South Carolina Personal Injury Lawyer

What Does a Personal Injury Attorney Do?

Personal injury lawyers serve as legal advocates for injured people. If a person’s injury happened because a person, organization or other entity was negligent, their lawyer will work to secure compensation on their behalf.

In many cases, a personal injury lawyer can negotiate a settlement with the at-fault party’s insurance company. However, if the sides can’t agree on a settlement, the case may go to trial.

In either case, a personal injury lawyer must put together a strong case to put before the insurance company, the court or both. To be successful, they must be able to prove both the at-fault party’s negligence and the severity of the plaintiff’s injuries.

What to Look for When Choosing South Carolina Personal Injury Attorneys

When selecting a personal injury lawyer, make sure to look for the following:

• A track record of success
• Experience with your local courts
• Strong communication skills
• A willingness to answer questions
• Positive, detailed client reviews

If a lawyer takes your case, you’ll likely spend a considerable amount of time with them, so it’s also important to choose someone you’re comfortable talking to.

Common Types of Personal Injury Claims Filed in South Carolina

South Carolina personal injury lawyers handle a range of case types. These are some of the most common:

Car Accidents

Car accidents are relatively common, and they also frequently lead to serious injuries. At many personal injury firms, car accident cases make up the bulk of the caseload at any given point.

Pedestrian and Bicycle Accidents

Not all accidents are between two vehicles. If a car hits a cyclist or pedestrian — even at low speeds — the consequences could be dire.

Truck Accidents

A truck accident lawsuit usually means going up against a large trucking company with plenty of legal resources, so having the right lawyer is especially important in this case.

Motorcycle Accidents

Injured motorcyclists often have trouble recovering compensation because of anti-motorcyclist bias at insurance companies (and sometimes even in the courts). Motorcycle accident lawyers understand how to navigate this bias and other challenges.

Slip and Fall Accidents

The classic slip and fall accident involves someone who walks into a store, slips on an unmarked puddle and suffers a major injury. In this situation and others involving unsafe premises, property owners should be held responsible.

Medical Malpractice

Medical malpractice cases are notoriously difficult to prove. As a result, not all personal injury firms take these cases on.

Dog Bites

South Carolina is a strict liability state for dog bites. This means that an owner is generally liable for injuries caused by a dog, even if there was previously no reason to believe the dog could be aggressive.

Workplace Accidents

Workplace accidents in South Carolina can be confusing. Your lawyer can help you determine whether you need to file a personal injury lawsuit or a workers’ compensation claim.

Do I Have a Personal Injury Case?

The only way to truly know if you have a case is to consult a South Carolina personal injury lawyer. However, if your injuries are severe and were caused by someone else’s negligence (and you have provable losses to recover), you’re likely to have a case.

When Should I Hire a Personal Injury Law Firm?

If you think you may have a strong case, setting up a consultation with a personal injury firm is a good idea. However, you can’t hire a personal injury lawyer like you would most other types of attorneys.

Personal injury lawyers are usually only paid if they win a case, so they only agree to take on cases they believe they have a strong chance of winning.

How Long Do I Have to File a Personal Injury Claim in South Carolina?

In South Carolina, you generally have three years from the date of your injury to file a claim.

Common Damages in Personal Injury Cases

These are some of the most common damages your lawyer may help you recover:

Medical Bills

Many people ultimately decide to file personal injury lawsuits because they’re facing rapidly increasing medical bills.

Property Damage

Though it might not be the main focus, property damage is part of many personal injury claims.

Lost Income

If you’ve lost wages or other income because you had to take time to heal from your injuries, you can likely be compensated for that loss.

Lost Earning Capacity

Some injuries lead to a permanent degree of disability. If this happens, you may be compensated to offset the loss of earning capacity.

Pain and Suffering

You can’t put a dollar sign on the pain and suffering caused by a serious injury. However, injured people usually receive compensation to attempt to make up for these intangible losses.

Determining how much pain and suffering compensation you can collect isn’t always straightforward, but an experienced lawyer will be able to give you a case valuation.

Loss of Consortium

If your injuries have negatively affected your relationship with your spouse, your spouse may be able to file a claim for loss of consortium.

Serving Personal Injury Clients Across South Carolina

ConsumerShield partners with attorneys across the country to bring quality legal representation to those who need it. We’ve helped consumers in almost every South Carolina city, including the following:

• Charleston
• Greenville
• Mount Pleasant
• Columbia
• Rock Hill
• Sumter
• Goose Creek
• Spartanburg
• Florence
• North Charleston

There’s no need to worry if you don’t see your city listed. No matter where you are in the state, we can connect you with a South Carolina personal injury lawyer!

Connect With Experienced South Carolina Personal Injury Lawyers

If you’ve been injured by someone else’s negligence, consulting a personal injury lawyer is the best way to keep your options open. If you’re not sure how to find a lawyer, ConsumerShield is ready to help. Fill out our free contact form to start getting matched with nearby lawyers today!