Imagine that you and your friends are going out to dinner and a concert. You know everyone will be drinking so you all chip in and hire a limo driver. You have front row tickets and you want to arrive at the concert in style.
The ride to the concert is uneventful. You get there on time. You tell the driver what time to pick you up. When he shows up, he opens the door for you and you don’t think twice about the fact that you smell alcohol. After all, everyone in your group has been drinking all evening.
Minutes later, you hear a crash and see your friends go flying through the vehicle. The limo has crashed into a tractor trailer. You and you friends suffer some pretty serious injuries. One of your friends does not survive the accident.
After getting out of the hospital, you learn that your limo driver had been at a bar the entire time you were at the concert. They had about six beers and four shots. At the crash scene, the cops arrested the driver for DUI. His BAC was found to be .12. They were clearly drunk at the time of the accident.
You’ve been treated for your injuries. You want to submit your insurance claim but realize you don’t even know where to start. That’s when you should call a car accident lawyer in Columbia, South Carolina. They’ll stand by your side throughout the entire claims process.
Your Car Accident Lawyer Will Help Decide Who to Pursue
If your limo driver gets into an accident, you’ll probably suffer some pretty serious injuries. This is especially true if they were drunk at the time of the accident. If you’re a passenger in a limousine that gets into a drunk driving accident, you should be entitled to damages.
The first thing your Columbia car accident lawyer has to decide is who to file a claim against. Obviously, you’re going to file a claim against the driver’s insurance policy. If they worked for a company, you’ll need to file a claim against their policy as well.
You want to cover all your bases. There’s a chance that the driver’s insurance company will deny your claim. Or, their coverage won’t cover everyone’s damages. By naming the company as well, you have a secondary source of insurance coverage
There is a chance that your insurance claim will be denied. Or, as in the example above, the insurance limits may be exceeded given the fact that there are so many victims. If this happens, your lawyer will try to negotiate a settlement of your claim.
Most insurance companies want to settle. Especially in cases like this, where the driver was drunk at the time of the crash. But, if the money isn’t there, the money isn’t there. Your car accident attorney in Columbia may have no choice but to file suit against the limo driver and the company they work for.
How Likely is it that Your Case Will Settle?
Limousine companies are struggling today with the competition from Uber and Lyft. They need to do everything they can to save their business. This means they need to protect their reputation.
If a limo company is sued for injuries resulting from a drunk driving accident, they’re not going to want the negative publicity. They’ll be willing to settle the case just to keep things out of the press. So, if their insurance company doesn’t cover your damages, there’s a good chance the company will.
Your Columbia accident attorney knows this. They’ll use this as leverage to get you as much money as possible. They’ll also try to settle your case as quickly as possible. With the proof of a DUI and the police report, you should have all the proof you need that their driver was liable. And, as long as you went to the hospital, you’ll have proof of your injuries.
Contact a Skilled Car Accident Lawyer in Columbia
If you or your loved one are injured in any sort of car accident, you should call a skilled injury lawyer in Columbia. Your attorney will sit down with you and review the facts of your case. They’ll help you determine exactly who may be responsible for your damages.
Call Connell Law Firm today and schedule your free initial consultation. Let an experienced lawyer help you negotiate a settlement of your claim. The consultation is free and you pay nothing until you settle your case.