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What's the settlement value of your semi truck accident case? My name is Kenneth Berger. I practice law here in Columbia, South Carolina, and I help people who've been injured in truck accidents across our state. Now, the value of a semi-truck accident case is based on a number of factors. The first is the severity of the harm that was caused. I'm not just talking about the total amount of medical bills - which can affect the value of a case - but, more importantly, the overall impact an injury has had on the life you were living before the crash. Are you still able to enjoy the activities that you were passionate about, or does your injury keep you from playing with kids, cooking, or even driving to work? As we get to know you, we'll learn about the true impact and the depth of the impact of this injury and how it's impacted your life and, therefore, how it affects settlement value. Likewise, we want to take a hard look at how the accident has affected your ability to make a living. Whether that means you need to take a few weeks off to attend physical therapy and recuperate or if you might not be able to return at all. Either way, South Carolina law dictates that the at-fault party's insurance company compensate you for any wages this accident has prevented you from making. And next, punitive damages. These can be a big factor in a truck accident case. Punitive damages are meant to punish the reckless party for the harm they caused and to deter and discourage them from ever doing it again in the future - ever. Now, that said, punitive damages aren't available in every case. To get the punitive damages, we have to show that the at-fault party consciously disregarded your safety in causing the wreck. And that a lot of times requires, again, a truck accident attorney with a lot of experience digging in deep to look at not only how the accident happened but why it happened. What were the factors that either the truck driver or the trucking company ignored that led to this crash? When there's a semi-truck accident, you end up having a trucking company or a truck driver, and then generally, you have a really big insurance company behind them all working on trying to pay the least amount possible, regardless of the amount of harm that was caused. We want to even the playing field. We want to make sure that you have an advocate in your corner - a champion in your corner - someone who's going to give voice to what you've experienced. Someone who's going to get to know you on a deep level and present that human story so that the insurance companies, the people who caused you harm, and potentially a jury understand the impact that it's had on you. This is the way that you truly prove the value of a semi-truck accident case in South Carolina, and this is what we're passionate about doing for our clients. We'd be honored to speak with you, to answer any questions you have, and to help you in any way we can.
What to Do After a Truck Accident in South Carolina
Pursuing an injury case after a semi-truck crash in South Carolina is much different than a case that only involves passenger vehicles. The injuries are often much worse, and the legal issues more vigorously defended. It’s important to recognize that these tractor-trailer accidents are rarely “accidents” at all but are commonly the result of a series of poor decisions made by the trucking company itself.
Immediately after a truck accident, you should:
- Focus on your health.
- Avoid giving an insurance adjuster any information about the wreck until you speak with an attorney.
- Consider getting a free consultation from a lawyer with experience handling 18-wheelers and other commercial vehicle accidents in South Carolina.
Recoverable Damages in a South Carolina Truck Accident Case
In a South Carolina truck accident case, there are typically three types of damages available for recovery: economic damages, non-economic damages, and punitive damages.
Economic damages are compensation for the actual monetary losses related to the accident and may include payment for:
- Medical care,
- Past and future lost wages,
- Physical therapy costs, and
- Property damage.
Non-economic damages are more abstract but certainly no less important in a personal injury case. Often referred to as “pain and suffering,” non-economic damages may include payment for:
- Physical pain,
- Mental anguish, and
- Lost enjoyment of life.
Punitive damages. Though punitive damages are not common in all personal injury cases if it can be proven that the person or business that caused you harm acted with willful disregard for the safety of others, they may be obligated to pay punitive damages on top of the compensatory damages you already received.
Speak to a Truck Accident Lawyer in South Carolina Today
Find an experienced truck accident lawyer in Myrtle Beach who will look beyond the obvious details of the wreck to ensure important evidence is promptly secured, the at-fault parties are held fully accountable, and justice is served. At the Law Office of Kenneth Berger, we are dedicated to helping people injured in trucking accidents and keeping our roads as safe as possible.
Our offices are conveniently located in Columbia and Myrtle Beach, and we have been proudly servicing clients throughout the surrounding areas. Contact us online today or call us at 803-790-2800 (Columbia, SC) / 843-427-2800 (Myrtle Beach, SC)