Distracted driving is a pervasive problem that doesn’t appear to be going away anytime soon. In South Carolina alone, an average of two crashes occur per hour involving distracted drivers. If you have suffered injuries in one of these car accidents, you may be entitled to file a claim, and Lake Wylie distracted driving accident lawyers are here to offer the support you need.
At Elrod Pope Accident & Injury Attorneys, we know what physical, emotional, and financial toll a car crash can take on you. Our team will provide the guidance you deserve to have a chance to receive fair compensation after your accident. Call our law office in Lake Wylie, South Carolina, at (803) 902-3608 to get a free consultation today.
How Elrod Pope Accident & Injury Attorneys Can Help After a Distracted Driving Accident In Lake Wylie, SC
Distracted driving accidents can result in severe injuries that leave you facing towering piles of medical bills as well as the inability to work as you recover. You have a right to file a personal injury claim as a means of seeking compensation for these losses, but doing so is not something you should attempt on your own. A skilled Lake Wylie personal injury attorney can help.
At Elrod Pope Accident & Injury Attorneys, our Lake Wylie car accident lawyers offer the services you need to present a robust claim, including the following:
- Assessing your claim
- Providing an in-depth investigation of your accident
- Gathering evidence
- Establishing liability
- Calculating damages
- Communicating and negotiating with insurance companies
- Litigating if a settlement isn’t possible
We are a family-oriented law firm that provides compassionate representation during the most difficult of times. Furthermore, our Lake Wylie personal injury lawyers have experience handling motor vehicle accidents. Contact our team to speak with one of our Lake Wylie car accident attorneys today.
Understanding Distracted Driving Accidents
Distracted driving refers to someone operating their vehicle while engaged in something else. The most common type of distraction these days is cell phone use, especially texting, but anything that draws the eyes or mind away from the road is a distraction.
As such, some common diversions (besides phone use) include things such as:
- Reading road signs
- Changing radio stations
- Checking the GPS
- Eating or drinking
- Self-grooming
- Reading
- Speaking with passengers
When a driver is distracted, they become unable to spot hazards in time to avoid them. They may also drift out of their lanes without realizing it. And if high speeds are added into the equation, the driver will have even less time to react when they do, in fact, spot a hazard on the road.
Your primary option after one of these accidents is to file a personal injury claim, which requires demonstrating that the other party is liable. South Carolina is an at-fault state for traffic accidents, so you must show that negligence was a factor. In other words, you must prove that the other party owed you a duty of care and that they breached it, causing your injuries.
Making things even more complex, however, is that you don’t have an unlimited amount of time to file a claim. You have just three years from the accident to file, and even then, there may be exceptions that can significantly shorten that timeline. If you miss the deadline, you will be barred from recovering any losses, so you should never wait too long to begin the legal process.
Available Damages After a Distracted Driving Accident
In South Carolina, you can seek economic and non-economic damages after a distracted driving accident. Economic damages cover your financial losses, including your current and future medical expenses.
Often, people have to miss days or even weeks of work after an accident so that they can heal, causing them to lose out on the income they would have otherwise earned. Economic damages cover these losses, too, as well as a total loss of earning potential if the victim isn’t able to return to work in the future.
Non-economic damages, on the other hand, address losses that can’t easily be given value. Pain and suffering is one of these, as is loss of enjoyment of life. If a loved one dies in the collision, you can also receive loss of consortium damages.
Contact Our Lake Wylie Distracted Driving Accident Lawyers for a Free Consultation
The aftermath of a distracted driving accident in Lake Wylie can be devastating. You may be dealing with physical and psychological distress as well as financial issues that you’re not sure how to handle.
At Elrod Pope Accident & Injury Attorneys, our team of South Carolina distracted driving accident attorneys understands what you’re going through and will strive to help make the process a bit easier. Contact us to see if you’re eligible to file a claim.
