Experienced Columbia Car Accident Attorney Fighting for Injury Victims

If you or a loved one has been seriously injured in a car accident in Columbia, having a dedicated personal injury lawyer is essential. The aftermath of an accident is confusing, painful, and overwhelming, with financial strain often adding to the stress. At Hart Law, our experienced attorney team works tirelessly to secure the fair compensation needed to help injury victims rebuild and move forward with their lives.

Car accident injuries can be among the most traumatic experiences a person can go through, especially when they involve serious injuries. After a motor vehicle accident, it’s normal to feel unsure of what to do next. Your actions immediately after the incident and in the days and weeks that follow can impact your ability to recover fair compensation. Our personal injury law firm will help you understand the legal process, handle interactions with the insurance company, and pursue the full recovery you deserve.

When you need a Columbia car accident lawyer, Hart Law has the experience to fight for your rights. Call us for a free consultation at (803) 771-7701.

Types of Injuries From Car Accidents in Columbia, SC

Car accidents often result in serious injuries that require extensive medical treatment. Prompt medical treatment is critical for diagnosing and treating injuries. Some accident injuries may not show symptoms right away, so a thorough medical evaluation can document your condition for both health and legal procedures.

Common car accident injuries include:

  • Neck injuries and whiplash
  • Broken bones
  • Concussions
  • Internal bleeding
  • Burns
  • Back injuries
  • Traumatic brain injuries
  • Spinal cord injuries
  • Paralysis
  • Soft tissue injuries

Severe injuries from motor vehicle accidents can change your life forever. Getting medical care right away helps the doctor find problems that might show up later. This also gives you documentation for your personal injury claims.

What Causes Car Accidents in Columbia, South Carolina

Car accident cases in Columbia, SC, happen for many reasons. Understanding what caused your motor vehicle accident is key to your car accident case. Some of the most common causes include:

  • Ignoring traffic laws
  • Speeding
  • Distracted driving
  • Drunk driving
  • Poor road conditions
  • Aggressive or reckless driving
  • Failure to yield
  • Running red lights

Distracted driving has become a leading cause of car accidents. Drivers who text, use their phones, or look away from the road put everyone at risk. If you were hurt in a car crash caused by distracted driving, you may be able to recover damages. Our Columbia personal injury attorney can help you understand your rights.

Drunk driving is another dangerous cause of motor vehicle accidents. When a driver operates their vehicle while under the influence, they put lives at risk. If a drunk driver caused your car accident, you may have grounds for a personal injury claim.

What to Do Right After a Car Accident

After a motor vehicle accident, each step you take can be crucial in protecting your rights. Here are the steps to take following a car crash:

Park in a Safe Location and Check for Injuries

After a car accident, calmly assess your injuries and check on others in your vehicle. Move to a safe spot if possible, and use hazard lights to alert oncoming traffic. Call for emergency medical treatment if needed and report the accident occurred to the police. Document everything you remember about how the accident occurred.

Stay at the Scene

Leaving the scene could lead to hit-and-run charges. It’s important to remain until authorities arrive to avoid serious legal rights problems. Staying at the accident scene shows you have nothing to hide.

Exchange Information at the Accident Scene

Collect the make, model, and license plate of other vehicles involved. Get contact details and insurance company information from all parties involved. Make sure you have their phone number and address.

Document the Accident Scene and Collect Evidence

Take photos of vehicles, road conditions, injuries, and anything else that matters for your claim. If possible, gather witness statements or contact details to support your case. Photos and witness accounts are powerful evidence for your car accident claim.

Seek Medical Treatment Promptly

Even if you feel fine, seeing a doctor right after the car accident can find injuries that may not yet be apparent. Medical treatment records are vital in insurance company claims to show the extent of your injuries. Do not delay medical treatment as it could hurt your personal injury claims.

Talk to a Columbia Personal Injury Lawyer

An experienced attorney, like a personal injury lawyer, can look at your car accident case, negotiate with insurance company adjusters, and handle the legal process so you can focus on recovery. Call a Columbia personal injury attorney soon after your motor vehicle accident.

