Car accidents in Charleston can change lives and leave those involved with long-term suffering. When another driver hurts you or a loved one, it’s time to contact our auto accident attorneys in Charleston.
The law allows you to seek compensation for your financial and emotional losses, and a Charleston car accident lawyer at Rikard & Protopapas can help you prove your right to claim the damages owed to you. Begin your case with a no-cost consultation.
Duties of Our Charleston Car Accident Lawyer
When our legal team takes over your case, our first move is to investigate the collision and search for evidence to prove the other party’s liability. Other duties we perform include:
- Handling all communication with the insurance company so you can focus on healing
- Identifying all recoverable damages to ensure you receive fair compensation for your losses
- Gathering sufficient evidence to prove your claim
- Drafting and filing all necessary paperwork to file a lawsuit with the local civil court
- Preparing your case for trial, should the insurance company refuse to settle fairly
Our Charleston car accident attorney and hard-working legal team support you and your family and reach a desirable outcome.
Types of Cases We Handle
As attorneys with decades of combined experience practicing personal injury law, we have extensive knowledge of many types of car accident cases. Common car accident scenarios we deal with include:
- Rear-end collisions are among the most common, and the person in the back is generally legally liable for damages.
- T-bone or side-impact accidents which typically occur at intersections where one driver violated traffic laws by running a red light or stop sign, causing them to crash perpendicularly into another vehicle.
- Head-on collisions are among the most severe car accidents, often resulting in fatalities. Distracted, fatigued, or intoxicated drivers are the most common cause.
- Sideswipe collisions are typically the result of poorly executed lane changes or mistakes made while merging.
- Multi-vehicle accidents can result from many circumstances, especially on highways or at intersections where several lanes or directions of traffic are present.
Understanding the cause of your accident is the first step in proving negligence. Our Charleston car accident lawyer will use the police report as a baseline but will use details from your recollection of the accident, as well as witnesses and experts, to help determine who is evidently at fault.
Proving negligence in a car accident case
The burden of proof in car accident cases falls on the attorneys and clients filing the claim. To prove negligence, you must provide evidence showing that the at-fault party owed you a duty of care and breached it, typically by violating a traffic law. You must also directly connect their actions to the accident and your injuries. Then you can claim they owe you compensation for the resulting damages.
What To Do After a Car Accident To Protect Your Claim
In the hours, days, and weeks that follow a car accident, you can take steps to protect your health and your right to compensation:
- Report the accident. Call 911 to alert the police and other emergency responders. A police report can serve as solid evidence to support your negligence claim.
- Document everything. If possible, take photographs of the accident scene, the vehicles, and any visible injuries. If you need emergency care, keep all medical bills, doctors’ notes, and health records organized to present to your attorney.
- Seek medical attention. Even if you did not need emergency services, still see a doctor as soon as possible. Documenting your injuries is critical to proving damages and shows you took all the necessary steps to better your health post-accident.
- Avoid talking to anyone about the accident. Only speak to the police at the scene, and avoid discussing the crash or your case online to protect your claim.
- Contact our Charleston personal injury lawyers. There is no time too soon to speak with our legal team. We will start working on the case immediately.
Every accident has unique details that can impact how you approach the claim. With the help of solid legal representation, you can better your chances of receiving fast and fair compensation for the damages you suffered.
Recoverable Damages From a Car Accident Claim
Every loss directly associated with your accident and injuries is potentially recoverable. The court refers to these losses as compensatory damages and categorizes them into economic and non-economic damages.
Economic losses
Economic damages have absolute monetary value, covering the financial impact of the at-fault party’s actions. For example, you have the right to seek compensation for all necessary medical expenses, including current and future care costs.
You can also recover any income lost due to missed work opportunities or loss of earning capacity if your injuries result in a disability that makes it impossible to hold your previous position.
The at-fault driver is also liable for the cost of repairing your damaged property or replacing anything beyond repair. Additionally, if you need replacement services, such as in-home care or transportation to your doctor visits, the liable party should also pay for that. With the help of a Charleston car accident lawyer, you can collect the evidence to support these losses.
Non-economic losses
Non-economic losses will cover the accident’s impact on your emotional and mental well-being. Common examples include:
- The physical pain and suffering from your injuries and the treatments you endure during recovery
- The emotional distress associated with a severe accident, which often manifests as anxiety, depression, or post-traumatic stress
- The loss of enjoyment in life
- Loss of consortium
- Mental anguish caused by disfigurement, scaring, or disability
Non-economic damages are not as easily calculable as economic losses. However, our attorneys have experience working with similar cases and will explain the process of assigning monetary value to the psychological impact of your accident.
Contact Our Charleston Car Accident Lawyers for Your Free Consultation
At Rikard & Protopapas, we understand the devastation a severe car accident can cause the victims and their families. We believe in taking all the necessary steps to hold the responsible party accountable for their actions. You deserve a legal representative who will fight to protect your right to compensation and ensure you receive a fair settlement or award.
Contact us at Rikard & Protopapas to schedule your free consultation, and take the first step in getting your life back on track after a crash.