If you’ve been involved in an auto collision causing injuries and damages, such as lost wages for missed work and healthcare bills, you may be entitled to recover compensation for your losses. As your car accident attorney in Greenville, SC, we help you handle the legal paperwork and fight for your right to a fair settlement.
Dan Pruitt Injury Law Firm has stood by the Greenville, SC, community for over three decades, helping crash victims regain their agency after a collision. We understand the pain and discomfort you and your loved ones may be experiencing. Whether submitting an insurance claim or bringing a civil lawsuit against the person or business that is at fault for what happened, our team can assist you with these processes, freeing up your time to take care of other matters that are important to you.
You don’t have to navigate this challenging time alone. We’re here to shoulder the legal burden while you prioritize rehabilitation and recovery. Schedule your free case evaluation today to speak with a trusted car accident lawyer to determine a path for recovery.
Why Choose Dan Pruitt Injury Law Firm for Your Case?
Hiring a local auto accident lawyer in Greenville, SC, provides you with advantages that outside law firms simply can’t match. Unlike attorneys from other areas, we understand the roads and rules in our community inside and out. For example, we recognize which intersections tend to be the most dangerous, such as White Horse Road, Woodruff, Haywood, or Route 25 on your way to Asheville.
Collaborating with our local Greenville personal injury law firm can be helpful for many reasons. We are familiar with the community’s values, ordinances, and laws, and provide personalized service and attention to your case. In contrast, a remote firm may not be able to give you one-on-one service or know the roads you are referring to. Additionally, a trusted car accident attorney near Greenville, SC, understands the court and insurance procedures specific to this area.
Recognized Legal Representation
Dan Pruitt Injury Law Firm has been serving the Greenville community since 1993, helping connect victims with much-needed compensation and validation after a crash. Throughout his decades in service to others, Dan Pruitt has received dozens of positive reviews from past clients who’ve experienced firsthand the difference our dedication makes.
Clients have described him as “one of the most intelligent, caring, and talented attorneys you will find” and praise his and his paralegals’ diligence in handling every aspect of their cases.
Accessible Legal Support
Because we know that life does not stop after a crash happens, we provide expanded availability and flexible meeting times and modalities, including virtual and in-hospital appointments. We’re not a high-volume firm that treats you like just another case number.
Dan Pruitt and our team take pride in our commitment to giving you tailored support and recommendations so you feel seen, valued, and heard throughout the legal process.
Understanding South Carolina Car Accident Laws
When you’re dealing with the aftermath of a car accident in Greenville, we understand that navigating South Carolina’s legal system can feel overwhelming. As an experienced car accident attorney team, we’ve helped countless clients through this challenging process, and we’re here to guide you every step of the way.
Filing a car accident claim in South Carolina requires proving that someone else is responsible for your collision. In legal terms, we call this negligence, and it’s the cornerstone of your case. Establishing negligence involves demonstrating four critical elements that we’ll help you prove:
- That someone, whether a driver, pedestrian, or road worker, owed you a duty to act responsibly.
- This person failed to meet their expected standard of care.
- That you suffered harm as a result.
- That your injuries occurred directly due to that person’s failure to act appropriately.
As your car accident lawyer, we understand the specific deadlines for pursuing legal action.
South Carolina’s statute of limitations gives you three years to file a claim or lawsuit.
However, some circumstances may extend or shorten this timeframe, which is why consulting with our team quickly is imperative. We’ve seen too many victims miss their opportunity for justice simply because they waited too long to seek legal help.
Liability in Greenville Car Accidents
We conduct a comprehensive investigation to identify all potentially liable parties. You might think only the other driver bears responsibility. However, our approach often uncovers additional sources of compensation that can significantly impact your recovery.
Our investigation process includes examining:
- Employers
- Trucking companies
- Employers under the vicarious liability principle
- Vehicle owners
- Vehicle and parts manufacturers
- Repair shops and mechanics
- Bars and restaurants that overserve alcohol
- Government entities
When we identify multiple liable parties, we create more opportunities for compensation.
As your car accident attorney in Greenville, SC, we understand that each additional liable party represents another insurance policy or asset pool that can contribute to your recovery, ensuring you’re not left shouldering the financial burden of someone else’s negligence.
Our Greenville Car Accident Lawyer Team Helps Maximize Your Settlement
Many victims find immense relief when they partner with our team during the insurance or court claim processes. We identify and locate the evidence needed to build a rock-solid case against the person or agency responsible for your incident. Our team attends every settlement negotiation with insurance adjusters, protecting your legal rights under the insurance policy and ensuring you don’t accept less than you deserve.
As your car accident attorney, we understand South Carolina’s compensation laws, including the comparative negligence rules that insurers often use to reduce payouts. When insurance companies see that Dan Pruitt Injury Law Firm represents you, they know you’re serious about getting fair compensation.
