South Carolina Car Accident Lawyer

If you or a loved one has been injured or lost their life in a South Carolina car accident, we are so sorry. We’ve seen first hand the impact that unexpected accidents can have on those involved, from mounting medical bills to uncertainty about the journey ahead. That’s why every day, our South Carolina car accident lawyers aggressively represent accident victims and their families, ensuring you get the entirety of what you’re owed under South Carolina law for the physical, financial, and emotional pain you’ve been forced to go through.

For a free consultation directly with a reputable lawyer, please call our office at (803) 888-2200. We look forward to speaking with you.

South Carolina Car Accident Lawyers

With 60+ years of combined experience and hundreds of 5-star client reviews, you can trust the team at Cavanaugh & Thickens, LLC will have your back and protect you throughout the legal process and beyond. Our mission is to give our clients the best opportunity possible for a strong outcome for both their case and future. Allow us to put our experience and resources to work for you, so you can focus your time and attention to healing and returning to normalcy.

$2,000,000

Truck Accident

$675,000

Car Accident

$2.05

Truck Accident

$600,000

Car Accident

$1.2M

Truck Accident

What Compensation Can You Recover in a Car Accident Claim?

After an unexpected accident, many of our clients come to us with astronomical medical bills, hefty car repair costs, and a great deal of concern about what their future is going to look like. We fight to get our clients fairly compensated for all past, present, and future damages related to the accident, including but not limited to:

Emergency Room Visits/Costs
Doctor and Hospital Bills
Physical Therapy, and other Rehabilitation Bills
Past and Future Time Missed From Work
Lost Wages
Reduced Earning Capacity
Property Damage
Disability
Pain and Suffering
Lost Quality of Life
Wrongful Death
Funeral Expenses
And Much More

While the legal process is designed to compensate people who have been hurt in a car accident for their damages; sadly, insurance companies do not make it easy for you. From trying to blame you for the accident to ignoring communication, insurance companies will likely use a variety of tricks to limit your compensation or deny it altogether. Our South Carolina personal injury lawyers won’t let that happen to you.

How Fault is Determined in SC Car Accidents

The state of South Carolina follows a “modified negligence” system. This means that for any personal injury claim, every person involved is assigned a percentage of fault.

As long as you are found to be less than 50% at-fault for the accident, you can receive some amount of compensation for your damages.

The percentage that you are found to be at-fault impacts the amount of compensation you are eligible to recover.

For example, if a jury finds you to be 20% at-fault for the accident, then you can recover 80% of the jury’s ultimate verdict. If the jury verdict rules you’re owed $500,000 in compensation, then you can receive 80% of that, which is equal to $400,000.

How to Prove Fault in South Carolina Car Wrecks

One of the most important parts of any South Carolina car accident claim is proving who was at-fault for the accident. An experienced car accident lawyer will work hard to prove negligence, proving that the other party was at-fault and responsible for compensating you.

There are three different elements of negligence that must be proven:

1. Duty of Care: Proving the defendant (at-fault party) owed you a duty of care.

2. Breach of Duty: Proving that the defendant did not meet, or breached, that duty of care.

3. Causation: Proving that breach of duty directly caused the accident and your resulting damages.

Our experienced South Carolina car accident attorneys do this by:

Analyzing the police report
Identifying all potential sources of fault and recovery
Potentially working with reconstruction experts
Examining available evidence: photos, videos, etc
Obtaining additional evidence: black box data, security footage, and more
Interviewing witnesses
Analyzing statements of involved drivers
Facilitating discussions with the insurance companies involved, ensuring your rights are protected
And much more

Common Causes of South Carolina Car Accidents

The most common contributing factors in South Carolina car accidents resulting in injury include:

Driving too fast for conditions
Failing to yield right of way
Disregarded signs/signals/etc
Driving under the influence
Following too closely
Distracted driving
Improper lane usage or lane change

All drivers on South Carolina roads are held to a certain standard of behavior, such as following the rules of the road. When drivers fail to do so, they are acting negligently. If a driver hit you due to negligent driving, then you may be entitled to compensation for your damages.