How to Build a Strong Personal Injury Claim After Your Car Accident

At Hart Law, our personal injury lawyer team conducts a thorough investigation to gather strong evidence that supports your claim. This legal process can involve obtaining police reports, accident scene photos, witness statements, medical treatment records, and expert testimony to recreate and look at the accident occurred. Detailed evidence is needed in proving the negligent parties caused the motor vehicle accident and showing the impact the car accident has had on your life.

Our personal injury attorney team is skilled at putting together the proof you need. We ensure that you have a well-documented claim to present to insurance company adjusters or in court, if needed. We know how to find negligent parties and hold them accountable.

Getting a police report is one of the first steps. The police report provides official documentation of what happened. We also gather photos from the accident scene, talk to witnesses, and get your medical treatment records.

Insurance Company Tactics and How We Protect You from Common Pitfalls

Dealing with an insurance company after a car accident is very challenging. Insurance adjusters may seem friendly, but their main goal is to save their company money, often by making your claim smaller or pushing you into a quick, low fair settlement. A personal injury attorney protects you from these tactics.

Here are common tricks that insurance company adjusters use:

  • Offering Low Settlements Quickly: Insurers often present a low first offer hoping injury victims will accept out of money stress or to “get it over with.” Once accepted, these personal injury claims cannot be talked about again, even if future medical bills come up.
  • Delaying or Denying Claims: Adjusters may delay responses to wear you down, hoping you’ll accept less than your claim’s value. In other cases, they might deny claims outright, saying there’s not enough proof or that fault is unclear.
  • Requesting Blanket Medical Releases: Insurance company adjusters might ask for broad access to your medical bills and records, hoping to find past injuries or health issues to use against you. You are not required to give your full medical treatment history without guidance from your personal injury lawyer.

Hart Law protects clients from these insurance company tactics. We manage all insurance company talks, ensuring they don’t take advantage of your car accident case and helping you avoid legal procedures mistakes. We understand how to talk with adjusters and, when needed, are prepared to take your case to court.

Don’t Accept The First Settlement Offer. Consider These Steps Instead.

Early insurance company offers often do not show the real costs of medical treatment, lost work time, or other damages. Before making any statements or taking a fair settlement, think about these steps:

  1. Document all details of the accident occurred, including location, weather, time, and witness information.
  2. Get a copy of the police report.
  3. Keep records of all medical treatment related to the motor vehicle accident.
  4. Do not sign any documents or releases without talking to a personal injury attorney.

A personal injury lawyer from our law firm can look at any offer and tell you if it is fair. We fight for the most financial compensation you can get.

How South Carolina Law Affects Your Personal Injury Case

South Carolina follows an “at-fault” system for car accidents. This means the driver responsible for the motor vehicle accident is also responsible for the money damages. As an injured person, you have the right to pursue financial compensation directly from the liable parties, usually through their insurance company. Understanding this fault-based system and how it affects your car accident claim is needed for getting fair compensation.

South Carolina law also follows a modified comparative negligence rule. This means you can still get damages if you are less than 51% responsible for the motor vehicle accident. However, if you are found partly responsible, your total financial compensation will be reduced by your percentage of fault. For example, if you are 20% at fault and awarded $100,000, you would receive $80,000 after the reduction. This part of South Carolina law shows why you need skilled legal representation. Even a small finding of fault can greatly impact your financial compensation.

Hart Law’s personal injury attorney team will thoroughly look at the facts of your motor vehicle accident, collect vital evidence, and work to prove the fault of the liable parties. We know South Carolina personal injury law and how to use it for your benefit.

Types of Compensation in Car Accident Claims

In a car accident claim, there are several types of financial compensation available, called “damages.” Knowing each type helps you understand the full money impact of your car accident and the amount you can pursue. Common forms of financial compensation include:

Medical Expenses and Ongoing Care

Medical expenses can include the cost of hospital stays, surgeries, doctor visits, physical therapy, prescription drugs, and any future medical treatment that may be needed due to ongoing injuries. These costs can add up fast. Mounting medical bills are a real problem for many injury victims. Your personal injury claim should cover all current and future medical expenses.

Lost Wages and Loss of Future Income

If you have missed work or are unable to return to your old job due to your injuries, you may be able to get financial compensation for lost wages and any loss of future earning power. This financial compensation helps replace money you would have made.

