South Carolina Personal Injury Lawyers

Personal Injury Claims-There are some specific tips to follow when you have been injured as a result of some other persons negligence. Personal injury attorneys of South Carolina state that it is important to take some initial steps for speedy and adequate settlement of personal injury claims. A person making a personal injury claim must:

• Write down everything that comes to the mind, for example how the injury happened, the names, addresses and contact numbers of potential witnesses, police officers, insurance company representatives. In case it is a work place injury it has to be the company or workers compensation representatives
• Fix an appointment with a South Carolina Personal Injury Attorney and discuss all the important legal points prior to making any statements, written or verbal, to insurance company adjusters or representatives
• Communicate with the person or company you think may be responsible for the injury and convey without delay that you are ready to file a claim against that person or the company
• Take steps to secure any evidence you may need to prove your injury, such as your totaled car, photographs of an accident or injury scene, clothing you were wearing, damaged personal belongings, and so forth

Statutes of Limitations in South Carolina-According to information available with personal injury claim lawyers of South Carolina following Statutes of Limitations apply to various kinds of Negligence or Personal Injury Claims:

• Products Liability-3 years with Discovery Rule
• Wrongful Death-3 years with Discovery Rule
• Contracts-Written and under seal 20 years. Otherwise 3 years
• Medical Malpractice-3 years with Discovery Rule but not to surpass 6 years from date of occurrence Minors: Maximum toll is 7 years or 1 year after reaching majority
• Libel / Slander-2 Years
• Intentional Torts-2 years
• Contracts-Written and under seal 20 years. Otherwise 3 years
• Injury to Personal Property-3 Years
• Deception-3 years. Case accrues at time of discovery
• Disabilities or Impairments-For infants, incompetents, and insane persons, Statute of Limitation runs from termination of disability. Maximum of 5 years, unless infant and then it is a maximum of 1 year from end of disability
• Comparative Negligence-Rule is applicable unless plaintiff is more than 50% at fault
• Charitable Immunity-Not allowed but limited by statute depending upon level of proof and amount recoverable
• Sovereign Immunity-State is liable for torts same as private individual but include certain limitations and exemptions
• Punitive Damages-Plaintiff must present comprehensive and convincing evidence of evil or reckless and unreasonable indifference to highly senseless risk of harm and knowing indifference to health, safety, and welfare of others. Specific exceptions and regulations stand
• Discovery Rule-Standard rules are applicable with the exception of cases related to medical malpractice

The Discovery Rule-Personal injury claims attorneys of South Carolina argue that it is often not fairly possible for a person to discover the basis of an injury, or even to know that an injury has taken place, until considerably after the act which lead to the injury. For example, an error in the drafting of a will might go unnoticed  until the will is being executed, decades after it was drafted, or a financial planners embezzlement might not be discovered for years due to the issuance of false statements of account.

When it applies, the Discovery Rule allows a suit to be filed within a specific period of time after the injury is discovered, or reasonably should have been discovered. Discovery Rule Specialists Attorneys of South Carolina state that the discovery rule does not apply to all civil injuries, and in certain cases the period of time permitted for bringing a claim post-discovery can be short, so it is important to seek legal advise of a specialist discovery rule lawyer of South Carolina immediately in the event of the late discovery of an injury.

Establishment of Liability Claim- South Carolina claim attorneys argue that in most cases victims can successfully win a liability lawsuit if it is proved with certainty that the defendant was ''negligent'' - which is a failure to use reasonable care. In South Carolina, you have to prove:

• The presence of a duty owed to you by the person who was responsible for your injury
• The other person did not to carry out that duty
• You suffered losses or injuries
• The other person's failure brought about that injury

Comparative Negligence-According to the arguments given by comparative negligence lawyers of South Carolina under South Carolina Comparative Negligence Law if you were not alert, and your carelessness contributed to your injury, the amount you can recover will be cut in proportion to your carelessness. South Carolina uses a modified comparative negligence rule, permitting you to recover damages if your negligence is less than or equal to that of the other person or persons responsible for your injury.

Joint Liability-is defined by South Carolina joint liability attorneys who state that injury brought about by more than one person is considered a joint liability or severe liability. One person contributing to your injury may be responsible for full amount of your damages without considering the person's error because everyone is treated equally liable.

South Carolina personal injury claims lawyers can help recover various types of damages from the defendants that include:

• Past, current or future estimated medical expenses
• Time  the victim remained absent from work including time spent going to medical appointments and therapy
• Cost of property damaged that include your vehicle
• Permanent disability
• A change in your future earning capacity owing to injuries
• The cost of engaging someone to do your house hold work
• Emotional distress, anxiety, depression and any other hindrance caused in family relationships

Personal injury litigation is subject to different regulations in every state.  To bring a case in South Carolina it is very important that you consult an experienced South Carolina personal injury lawyer, who can guide you through the states unique laws.

Personal injury litigation includes many types of action, including car accident cases, defective products cases and medical malpractice cases.  A personal injury claim in South Carolina can arise from negligence or intentional wrongdoing.

In South Carolina you must prove four elements to win any negligence case: 
1. The defendant owed you a duty
2. The defendant did not fulfill that duty
3. The defendants breach of duty resulted in your injuries
4. You suffered damages

South Carolina follows the doctrine of modified comparative negligence.  This means that a defendant is responsible for the proportion of the damages equal to their proportion of the blame in the injury.  However, a plaintiff cannot recover if they were 50% or more at fault for the injury.  If the plaintiffs negligence was 49% responsible for an accident, a defendant can still be required to pay 51% of the damages.  However, if the plaintiff was 50% responsible for the accident the defendant will not have to cover any damages.

South Carolina personal injury law follows a hybrid doctrine of joint and several liability when determining liability between defendants.   Under South Carolina law the  defendants must sort out the proportional liabilities amongst themselves.

South Carolina limits non-economic damages in medical malpractice cases to $350,000 per liable defendant and a total amount of $1.05 million.  Non-economic damages include pain and suffering, loss of quality of life, loss of companionship, emotional distress and humiliation.

South Carolina does not limit the amount that can be awarded as punitive damages.  Punitive damages are assessed to punish the defendant's wrongdoing.

In South Carolina you have three years to file a personal injury lawsuit under the state's statute of limitation.

If you are considering pursuing a claim in South Carolina you need the counsel of a personal injury attorney who understands the nuances of South Carolina law.  The sooner you begin working with an attorney the easier it will be to build your case and reach a successful outcome.