When a bicycle rider gets hit by a car in South Carolina, the consequences are often severe. It may leave you wondering how you'll get medical bills paid, or if auto insurance will cover them.
I've helped victims just like you, so here's an article to address three factors you need to know in these cases.
If you've got other questions about South Carolina car accident cases, I'm a Spartanburg car accident attorney who's written a book on these cases you can download for free. You can contact us with a live chat, fill out a Get Help Now Form, or call toll-free at 888-230-1841.
Here's what you should know right off the bat about your bicycle versus car accident case:
Does Auto Insurance Cover South Carolina Car Versus Bicycle Accidents?
Yes, as long as you can prove the accident was the car driver’s fault—or at least mostly their fault. South Carolina law allows victims to get car accident settlements even if a wreck is partially their fault. If the investigating officer finds you at fault for a car accident, that doesn't prevent a settlement. The officer could be wrong, as I convinced insurance companies to settle a case where a little girl hit riding her bike got faulted for the accident by the officer.
And if you get hit by a car with no insurance, you can get a settlement from your own insurance policy, as we did for a client whose sister's abusive boyfriend dragged her under a car he tried to steal.
To prove fault, you need some knowledge of South Carolina traffic laws, especially how they work in a bicycle accident case. That's where an experienced Spartanburg car accident lawyer can help you build a case against the at-fault driver. You'll need a strong case to convince the insurance company adjuster to pay a settlement. These skilled professionals are highly trained to do one thing: cheat you out of the money you should get in a settlement.
A critical reason to get a car accident lawyer: Since bicycle accident injuries are often severe, you need to get as much insurance coverage as possible. Here's how a South Carolina car accident attorney can help:
- Find out the maximum insurance limit on the at-fault driver's policy. Insurance adjusters don't show their cards, but an experienced South Carolina car accident attorney knows how to force their hand to reveal how much insurance the at-fault driver has. The crash report may yield critical evidence leading to additional liability insurance.
- Getting more money from your own auto policy. Bicyclists are shocked to learn they can get a car accident settlement from their own auto policy if they have the right coverage. It's called underinsurance (UIM). But the real shocker comes when you try to use it. Your own insurance company turns against you, defending the at-fault driver like it's their own policy, not yours.
Think a car accident attorney might help? Call toll-free at 888-230-1841 or fill out a Get Help Now Form to get your questions answered in a FREE, NO PRESSURE strategy session with a Spartanburg, South Carolina, car accident attorney.
How Do You Pay Medical Bills After a South Carolina Bicycle Versus Car Accident?
If you've got any health insurance, use it to pay for your bicycle car accident injuries. You'll repay health insurance in a process called subrogation, but these bills can often be reduced by negotiating with the subrogation adjuster.
FREE POINTER: Using health insurance is a much better deal than giving providers an agreement to repay them from your settlement, called a lien. Some providers may try to insist on a lien, even if you have health insurance. That's when you're equally insistent. Tell them that's what health insurance is for, and they agreed to take it before you got hurt.
Severe Injuries After Getting Hit on a Bike Make for a High Stakes Case
Statistics show bicyclists hit by cars often face grave injuries, such as:
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Skull fractures
- Herniated spinal discs
- Broken bones
- Torn knee ligaments, like ACLs
These injuries can create mountains of medical bills and craters of lost income. Permanent disability can limit your ability to live life how you want and earn income like before the crash. You might need a settlement to cover future medical care.
This makes your high-stakes case one that you can't afford to lose. Don't risk:
- Not knowing how much insurance the at-fault driver has
- Not knowing if you have insurance to pay a bigger settlement
- Losing out on a full settlement to cover future lost wages and future medical care
- Cheating yourself by not knowing the factors to prove what you've been through due to the crash, including pain and suffering—or how to prove them
You Owe It to Yourself and Your Family to Get Legal Advice
If you're the victim of a South Carolina bike crash caused by a car accident, don't risk not knowing. You could cheat yourself out of the money you need or even ruin your case.
You and your family deserve better. Call toll-free at 888-230-1841 or fill out a Get Help Now Form to get your questions answered in a FREE, NO PRESSURE strategy session with a Spartanburg, South Carolina, car accident attorney.
You also owe it to yourself to know how any potential attorney will treat you if you hire them. Check us out on Google reviews that we don't write, edit, or pay for.
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