Greenville Car Accident Attorney
Greenville Car Accident Attorney – Car accidents are an unfortunate fact of life. In the most recent year for which figures are available, the Federal Highway Administration reported 2,842,557 licensed drivers in South Carolina alone and 95,796,065 in the US total.
If you were seriously injured in a car accident in Greenville, you might need a car accident attorney to help you recover full and fair compensation for your losses.
Why choose us for your car accident lawyers?
Our car accident attorneys at Melonkos Law Firm in Greenville, South Carolina, help our clients get their health and financial lives back in order.
We challenge insurance companies or at-fault parties to earn our clients the compensation they need. This allows our customers to stop worrying and get on with their lives.
As a personal injury client of Mellonakos Law Firm, your job is to recover and move on to the next phase of your life. We handle the rest, as you can see from our customer testimonials.
Car Accident Lawyer Greenville SC
We have significant experience handling car accident cases. With experience in over 30 trials, we will not hesitate to fight for your rights in court if necessary.
Our legal team includes a former insurance defense attorney, which gives us insight into how the insurance process works and how to maximize your recovery.
This allows us to focus better on the legal aspects of your case that can help you recover compensation.
Common Causes of Car Accidents
Car accidents have many causes, and many of them involve driver errors. Some common causes of traffic accidents include:
- Distracted Driving: This can include texting, talking on a cell phone, operating a GPS, adjusting the stereo, talking to passengers, eating, or any other activity that draws the driver’s attention away from the road.
- Drunk driving: Driver impairment that leads to a wreck can be caused by alcohol, drugs, or even prescription drugs.
- Speed: Based on the laws of physics, the faster a vehicle travels, the longer it takes to stop to avoid an accident.
- Aggressive Driving: It is a combination of driving behaviors, which include over speeding, erratic lane changes, failure to give way, and failure to obey traffic signs and signals.
- Drowsy Driving: According to the National Safety Council, tired drivers are three times more likely to be involved in an accident.
Who is liable in a car accident?
South Carolina has a flawed system for determining who is liable for a car accident. Either the driver is at fault for the accident, or the driver’s insurance company pays for the damages. After a no-fault traffic accident, you have the following options:
File a claim with your own insurance company, which will likely recover from the at-fault driver’s insurance company;
File a third-party claim with the insurance company of the driver who caused the accident; either.
File a personal injury lawsuit against the at-fault driver for your injuries and damages.
Car accident injuries can also result in non-economic damages
Non-economic losses don’t immediately have a financial value – we must specify one instead. These types of damages are subjective, as they are based on physical, mental, and emotional harm. Some examples include:
- pain and suffering
- emotional distress, including psychological trauma
- permanent disability, including vision or hearing loss
- physical deformity
- decreased quality of life
Our legal team uses court-approved formulas to measure these types of damages. We may discuss these in future consultations as we know your situation and how the car accident affected your day-to-day lifestyle.
Damages related to the wrongful death of your loved one
Unfortunately, some car accidents can be fatal. For example, Greenville’s busiest highway, South Carolina Highway 14, often sees accidents during peak traffic hours, and some victims do not survive.
If you have lost a loved one in an auto accident, you may be eligible to file a wrongful death action or lawsuit and pursue additional damages, such as:
- cost of funeral arrangements
- loss of consortium
- loss of financial aid
Other emotional losses related to changes in the relationship or family dynamics
We understand that financial compensation does not replace the life of your loved one, but it may cover some of the practical concerns you may be facing now. We are empathetic to your grief and will help you seek justice on behalf of your loved one.
Why do you need a Greenville auto accident lawyer?
When you file a claim with an insurance company, the adjuster will consider all available evidence to determine fault.
At Melonkos Law Firm, our experienced Greenville car accident attorneys can thoroughly investigate your accident, collect evidence, and negotiate with insurance companies on your behalf.
We have the skills and knowledge to prepare a compelling claim and, if necessary, take your case to trial.
South Carolina Laws About Car Accidents
South Carolina has a plethora of laws designed to prevent car accidents. The South Carolina Code of Laws has its chapter devoted to “The Rules of the Road” in SC Code Ann.
- 56-5-10 etc. When an at-fault driver causes a car accident not only by being negligent but also by violating the South Carolina road rules, that driver has been “per se negligent” and can be held liable under the law.
When a car accident case comes to trial, we select jurors familiar with the driving laws and understand why it is important to follow them.
Any experienced car accident attorney knows that most car accidents result from violations of uniform rules.
At Mellonakos Law Firm, we understand these laws, how to cross-examine at-fault drivers about them, and how to get a trial judge to explain these rules to a jury.
