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Protecting yourself after a car accident involves both taking important steps and avoiding costly mistakes. If the accident was not your fault, you are entitled to just compensation; and, even if the accident was partially your fault, you may still be entitled to a partial recovery.
So, what do you need to know? Here is a step-by-step guide to what to do after a car accident in South Carolina:
What to Do After a Car Accident That is Not Your Fault
We’ll start with what to do after a car accident that is not your fault. While your legal rights may be clear, you must still be able to prove your legal rights in order to recover just compensation. With this in mind, you should:
Step #1: Preserve as Much Information as Possible
Protecting your legal rights starts with preserving as much information as possible. If you were able to take photos or videos with your phone after the accident, be sure to keep these—and consider backing them up to keep them safe. If you have a copy of the police report, the other driver’s insurance information, names and contact information from any witnesses, or any other information that could be relevant to your claim, you should be sure to keep these in a safe place as well.
Step #2: Prioritize Your Medical Needs
If you were injured in your car accident, taking care of your medical needs should be a top priority. You should seek treatment right away, and you should make sure you understand your diagnosis. When seeking treatment, be sure to tell your doctor that you were injured in a car accident.
Step #3: Follow Your Doctor’s Advice
After seeing a doctor, you should carefully follow your doctor’s advice (or seek a second opinion if necessary). Not only is this important for your health; but, if you ignore your doctor’s advice, the insurance companies could try to use this against you.
Step #4: Keep Track of Your Financial Costs and Losses
The costs of a car accident can add up quickly; and, as you begin the recovery process, you should do your best to keep track of your expenses and other losses. This includes your medical expenses, loss of income, and any other costs or losses you incur as a result of your injuries.
Step #5: Document Your Injuries’ Non-Financial Effects
Along with keeping track of your financial costs and losses, you should do your best to document your injuries’ non-financial effects as well. When you get injured in a car accident that is not your fault, you are entitled to just compensation for your pain and suffering, emotional trauma, and any other physical or psychological effects you experience during (or after) your recovery.
Step #6: Schedule a Free Consultation with a Local Lawyer
To assert your legal rights successfully, you will need an experienced lawyer on your side. It costs nothing out-of-pocket to hire a lawyer, and you can—and should—contact a lawyer for a free consultation immediately after your accident if possible.
Step #7: Work With Your Lawyer to Seek Just Compensation
If you are entitled to financial compensation for your car accident, you will want to work closely with your lawyer to seek the full compensation you deserve. While you can—and should—rely on your lawyer to deal with the insurance companies for you, your lawyer will need your help when it comes to things like understanding the non-financial costs of your injuries. The more involved you are with your claim, the greater your chances will be of recovering just compensation as quickly as possible.
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Get Help NowWhat to Do After a Car Accident That is Your Fault
So, that covers what to do after a car accident that is not your fault. Now, what should you do if you were at fault in the collision?
This is where we’ll talk about the mistakes you need to avoid. After a car accident, one of the costliest mistakes you can make is assuming that you were at fault. Regardless of what happened, you won’t know for certain what caused the accident until you hire a lawyer to conduct a thorough investigation.
With this in mind, even if you think you may have been at fault in your car accident, you should still take all of the same steps we discussed above. The accident might not have actually been your fault; and, as we mentioned in the introduction, even if you were partially at fault, you may still be entitled to partial compensation under South Carolina law.
Contact Us for a Free, No-Obligation Consultation
Do you need to speak with a lawyer after a car accident in South Carolina? If so, we encourage you to contact us today. To arrange a free, no-obligation consultation as soon as possible, call 843-379-3285 or tell us how we can reach you online now.