious.

It is also important for car accident victims to avoid speaking to insurers until they have legal representation.

South Carolina Insurance Requirements

South Carolina requires all motorists to maintain automobile insurance policies that satisfy state minimums. In South Carolina, all drivers are required to have at least a 25/50/25 policy of liability and physical damage coverage.

The 25/50/25 refers to the following insurance minimums:

$25,000 per person for bodily injury
$50,000 for all persons injured in one accident
$25,000 for all property damage

In certain cases, negligent parties may not have any insurance or may have inadequate insurance limits to cover the costs of the damages caused. An experienced personal injury lawyer can help a victim file a claim with his or her own insurance provider to possibly collect under an uninsured or underinsured policy.

Car Accident Attorney in Bluffton, SC

Did you suffer catastrophic injuries or was your loved one killed in a car crash in South Carolina? You will want to contact the Nye Law Group as soon as possible.

Our Bluffton personal injury lawyer can conduct an independent investigation to determine the cause of your crash and make sure all negligent parties are held fully accountable. Call (855) 636-9277 or conact us online to have our South Carolina personal injury attorney provide an honest and thorough evaluation of your case.

Underinsured And Uninsured Drivers: How We Can Help

Posted on April 4, 2018November 13, 2023 by productionnye

Many people are unaware of how their insurance policies can come in handy when they have been involved in a very specific accident. Picture this: You’re driving along when, all of a sudden, you are struck by another vehicle. Now you are left with injuries and you aren’t sure how to recover. But things are about to get worse because you find out that the driver who hit and injured you does not have insurance, or they have poor insurance coverage. We can help you understand underinsured and uninsured policies and how they can come in handy in regards to your claim.

Understanding Both Types of Coverage

Perhaps you have never heard of underinsured or uninsured coverage or you are familiar with exactly how it works. Today we will help you understand both.

Uninsured Coverage: Uninsured motorist coverage kicks in when a driver hits you and they don’t have any insurance coverage whatsoever. Your first thought might be: I want to sue the driver for the accident and attempt to recover any damages possible. However, think of it this way… If the driver does not have insurance, they probably don’t have much in the way of financial assets, which means that you won’t gain what you want in recovery. This means that you will be left making an uninsured driver claim against your own policy so that you can receive what you deserve.

Underinsured Coverage: Underinsured coverage works a bit differently because it kicks in when the driver does have car insurance, but it is insufficient and will not cover you. You would, again, make a claim against your own insurance company for the limit of your coverage provided your policy coverage is better than the coverage that the negligent driver carries. This works wonderfully in cases where the driver’s insurance will only cover up to $100,000 of your damages, but your damages are well over $300,000. You cannot force coverage that is simply not there, so you could have your own policy kick in when they can no longer pay you.

Making Your Claim

Drivers must be insured, which is why it is taken very seriously when a driver hits you and was driving around without insurance. You don’t want to delay when you’re making your claim because it is not unheard of for very short deadlines to be in place. You may have as little as 30 days to let your insurance company know that the driver was driving with no insurance or little insurance coverage. The best way to tell that the other party is probably uninsured is when they outright tell you that they don’t have any car insurance or when they refuse to give you their information in the event of an accident.

Sometimes, it is impossible to tell the extent of your injuries right off the bat. This is why you want to keep up with medical attention and ensure that you do everything your doctor and attorney asks you to do during this time. It can help out your claim in the months to come. We have your best interests at heart and want to speak with you immediately at the Nye Law Group. We work with the insurance companies in your case to get you the best results, and we don’t want you to miss out on the damages you deserve. Give us a call today for more information at 855-636-9277.

Sources:

http://www.alllaw.com/articles/nolo/auto-accident/insurance-claim-underinsured-uninsured-drivers.html

http://thenyelawgroup.com/

When You Have Been Injured By An Uninsured Driver

Posted on March 28, 2018February 7, 2024 by productionnye

What happens when you have been injured in an accident involving another driver? If the other driver is at fault for your injuries, usually you will move forward with a claim and you will receive the recovery you deserve. But what happens in a case when the other driver has clearly injured you and they have no car insurance to help cover your injuries under their policy? Today we will take a look at how your case works in North Carolina, and how you can protect your rights from the very beginning.

North-Carolina: An At-Fault State

If you live in a no-fault car insurance state, such as Florida or Pennsylvania, you will find that you have to look at your own insurance policy when it comes to economic losses and recovery. This is the case even when the other driver is at fault for an accident. However, North Carolina does not work the same way; they are an at-fault state in a traditional sense, which means that the insurance policy of the other driver is supposed to cover your losses like medical expenses, lost wages, and more. What happens if the other driver is uninsured, though, and now you aren’t sure how you’re going to recover?

Luckily, your insurance offers you what is known as “uninsured motorist” coverage. This protects you from the risk of being injured in an accident with a driver who does not carry any type of insurance, which is something that thousands upon thousands of drivers get away with every year. However, it will only cover up to your policy, so if you have any more damages or non-economic damages, you will still have to make a claim against a driver. Non-economic damages can be pursued in a lawsuit for things like emotional suffering, anguish, loss of companionship, and lost quality of life.

Steps to Take After Your Accident

It is an unfortunate fact that, after an uninsured motorist hits you, they could try to flee the scene because they know that it will be a long and complicated process. You want to understand how to retain your rights after one of these accidents and protect yourself in your time of need.

Call the Police: No matter what, you should always call the police to the scene of the accident if you have been injured. This is most important, however, in the case of an uninsured driver. You want to make sure you do everything possible when it comes to having your expenses covered, so document what you can.

Information Exchange: You should always gain contact information from the other party. This is usually when you will find out that the other party does not have insurance, which is why it is important to get the contact info you can. You also want to collect information from any witnesses.

Insurance Company: Your insurance company will let you know what you can and can’t do according to your policy. If you have uninsured motorist protection, you can find out more about how this works to protect you.

When it comes to your car accident, we can help you in every way possible. If the other driver was uninsured and you don’t have protections through your own policy, you could find yourself in a situation where you need legal assistance on your side. Luckily, we can help in your time of need. Call us as soon as possible to get started on your case at 855-636-9277.

Sources:

https://www.lawyers.com/legal-info/personal-injury/auto-accidents/what-if-im-hit-by-an-uninsured-driver.html

http://blog.esurance.com/accident-with-uninsured-driver/