Some South Carolina driving laws that are commonly violated in car accident cases include:
- Sc Code Ann. § 56-5-1930 – Following too closely (i.e., rear-ending another vehicle)
- Sc Code Ann. § 56-5-3230 – Failing to use reasonable care
- Sc Code Ann. § 56-5-2920 – Reckless driving with a view to the safety of others
- Sc Code Ann. § 56-5-1810 – Crossing the center line in oncoming traffic
- Sc Code Ann. § 56-5-1900 – Failure to maintain lane (changing lane before it is safe to do so and hitting the vehicle in the next lane)
- Sc Code Ann. § 56-5-950 – Failure to obey traffic signal (i.e., running a red light)
- Sc Code Ann. § 56-5-2320 – Failure to yield to left turn
- Sc Code Ann. § 56-5-3130 – Failure to yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk
- Sc Code Ann. § 56-5-3435 – Failure to pass bicycle at a safe distance
- Sc Code Ann. § 56-5-2930- Driving under the influence of alcohol or other drugs
- Sc Code Ann. § 56-5-1220 and 1230 – Hit and Run
- Sc Code Ann. § 56-5-1520 – Driving too fast for speed or conditions
How A Greenville Car Accident Lawyer Can Help You
At Melonkos Law Firm in Greenville, South Carolina, our injury attorneys have recovered over $28 million for our clients.
If you have been injured in a car accident, our Greenville car accident attorneys are also here to help.
We maintain a small load of cases to give our clients the attention they deserve. Contact us if you have been involved in a serious car accident caused by someone else’s negligence. Call us at (864) 528-0542.
If you’d like, fill out our online form or chat, and we can set up a time to talk that suits you. We can meet you at or near your home if you don’t have a car. You don’t pay anything for consulting us in your car accident case.
Greenville Car Accident Attorney FAQs
When seeking the services of a Greenville car accident attorney to handle your case after a car accident, you want to be sure that you are engaging someone who has your best interests at heart.
With so many attorneys out there, you want to be sure that you hire a firm that can represent your case appropriately.
The decision to trust someone with legal services should be taken seriously. It can be a difficult decision, but the good news is that there are many questions you can ask a lawyer so that you can make an informed decision. Here’s what to ask a lawyer before hiring one to help you with a car accident.
Greenville Car Accident Attorney
What to ask a lawyer after a car accident
How long have you been working as a car accident attorney in Greenville?
This is one of the primary questions to ask a car accident attorney. This helps you determine whether the attorney has the experience to handle your case.
An experienced Greenville car accident attorney should be well-versed in state accident laws to handle your case smoothly.
Do I have a strong case for pursuing a claim?
No one can guarantee that every car accident claim will be successful. Some people may not be able to recover their losses due to a lack of concrete evidence to prove that the other party is liable for injury and damages.
As soon as you engage the services of a car accident attorney, it is important to ask what the attorney thinks about your case.
Get an attorney’s opinion and let them help you determine whether your case is worth the time and money.
How much does a lawyer charge for a car accident claim?
Attorney fees vary from one firm to another. Many car accident attorneys in Greenville work on a contingency basis, where you are not paid upfront until you win your case.
This is one of the most important questions to ask a lawyer about your case so that you can make an informed decision based on the lawyer’s compensation terms.
It is important to speak with a lawyer so that you understand the terms by which you will pay for their services.
How long will my case take before I get the settlement?
The time frame for a car accident settlement depends on various factors, such as the injuries sustained, the type of claim you make, the dispute over who was at fault, the settlement amount you seek, and whether your case is pending trial.
When you ask a car accident attorney this question, the attorney can provide you with an estimated timeline and time frame determining factors for your case and advise you on the likely length of time your case will take.
If your case is going to trial, it will take longer than you can reach a settlement in which the insurance company compensates you for your claim without litigation.
Have you won the same cases as me?
You should know that the attorney has your best interests at heart and can confidently manage your case. Each case is different, and results in previous cases are not indicative of results that may be obtained for your case.
However, an experienced Greenville car accident attorney should have handled many car accident cases and be prepared to describe their track record of successfully resolving them like yours.
How much is my case worth?
Based on the available information, an experienced Greenville car accident attorney can analyze the circumstances of your case and give you a possible estimate of the value of your case.
Most likely, you want to know how much settlement you can get from the claim. However, it would help if you were wary of a car accident lawyer who claims to know the value of your case during your treatment, as you are at a loss until you recover fully.
Do I have any role to play in a car accident claim?
When you hire an experienced Greenville car accident attorney, it does not mean that you leave everything up to them. You must be proactive and provide quality information to your lawyer as and when required.
How will an attorney keep me updated on the progress of my claim?
An experienced and reputable car accident attorney should have clear communication procedures and be prepared to keep you updated during litigation.
We hope you like our article on Greenville Car Accident Attorney.
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