We’ve built our reputation over decades of successful negotiations and, when necessary, victories in court. We have a history of exceeding expectations, and insurance adjusters know we won’t back down from a fight if that’s what it takes to secure justice for you.
What Compensation Can You Recover?
Seeking car accident compensation in Greenville, SC, helps you obtain the resources necessary to rebuild your life after an accident disrupts everything you’ve worked for. As your legal advocates, we help you recover non-economic, economic, and punitive damages after your crash.
Economic Damages
Your economic damages are the financial losses incurred due to your accident. We carefully document every financial impact, ensuring nothing is overlooked when building your claim.
These damages cover the real costs that have disrupted your financial stability, and frequently include:
- Medical bills and ongoing treatment costs
- Future healthcare costs for continued care and rehabilitation
- Lost wages and future earnings
- Property and vehicle repairs or replacement costs
- Out-of-pocket expenses related to your injury
We work with economic and vocational experts when necessary to project your future losses accurately. Your injuries shouldn’t force you into financial hardship, and our team ensures that your settlement accounts for both immediate and long-term economic impacts.
Non-Economic Damages
Your non-economic damages compensate for all the intangible ways your accident has affected your life. Compensation for these damages acknowledges that these losses are equally real and deserving of compensation, despite lacking receipts. We help you articulate these impacts in ways that resonate with insurance adjusters and juries:
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress (anxiety, depression, and PTSD)
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Disfigurement or disability
- Loss of consortium for spouses and families
South Carolina does not cap non-economic damages in auto collisions, meaning we can pursue full compensation for your pain, suffering, and diminished quality of life. This distinction is critical for car accident victims, as it allows us to seek compensation that truly reflects the severity of your suffering without artificial limits imposed by the law.
Punitive Damages
Punitive damages serve a different purpose; they’re meant to punish particularly heinous behavior and deter similar conduct in the future. In South Carolina, these damages are generally capped at three times the amount of compensatory damages or $500,000, whichever is greater. However, when the defendant’s conduct was intended to cause harm, a felony conviction, a guilty plea relating to your incident, or was “substantially impaired” by drug or alcohol use during the event, no cap applies.
When Greenville, SC Car Accidents Result in Loss of Life
Losing a loved one is devastating, and while no amount of money can bring them back, we’re committed to helping families seek justice and financial security during this difficult time. As your Greenville car accident lawyer, we handle these sensitive cases with the compassion and dedication your family deserves, understanding that you’re dealing with both overwhelming grief and practical concerns about your future. Wrongful death benefits in South Carolina may include:
- Funeral and burial expenses
- Medical bills from your loved one’s final injury or illness
- Lost financial support and future earnings
- Loss of companionship and guidance
- Mental anguish and emotional suffering of surviving family members
- Loss of household services that your loved one provided
S.C. Code § 15-51-10 allows the decedent’s spouse, children, or parents (if no spouse or children exist) to file for damages. There is a potential for securing punitive damages when the defendant’s actions were extremely reckless or intentional. Our team has helped numerous Greenville families obtain settlements that provide financial stability and a sense of justice after their tragic loss.
Common Types of Car Accidents We Handle
At Dan Pruitt Injury Law Firm, we’ve successfully represented clients in virtually every type of car accident scenario you can imagine. Our law firm has helped clients after many different kinds of accidents, including:
- Rear-end collisions
- Head-on crashes
- Drunk driving accidents
- Uber accidents
- Collisions with commercial trucks
- Hit-and-run incidents
- Accidents involving uninsured drivers
- T-bone or side-impact collisions
- Multi-vehicle pile-ups
- Distracted driving accidents
- Accidents caused by defective auto parts
We can assist you with all aspects of preparing and presenting your case, including requesting police reports, traffic camera footage, eyewitness testimony, and other records to help support your compensation claim. Our experience with diverse accident types means we know exactly what evidence to look for and how to build the strongest possible case for your specific situation.
Common Greenville Car Accident Injuries
When you’re involved in a crash, you may suffer from many different types of injuries, each requiring varying levels of care and compensation. We’ve seen firsthand how these injuries can impact every aspect of your life, from your ability to work to your relationships with loved ones. Understanding the full scope of your injuries is critical to securing appropriate compensation. Injuries that we commonly see after collisions include:
- Whiplash and neck injuries
- Traumatic brain injuries (TBI)
- Broken bones and fractures
- Soft tissue wounds
- Spinal cord injuries and paralysis
- Internal injuries
Some injuries may require long-term care or result in permanent disability, fundamentally altering your life’s trajectory. As your car accident lawyer in Greenville, we help connect you with the resources needed to address your permanent disability.
Steps to Take After a Car Accident in Greenville
After an auto wreck, there are ways to preserve your legal rights and protect your physical health. Taking the proper steps immediately after your car accident in Greenville, SC, can make the difference between a successful claim and a denied one.
