Uninsured Motorist Accidents

A person injured in a motor vehicle accident in South Carolina is entitled to damages for their injuries despite the negligent driver not being insured, or having only the minimum liability insurance required by the state.

“Uninsured Motorist” (UM) insurance in South Carolina can provide compensation in cases where the at-fault driver has no insurance, or doesn’t have enough to pay for all of your damages. UM coverage is included in all auto liability policies in South Carolina, which requires drivers to have some form of insurance in order to drive their vehicles inside the state.

Uninsured Motorist Coverage

Uninsured motorist coverage directly protects the policyholder. It pays-off when the policyholder is injured and/or their property is damaged by a hit-and-run driver or an uninsured driver. South Carolina law requires drivers to carry uninsured motorists coverage equal to the minimum amounts of liability coverage (which is the 25/50/25 requirement explained below).

Legally mandated insurance coverage in South Carolina requires the following:

* All drivers must have personal liability coverage to ensure motorists can cover accidents for which they are found to be at fault.

* They have at least $25,000 of bodily injury coverage per person involved in accident.

* All drivers must carry a minimum of $50,000 for total bodily injury per accident.

* Each driver must have at least $25,000 in liability coverage for accident related property damage.

* They’re also required to carry some form of uninsured motorist coverage.

Accidents Involving Uninsured Motorists

Despite the wisdom of complying with these legal requirements, a significant number of drivers in the state head out every day uninsured. One in every 10 motorists in South Carolina drives without liability insurance, according to some professional estimates. Equally worrying: the minimum levels of insurance are often insufficient to cover all the expenses possibly incurred. What happens when accidents involving these drivers occur?

In cases such as these, professional legal assistance is a considerable advantage for you given the complexities of litigation. You must remember that uninsured motorist coverage is meant to help protect you when you become involved in an accident with an uninsured driver or one with deficient insurance. In the event this situation occurs, you might be forced to recover accident compensation from your own insurance company.

That’s a difficult job since your insurance company now becomes a “foe” if you will. It’s always tough recovering the full and fair compensation you deserve from a large insurance company. The conventional wisdom that insurance companies look out for your best interests isn’t fully true.

The wise choice for you is to consult with a law firm that will be determined and aggressive in dealing with your insurance company to get the best settlements on your behalf.

Contact Kassel McVey today for a free case evaluation.

South Carolina Drivers are Among the Worst in the U.S.

Having Kassel McVey on your side is a prudent choice given South Carolina’s unenviable – some say, shocking – record when it comes to road safety. There were 623,000 licensed drivers in the state in 2016, and 1.73 million registered automobiles (including taxicabs) in 2015.

A report released in 2016 and based on data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), ranked South Carolina’s drivers as the third worst in the United States based on roadway fatalities, speeding and careless driving, among other factors.

This report also shows South Carolina among the country’s top five worst states for the past four years. More alarmingly, the report cited South Carolina as first in the U.S. in the vehicular fatality rate.

Among other distressing data about South Carolina drivers revealed by CarInsuranceComparison.com’s fifth such report :

* South Carolina ranked 34th for failure to obey traffic signals, wear seat belts or for driving with an invalid license, according to the study.

* South Carolina placed 10th in drunken driving and seventh for speeding and careless driving.

The NHTSA reported 977 traffic fatalities in South Carolina in 2015, the highest number since 2007 when there were 1,077 fatalities. Of the fatalities in 2015, 278 were recorded on urban roads while 699 occurred in rural areas.

On the other hand, the South Carolina Department of Public Safety reported 876 fatal traffic crashes thus far in 2017 compared to 912 in 2016. State officials tend to belittle the claims of South Carolina’s less than sterling road safety record, however, noting that most motor vehicle accidents occur in rural areas, as the data illustrates.

Contact Kassel McVey

Whatever the true state of affairs, it pays to know that Kassel McVey will look out for your best interests in the event of a car crash.

A key role for us at Kassel McVey is determining insurance coverage and the amount of coverage for motor vehicle wrecks. Clear liability with significant harm typically leads to a grim outcome if there is insufficient insurance coverage. In addition to liability coverage, we also search for any umbrella coverage which may be significant.

We will help you determine if the other party was at fault, how serious the sustained injuries are, and what you should rightfully receive for your medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering and other damages. We put our 30+ years of combined legal experience to work for you and fight to ensure the insurance companies pay you what you truly deserve.

To find out how we can help you take action, call us today at (803) 256-4242 and put our experience to work for you.