How Long Do I Have to Take Legal Action After a Car Wreck in South Carolina?

Following most car accidents in South Carolina, you have three years from the date of the accident to file a personal injury claim. This is the “Statute of Limitations” for filing a personal injury lawsuit in SC. However, this can vary depending on the specifics of your case. For example, if a government entity or other certain other types of entities was involved, this deadline can be drastically reduced. It is important to determine what the Statute of Limitations in your specific case is as early as possible.

While you may have 2-3 years, depending on your accident, it’s never a good idea to wait until the last minute to file a lawsuit. You’ll want to act fast to ensure that critical evidence is not lost, destroyed, or forgotten – such as black box data, security footage, witness testimony, and more.

Even if you’re unsure about moving forward with the legal process, it’s always a good idea to at least speak to an experienced accident attorney in South Carolina to learn your rights, what compensation you may be entitled to, your options under the law, and more. You can contact our legal team and get a free consultation directly with an award-winning car accident lawyer today by calling (803) 888-2200, emailing info@ctlawsc.com or completing our secure online form.

What is the Average Settlement for a Car Accident in South Carolina?

Unfortunately, there really is no “average” settlement amount for car accidents in South Carolina. The value of your case will vary greatly depending on things like the extent of your injuries, if you’re out of work and for how long, your medical expenses, emotional damages, and more. While we understand this may not be the exact answer that you’re looking for, we’re happy to give you more insight as to how much your specific case may be worth during your free consultation.

Recent Cavanaugh & Thickens, LLC Motor Vehicle Accident Case Results

$2,050,000 – Accident involving a truck
$950,000 – Accident involving a tractor trailer
$750,000 – Car accident caused by a driver under the influence
$675,000 – Car Accident in SC
$1,500,000 – Accident involving a truck
$672,000 – Accident caused by a drunk driver
$600,000 – Car Accident in SC
$2,000,000 – Accident involving a truck

How Long Will My Car Accident Case Take?

Every car accident is unique – from the severity of the injuries sustained to the insurance company’s level of cooperation. Some car accident cases may take weeks, while others may take years. To get a better understanding of how long a car accident case may take, it’s important to keep in mind:

The extent of your injuries
The extent of your damages
The estimated recovery time for your injuries
How willing the insurance company is to pay you the entirety of what you deserve
Whether or not your case goes to trial
How many parties were involved
And much more

At Cavanaugh & Thickens, LLC, our team ensures that our clients are kept up-to-date on the status of their case and what to expect at each step. With decades of combined experience, you can trust that our car accident attorneys will help make this process as smooth as possible, while aggressively defending you and your case.

Can I Afford a South Carolina Accident Attorney?

Many of our clients come to us with mounting medical bills, they’re out of work, and they have no idea how much their case is worth under South Carolina law. Often, they just want to get back to the life they had before the accident. Our mission has always been to get car accident victims the justice they deserve, while easing the physical, financial, and emotional burdens that often follow serious wrecks.

That’s why we offer free consultations, where you can discuss your case and options directly with a reputable car accident lawyer in South Carolina. For your convenience, we offer these over the phone and in person at our Columbia and Charleston offices.

In addition, there are no up-front or out-of-pocket fees to hire our team.

Lastly, our personal injury lawyers work on a contingency fee basis, meaning our office collects a percentage of the total compensation earned on your behalf at the end of your case. If for some reason no compensation is recovered, then you owe us nothing.

No matter where you are in your car accident case, we’re here to help. If you have any questions or would like to speak with a lawyer, call our office at (803) 888-2200.

Car Accidents in South Carolina: Important Statistics

According to the most recent South Carolina Department of Public Safety (SCDPS) Traffic Collision Fact Book:

An accident occurs in South Carolina every 3.6 minutes – that’s almost 360 accidents per day
A person is injured every 9.8 minutes
An accident results in loss of life every 7.9 hours
A motorcyclist is killed every 2.3 days
A bicyclist is killed every 15.9 days
A pedestrian is killed every 1.9 days
A teen driver is involved in a fatal collision or one resulting in injury every 1.4 hours

In addition, in 2021, South Carolina experienced the most reported collisions (127,724) and the most fatal collisions (1,198 fatalities) yet, with data going back to 1982.

