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.  The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) states that approximately 270 lives are saved for every one percent increase in seat belt use. This is an impressive statistic, and one that encourages people to buckle up, even for short trips.

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.

Unfortunately, a victim of a car accident will sometimes find that the reckless driver who hit them is uninsured or underinsured.  Because of this, it is always wise to carry both uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage on your policy.

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

Civil actions tend to concern themselves primarily with factual questions with regard to who is at fault, to what degree, and how much in damages are to be paid to the plaintiff(s) by the defendant's insurer. If a driver found liable does not carry insurance, plaintiff(s) may file a claim against the driver directly, or in some cases may be able to recover damages from their own insurance companies.

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

FREE CONSULTATION

If you or a loved one has been injured in an accident or due to the negligence of a medical care provider, contact a South Carolina accident lawyer at the Bostic Law Firm today. Our office is located in Charleston, but we represent clients from many areas, including North Charleston, Mt Pleasant, Ravenel, Hollywood, Goose Creek, Monks Corner, Summerville, Hampton County, Colleton County, Berkeley County, Dorchester County ,Beaufort, Jasper County, Columbia, Daniel Island, Sumter, Aiken, Greenville, Walterboro, Hanahan, James Island, Isle of Palms, Folly Island, Johns Island, Rantowles, Edisto, Jericho, Osborn, Wadmalaw Island, Yonges Island, Meggett, Adams Run, Walterboro, Rockville, Kiawah, Seabrook, Chester, Lincolnville, Ladson, Horry County, Spartanburg, and others. Complete a FREE Online Consultation Form or call us today.

Our personal injury team can help in a broad range of areas: wrongful death, truck accidents, motorcycle accidents, auto accidents, on the job injuries, worker's compensation, amputations, eye injuries, electrical injuries, medical malpractice, head trauma, neck injuries, back injuries, bed sores, malnutrition, dehydration, overdose, misdiagnosis, elopement, falls, broken bone, fractures, birth injury, boat accidents, brain injuries, drug injuries, defective products, dog bites, drunk driving accidents, fire and burn injuries, motorcycle accidents, scuba diving injuries, shooting accidents, assaults, nursing home abuse and neglect, premises liability, car accidents, bus accidents, train crossing accidents, aviation accidents, spinal injuries, delayed diagnosis, surgical mistakes, nursing home neglect, and others.