If you are injured in a car accident, even in a minor one, you should always consult with a Personal injury lawyer in South Carolina. Legal support is essential to safeguard your rights, secure proper compensation, and let you focus on recovery while a skilled professional manages your case.
This article aims to cover the most common car accident injuries and give an overview of what to expect for each.
Spinal Cord & Back Injuries
Back injuries are among the most common injuries from car accidents. Back injuries range from simple muscle strains to herniated discs or spinal cord damage, often resulting in chronic pain, limited mobility, or disability.
Cases involving back injuries require extensive documentation, expert testimony, medical care, and physical therapy, which can be laborious. Compensation must account for both immediate assistance and long-term care.
Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBIs)
Traumatic brain injuries are among the most serious injuries resulting from a car accident. Even minor accidents can shake the head enough to cause it to violently shift inside the skull during impact. TBIs can cause lingering symptoms such as memory loss, headaches, difficulty concentrating, and learning.
Legally, TBIs can be hard to account for. This is due to most symptoms developing over a long period and to insurance companies attempting to minimize their severity. Having legal representation ensures that even long-term damage that takes time to manifest is appropriately compensated.
Broken Bones and Fractures
Fractures to the arms, legs, ribs, or face are very common in high-impact crashes. Depending on the place of the broken bone, it can be relatively minor or require extensive surgery and physical therapy. Oftentimes, broken bones affect the victim’s ability to work and care for themselves.
Legal assistance is integral because it will accurately detail compensation for both immediate and long-term care.
Internal Injuries
Internal injuries are also quite common in car accidents. This type of injury can be overlooked immediately after an accident, but all of them require emergency care. Failure to care for an internal injury can lead to fatal consequences if untreated.
Almost all internal injuries involve high medical costs and care. Legal representation will ensure that all costs are fully documented and adequately valued.
Injuries That Most Likely Will Need Legal Action
It should go without saying that nearly all injuries sustained in a car accident should be assessed by a legal team. Only the most minor, such as small abrasions, should be overlooked. The following injuries are the most likely to require legal assistance:
- Traumatic Brain Injuries with lasting symptoms
- Spinal Cord Injuries
- Injuries that require surgery
- Injuries that result in disfigurement, disability, or permanent loss of quality of life.
Why Legal Help Matters in South Carolina
South Carolina utilizes a modified comparative negligence rule. This rule means that compensation following a car accident can be reduced if you are found at fault, even partially. If you are found at fault for over 50% of the accident, insurance companies can limit payouts and shift the blame to put you entirely on the hook.
Getting legal help from a lawyer benefits you because:
- They can conduct the investigation and gather evidence in your favor.
- Can work with your medical doctors and document the costs properly
- They can negotiate with insurers and pursue litigation on your behalf.
Conclusion
Nearly every car accident can benefit from having an attorney, but it’s almost as important to remember that not all do. Simple fender benders may not require a car accident attorney, but if a car accident causes life-altering injuries, legal guidance is essential. If you or your family has suffered significant effects from a car accident, consulting a personal injury lawyer can help ensure your claim properly reflects the impact on your life and provide the necessary compensation.
