How do I Get a Car Accident Report?

You can get a car accident report through the South Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles (SCDMV). Per SCDMV, you can request the collision report online or visit a local branch to request a copy of your accident report.

A personal injury lawyer at our firm can get your car accident report as part of their services. This may be a relief, as you may be extremely preoccupied following your accident.

Why do I Need a Car Accident Report?

A car accident report can be important evidence as you seek compensation for your accident-related losses. The accident report may document the following:

• Where the accident happened
• When the accident happened
• How the accident happened (at least in the eyes of the responding law enforcement officer)
• What witnesses said about the accident
• Other details related to your car accident

Law enforcement officers are objective parties when it comes to a car accident. Their report, therefore, should carry weight when determining liability for your accident.

If you have any questions about police reports or your case in general, our firm can answer them. Note that the car accident report will not be the only evidence that your lawyer seeks. An attorney from our team can also pursue the following:

• Video footage of your accident: Video can provide a clear, bias-free account of your accident. Such footage may come from a traffic camera, security cameras, an onlooker’s cell phone, or other sources.
• Witness accounts of the collision: Witnesses, like law enforcement officers, may have no reason to lie about your accident. While witness accounts are not perfect evidence, they can be important documentation of your car accident.
• Photographs of the accident scene and damaged vehicles: If circumstances permit, our team can visit your accident scene, document relevant areas of the scene, and photograph damage to vehicles. These photographs may provide important context to your accident.

If any other evidence or documentation sheds light on your accident, we can seek it out. Our firm may also hire one or more experts to reconstruct your accident. A reconstruction may be a digital or physical recreation of your collision, showing how the accident happened.

How Else Will an Attorney Help Me After a Car Accident?

An attorney’s job does not stop with documenting your accident. Their greater goal will be to get the compensation you deserve, whether through an insurance payment or a lawsuit.

With this goal in mind, a lawyer from our team can:

Deal With Insurers

Insurance companies do not always treat claimants fairly. These companies have a clear incentive to pay as little compensation as possible while taking in as many premiums as they can.

We can deal with insurance companies for you. If any of these companies act in bad faith, we can work to hold them accountable. If you maintained an auto insurance policy, as the South Carolina Department of Insurance (SCDOI) explains is a legal requirement, you deserve the coverage you paid for.

Calculate the Cost of Your Damages

We can determine the cost of your accident-related damages. This may include both economic damages (like vehicle repairs and medical costs) and non-economic damages, such as pain and suffering.

Once we know the cost of your accident, we may seek the compensation you are entitled to recover.

Seek a Fair Settlement to Cover Your Damages

We can fight for a fair settlement by:

• Calculating the cost of both current and future damages
• Contacting the insurance company that owes you compensation
• Hearing their settlement offer, or reasons for denying your claim
• Citing evidence, documentation of your damages, and our calculation of your damages as we seek a fair settlement

If liable parties do not settle fairly, we will take additional legal action.

Handle All Other Aspects of Your Claim or Lawsuit

You can count on our team to handle every other aspect of your claim or lawsuit, including paperwork, communications, and other requirements of a car accident case. You will not have to worry about your case, as we want you to focus on your recovery.

What Damages May an Attorney Get Compensation For?

We will seek compensation for all of your accident-related damages, which may include:

• Vehicle damage
• Medical expenses
• Lost income
• Temporary transportation
• Lost earning power
• Pain and suffering
• Any costs from long-term injury symptoms or disability

We prefer to analyze your losses by speaking with you, consulting medical professionals, and relying on experts. Losses are unique to the victim, and we will identify all of your accident-related damages.

Call Schiller & Hamilton Today for a Free Consultation About Your Car Accident Case

A car accident lawyer from our firm can take your case off of your hands. The team at Schiller & Hamilton has earned many five-star testimonials from our clients, and we want to fight for you.

Contact Schiller & Hamilton today for your free consultation. Do not wait to call. We may have a limited time to take legal action, and we can start your case once we have completed your consultation.