Were you or someone you care about injured in a car accident in Myrtle Beach? Our firm is here to provide guidance and help you hold the responsible party accountable. Continue reading to learn how to protect your rights or give us a call at (843) 427-2800 for a free consultation. (3 minute read)
Myrtle Beach is the second fastest growing metropolitan area in the country, attracting millions of visitors each year. Unfortunately, the number of roadways in Myrtle Beach has not kept pace, leading to more congestion and car accidents. Last year, a study from A Secure Life reported that US-17, also known as the Coastal Highway, is the most dangerous road in South Carolina, accounting for 82 fatalities during the summer months of 2015-2017. Likewise, Highway 501 continues to see countless accidents due to increases in the number of cars and the number of distracted drivers behind the wheel.
While you can practice defensive driving, you cannot always account for other drivers who choose to ignore speed limits, drive under the influence, or drive while texting. It’s these reckless drivers that cause innocent people to suffer catastrophic injuries or even death, and it’s the need to hold dangerous lawbreakers accountable that motivate us to work on the side of the innocent.
8 Key Points to Protect Your Rights After a Car Accident in Myrtle Beach
After suffering injuries in a car wreck, there is information you should know to ensure you are not taken advantage of by the at fault driver or their insurance provider. The following points can help you protect your rights.
1. You should not sign any medical releases, give a recorded statement to the insurance adjuster, or sign a release before speaking with an attorney. Insurance adjusters attempt to settle cases for as little as possible, as quickly as possible. Before speaking with an adjuster, talk with a Myrtle Beach injury lawyer to make sure your rights are protected.
2. The law is designed to put you in the position you enjoyed before the accident took place. Many people believe that if they had a pre-existing condition before the wreck took place, they will not receive a fair result in a civil case. However, South Carolina law says the at-fault driver takes you as he finds you and is responsible for every issue he causes or worsens. If you had a health issue that was worsened by a wreck, you have the right to recover a fair outcome.
3. Your medical bills from the wreck should be filed with your health insurance provider, if you have one. If the hospital tells you they are unable to file your bills through health insurance because your injuries were caused by a car accident, that is simply not true.
4. Just because the accident report says you were at fault, doesn’t mean that is the final say. The accident report is not admissible at trial, which means the officer’s opinion is not definitive when determining fault. Talk to an attorney about how you can prove you were not at fault.
5. Visitors from out-of-state have the same rights as a South Carolina resident. If you were injured in a car wreck while on vacation in Myrtle Beach, you have the same rights as a South Carolina resident to a fair and just recovery.
6. The at-fault driver may not be the only responsible party. For instance, if the wreck was caused by a drunk driver or poor truck maintenance, you could also hold the overserving bar or the trucking company accountable for the harm you endured.
7. Even if the other driver was uninsured, you still have ways to secure financial recovery. You can file a claim to receive payment from your underinsured or uninsured insurance policies if the other driver does not have sufficient coverage to pay for your damages.
8. If the at fault driver was grossly negligent, you may be able to receive what are known as punitive damages. Gross negligence means that the person who caused the wreck knew their actions would cause harm but chose to do it anyway. Examples of this include a person driving drunk, a teenager texting and driving, or a trucking company falsifying time logs to get more hours out of their truck drivers.
Myrtle Beach Car Accident Lawyers Committed to Community Safety
Wrecks put undue stress on the injured person, as well as their families. Who will stay home to take care of the injured person? Who will cover the medical bills and how? And who will have the stressful job of talking with the insurance adjusters? That’s where we come in. Every member of my team is dedicated to our mission of protecting the lives, rights, and dignity of those who have been harmed. That means we work tirelessly to identify all sources of financial recovery, secure evidence, and push the insurance companies to provide injured people with a fair and just outcome.
If you are on this page, you likely have been involved or affected by a serious car accident. We are truly sorry for what you are going through and hope that you find the information you need on this page and in our free resource library. If you have additional questions, please contact us today at 843-427-2800, or start a live chat 24/7 with a real, live person to arrange a free and confidential consultation.