Property Damage Compensation

Most car accident claim cases include financial compensation for repair or replacement of your vehicle and any other personal property damage in the motor vehicle accident. Your car is often your biggest expense after a car crash.

Pain and Suffering Damages

Physical pain and emotional distress caused by the car accident can be recovered. This type of financial compensation covers the hurt and mental strain from the motor vehicle accident and its aftermath. The amount varies based on how bad the injuries are and how the car accident affects your life long term.

Non Economic Damages

Non economic damages cover things like loss of enjoyment of life, scarring, and reduced quality of life. These non economic damages are harder to calculate than medical expenses, but they are very real.

Punitive Damages

In cases where the liable parties acted in an especially reckless way, the court may award punitive damages to deter similar behavior in the future. These damages punish bad behavior.

At Hart Law, our goal is to secure the most financial compensation possible. We work to ensure all your losses—both now and later—are counted in your car accident claim.

Special Car Accident Cases We Handle

Some car accident cases involve complex factors that need special legal services knowledge. Our personal injury law firm handles these tricky situations:

  • DUI Accidents: If you were hit by a drunk driver, the car accident case might involve extra criminal charges against the other driver. Drunk driving cases often require close work with law enforcement proof and carry unique chances for punitive damages. Our personal injury lawyer knows how to handle these complicated car accident situations.
  • Motorcycle Accidents: Motorcycle accidents often result in serious injuries or death because there is no protection like in a car. Motorcycle accidents need special knowledge about how these motor vehicle accidents happen. Our personal injury attorney has experience with motorcycle accidents.
  • Head-On Collisions: Head on collisions are among the most damaging car accidents. These high-impact motor vehicle accidents often cause serious injuries or wrongful death. Head on collisions require aggressive legal work to get fair financial compensation.
  • Commercial Truck Accidents: Motor vehicle accidents involving large trucks add layers of difficulty, as multiple parties involved might be responsible, such as the truck driver, trucking company, and equipment makers. These cases follow specific federal rules, and our personal injury attorney team has the knowledge needed to handle them well.
  • Hit-and-Run and Uninsured Driver Cases: If the liable parties leave the scene or lack insurance, we can help you look at options for pursuing financial compensation through your own insurance company policy or other legal services paths.
  • Wrongful Death Claims: When a car accident causes death, family members or survivors can file a wrongful death claim. We help family member survivors get financial compensation for their loss.

How Long Does a Car Accident Claim Take to Resolve?

The time for settling car accident claim cases depends on how complex the case is. Simple cases may be resolved in a few months, while more serious cases with lots of medical treatment or unclear liability can take longer, especially if a lawsuit is needed. At Hart Law, we work fast on your car accident case to speed up your financial compensation while building a strong case to raise your recovery.

The Importance of Acting Within South Carolina’s Statute of Limitations

South Carolina law requires injury victims to file a car accident lawsuit within three years from the date of the motor vehicle accident. This time limit is firm, and missing this date can stop you from getting any financial compensation for your injuries. It is needed to start the legal process early, even if you are still healing or unsure about the full extent of your injuries. Starting early allows your personal injury attorney to collect evidence, call witnesses, and work on building the strongest possible car accident case.

Experienced Columbia Car Accident Lawyers Who Care

At Hart Law, we stand by you every step of the way. We provide trusted legal services, handle all insurance company talks, and fight to protect your right to full financial compensation. Our personal injury attorney team is here to help recover financial compensation for:

  • Medical expenses
  • Lost wages
  • Property damage
  • Physical pain and emotional distress

It’s important to avoid talking directly with the liable parties’ insurance company. Insurers may push you into quick personal injury claims that stop future claims. We’ll handle all insurance company talks to keep your rights safe.

When you hire Hart Law, you get a Columbia car accident attorney who really cares about your case. We are not just another law office. We are advocates for injury victims who have been hurt.

Schedule a Free Consultation with a Columbia Car Accident Attorney

If you’re struggling with medical bills, lost income, or pain and suffering after a car accident, Hart Law is here to help. Contact us today at (803) 771-7701 to schedule a free, no-obligation consultation. We will discuss your case, answer your questions, and provide guidance on the best path forward.

Don’t face the challenges of a car accident claim alone. Allow Hart Law to be your advocate, working for the compensation you deserve and the justice you need to move forward with confidence.