Quick action helps preserve critical evidence, strengthens your claim, and prevents insurance companies from gaining an advantage at your expense. As your Greenville car accident lawyer, we work with you to complete these steps, significantly increasing your chances of receiving a fair payout.
Report the Accident to Authorities
South Carolina laws require drivers to report motor vehicle accidents to local law enforcement if someone was or may be injured or killed because of the incident. After calling 911, it’s best to tell the police what happened. Don’t downplay your injuries or say you’re fine; let the professionals assess your condition.
Law enforcement will create a report, which you can use to support your claim later. This police report often becomes one of the most important pieces of evidence in your case, providing an official, third-party account of what happened.
Seek Medical Attention
Next, you should get checked out by a medical provider, like Prisma Health or Bon Secours St. Francis, to identify and treat your wounds. Even if you don’t feel like you have serious injuries, adrenaline can mask serious injuries that may not become apparent until hours or days later. Your initial doctor visit helps prove a connection between the accident and your losses, which insurance companies will scrutinize.
When you see a physician, make sure to tell them that you were in a collision so they can add this to their notes, as this documentation becomes vital evidence in your claim. We’ve seen too many cases where delayed medical treatment gave insurance companies an excuse to deny or reduce claims, arguing that the injuries weren’t related to the accident.
Report Accident to Your Insurance Company
After seeking medical attention and notifying law enforcement, the next step is to submit a claim with your insurance provider or the insurer that covered the car you were in when the crash occurred. However, you need to be careful about what you say, stick to the facts, and avoid admitting fault.
Contact a Car Accident Attorney
We can help you understand what to do after a car accident in Greenville, SC, and we can also complete many of the post-crash steps for you. Our legal team can submit the appropriate documentation to the insurance company or the court, ensuring that all deadlines are met and correctly completed. We also write settlement proposals, and review and challenge those sent to you by the insurers or the at-fault driver, protecting you from accepting less than you deserve.
Avoid Talking to Liable Insurance Companies
Insurance adjusters from the at-fault party’s company will likely contact you soon after your accident, often when you’re still recovering and vulnerable. They may seem friendly and concerned, but remember: their job is to minimize what their company pays out.
These conversations are recorded and can be used against you later, even if they contain innocent statements taken out of context. We handle all communication with insurance companies, ensuring your rights are protected and your words aren’t twisted against you.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a car accident lawyer cost in Greenville?
At Dan Pruitt Injury Law Firm, we operate on a contingency basis, ensuring no upfront or out-of-pocket legal fees when you retain our services. Instead, our law firm receives a predetermined percentage of the settlement only if we win your case. We only get paid when you do, ensuring no risk to you.
How long do I have to file a claim in South Carolina?
The statute of limitations to file a claim or lawsuit after a collision is generally three years. However, some exceptions may give you more time or require you to act sooner. For instance, claims against government entities often have much shorter deadlines. That’s why we encourage you to contact us as quickly as possible. Waiting too long could mean losing your right to compensation entirely.
What if the other driver is uninsured or lacks enough coverage?
If the other driver doesn’t have insurance or doesn’t have enough coverage, you’re not out of options. We can review your policy to determine if you are eligible to request benefits under your uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage. Or you could file a civil lawsuit directly against the at-fault driver. We explore every avenue to recover compensation on your behalf.
Will my case go to court?
Your case may go to court if you cannot settle the claim with the insurance companies and the at-fault driver. However, the vast majority of these cases settle before litigation through skilled negotiation. We prepare every case as if it’s going to trial, which often motivates insurers to offer reasonable settlements rather than risk a jury verdict.
Talk to a Greenville Car Accident Lawyer Today
If you were in a collision in Greenville, call us today at (864) 668-1266 to speak to a car crash attorney you can trust. We understand your pain points and are here to listen to your legal concerns and help you feel supported throughout this challenging time. Every day you wait is a day that evidence could disappear, witnesses’ memories could fade, and insurance companies could be building their case against you.
Free Consultation and No Fees Unless We Win
Our Greenville car accident attorney team provides free consultations with no pressure or obligation to retain our services. We don’t charge our clients any upfront legal fees to handle their cases. Our contingency arrangements mean you can access top-tier legal representation without worrying about hourly bills or retainer fees. Your financial recovery shouldn’t begin with financial stress.
Let Us Help You Secure the Compensation You Deserve
Our team is ready to take your call and start building a legal strategy to obtain the settlement you deserve. With Dan Pruitt Injury Law Firm on your side, you’re not just getting a car accident lawyer; you’re getting a dedicated advocate who will fight tirelessly for your right to full settlements.
Don’t let insurance companies shortchange you. Call us today or reach out online, and let us show you why Greenville residents have trusted us with their car accident cases for over three decades.