In South Carolina, you do have to call the police for a car accident if someone is injured, dies, or there’s property damage. Calling 911 to bring law enforcement and medical personnel to the scene allows you to report the crash and get treatment for your injuries. Our Greenville car accident lawyer at Smith Jordan Law can explain what to do after a car accident in South Carolina.
When are you required to call the police after a car accident in South Carolina?
Under South Carolina law, drivers involved in a crash that causes injury or death must stop at the scene, remain there, and report the accident to the proper authorities. When law enforcement responds, an officer may investigate the scene and prepare an accident report.
For minor injury crashes, you can move your vehicle out of traffic if it’s safe to do so. If someone died or suffered serious bodily injury, you must leave the vehicles where they are for the police department to inspect. You must exchange information with the other drivers, which includes your driver’s license and insurance company details.
Should you still call the police for a minor car accident or fender bender?
Yes, under the law, you must call 911 even if it’s a minor car accident or “fender bender.” If there is no police report of the crash, you could struggle to recover compensation in your insurance claim. You may also be hurt more than you realize, which would require you to report the incident.
What information should drivers exchange after a crash?
All drivers involved in an accident should exchange their driver’s license information and details about contacting their auto insurance company. South Carolina is an at-fault state for auto claims, so you can file against another driver’s liability policy.
A good way to ensure you capture the information accurately is to take photos of the license and insurance card while exchanging information. You should also take pictures of any injuries, damage to any vehicles involved, road conditions, weather, signs, and anything else that shows what happened. Your car accident attorney can collect additional evidence to support your claim.
What happens if you don’t report the accident or call law enforcement?
Failing to contact the authorities so they can file a report can significantly affect your insurance claim. Leaving the scene of an accident with injuries is a felony in SC, and if you leave the scene of a fatal accident, you may face up to 25 years in prison.
How can a police report help your car accident claim?
In injury crashes, an accident report is an official document from an authoritative source, making it a powerful piece of evidence. The report will record all information about all drivers involved, as well as whether the police issued any citations. If the driver who hit you received a traffic citation, it can demonstrate their negligence.
Showing who is at fault in a car accident can allow you to recover full compensation for your medical costs, lost wages, plus pain and suffering more successfully. Without an accident report, you could face a reduced or denied claim because you don’t have the evidence the insurance company requires.
Talk to a Greenville car accident lawyer about your next steps
Although you may worry about how to pay for legal help when you’re already facing medical expenses and other bills after a crash, we can put those fears to rest at Smith Jordan Law. We offer free initial consultations to answer your questions and assess your claim. When we accept your case, you don’t pay us unless we win your case.
Get the legal representation and support you need to hold at-fault parties accountable for reckless, drunk, or careless driving. Just contact us at (864) 343-2222 to arrange a free case review with a Greenville car accident lawyer today.