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Over three million people are injured and over forty thousand die on U.S. highways each year. Over a quarter of all Americans were involved in an auto accident in the last five years and you will likely be involved in at least one auto accident in your lifetime. Auto accident injuries are often serious and include whiplash, bone, joint and muscle injuries, head and brain injuries, and paralysis.
Shocking as these statistics may be, even more disturbing is the fact that many of these auto accidents and the resulting injuries are preventable. Approximately 40% of auto accidents resulting in fatalities are alcohol related, and about 63% are attributable to the improper use of seat belts.
It should be no surprise that auto accidents are a primary source of personal injury litigation. Although claims are often handled through the insurance companies and settled quickly, cases involving personal injury or significant property damage usually lead to lawsuits.
Possible charges
Parties whose negligence is found to have caused an accident may face civil liability, criminal liability, or both. Failure to stop at the scene of an accident to exchange insurance and other information or to summon police is usually considered a “hit and run”, which is generally a criminal offense in its own right.
If someone involved in the accident is killed or severely injured, and/or if one of the drivers was grossly negligent or intoxicated, the state will usually initiate some form of prosecution with charges possibly including:
- Manslaughter
- Assault with a deadly weapon
- Driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol
- Murder
No Fault States
Some states are known as “no fault” states. There seems to be much confusion with regard to what this means, partly because none of these states is “no fault” in the strictest sense. The basic concept of “no fault insurance” is that when a driver is not seriously injured in an auto accident, the driver’s own insurance pays for his or her medical bills, regardless of whose fault the accident was.
In general, if you or a loved one has suffered injuries as the result of an automobile accident, an experienced attorney may be able to recover damages for:
- Medical Expenses
- Future Medical Expenses
- Disfigurement
- Lost Wages
- Pain and Suffering
Learn more about what to do if you're in an auto accident.
Our auto accident attorneys will be happy to answer any questions you may have with regard to your auto accident claim or lawsuit. Contact us today at the Law Firm of McWhirter, Bellinger & Associates to arrange for your no-cost, no-obligation case evaluation. We serve residents of the entire state of South Carolina.
Free Case Evaluation
Our auto accident lawyers will evaluate your case at no cost or obligation to you. You should know that there are strict deadlines that apply to how long you have to pursue a claim.
If you believe you may have a claim, you should have it evaluated by our auto accident team right away. Click here for a free case evaluation>>>