If you or a loved one has been hurt or worse as a result of a car accident, we’re here for you. Let us secure you the entirety of what you’re owed for your losses.

Our South Carolina Car Accident Attorneys Are Here and Ready to Help

Devastatingly, many car accidents should not have happened in the first place. Even the most careful, defensive drivers can be involved in an accident because another driver made a poor decision while behind the wheel. While we wish we could prevent these accidents from occurring, we’re here to get you the results you deserve – from fair compensation to getting you the resources needed for the best recovery possible.

If you were injured in a car wreck, please contact the law office of Cavanaugh & Thickens, LLC at (803) 888-2200 to schedule a free case evaluation. Rest assured, we are available 24/7 via phone and are here to accommodate your needs, whether you’re in the hospital, at home, or would like to meet with us in person. We look forward to hearing from you. Serving the entire state of South Carolina, we have offices in Charleston and Columbia.

Our Locations

Columbia Car Accident Lawyers

Charleston Car Accident Lawyers

Additional Helpful Resources

Every day, we help people who have been injured in accidents that they did not cause. We understand the impact unexpected accidents have on those involved and their loved ones. We are committed to educating drivers to help reduce car accidents in the future. Check out some of our related content:

Frequently Asked Questions

What Car Accident Cases Does Your Firm Handle?

With over 60 years of combined experience, we have extensive experience representing a wide variety of car accident cases. This includes, but is not limited to:

DUI Accidents
Fatal Car Accidents
Head-On Collisions
Hit and Run Accidents
Passenger Injuries
Pedestrian Accidents
Pile-Ups
Rear-End Collisions
Ride Share Accidents
T-Bone Accidents
Truck Accidents
Underinsured/Uninsured Accidents
And more.

What Should I Do After a SC Auto Accident?

We will ship a printed copy of this checklist to you for free. Simply email info@ctlawsc.com and provide the best address to ship it to and indicate how many you need (we recommend 1/car).

Move to safety.

If you are able to, move to a safe location. This may be the shoulder of the road if you’re on a highway or a nearby parking lot.

Stay at the scene.

Do not leave the scene of an accident. Stay, and if you’re able to, collect important information such as the date, time, weather/road conditions, the name(s) of those involved, license plates, the names and contact information of witnesses, and more.

Stay as calm as possible.

You are likely running on a lot of adrenaline – try to remain calm. At this point, you or someone else should call 911 if nobody has already.

Do not move if you’re injured.

If you’re injured, try to remain still until medical personnel arrive. If someone else is seriously injured, try to keep them still, as sudden movements can make injuries worse.

Take photos of the accident and surrounding scene.

If you’re able to, take photos of the accident and the surrounding environment. You should take photos of any damage to the vehicles involved, nearby signs, apparent injuries, and any other details you think could be important.

Do not allow the involved parties to take a photo of your license.

They may collect your drivers license number, but other personal information should not be shared. Simply read them your driver’s license number for their records.

Get medical attention.

Whether you are clearly injured or feel fine, it’s in your best interest to get checked out by a professional. After an accident, your adrenaline may be masking injuries and pain. In addition, some injuries take days for symptoms to appear, so always get checked out by a doctor.

File a police report.

You should always file a police report. Do not apologize, and do not admit fault.

What Are Common Car Accident Injuries?

Car accidents are unpredictable and can lead to a wide variety of injuries. These can include fractures, soft-tissue injuries, broken bones, whiplash, scars and disfigurements, and much more. Commonly, we see injuries to the back, neck, shoulders, feet/ankles, and wrists/hands.

Serious accidents may also lead to catastrophic injuries such as spinal cord injuries, neck injuries, wrongful death, burn injuries, road rash, crush injuries, and more.

Car accident injuries often result in long, challenging treatment journeys. From simple surgery and rehabilitation programs, to life-long future care needs, no injuries are the same. Whether your recovery will take weeks or years, we are here to get you what you deserve and provide hope for the future ahead.

South Carolina Car Accident Lawyer