If you or a loved one have been injured through the negligence of another person, you may be wondering what to do next. You may not know where to turn.
When you work with a Greenville personal injury lawyer, you can seek justice for the harm caused to you or your loved one. Working with an attorney is the way to move forward. It can not only provide you with fair and just compensation, but it can also help to increase your peace of mind.
There are many types of personal injury cases, each unique due to the specific circumstances surrounding it. However, there are also commonalities experienced by nearly everyone who is a part of these accidents.
If you believe you were injured due to someone else’s negligence, your actions can make a major difference in whether you can obtain compensation. To protect your right to compensation, we recommend the following.
Move away from the source of your injury where you can safely wait for help. This could involve getting out of a car if you were in an accident or moving away from the scene of a fall.
Take a moment to note your condition. Are you in severe pain? Are there any wounds that require medical attention? Keep a mental note of your findings to tell medical personnel when they arrive.
It’s a good idea to call 911 after an accident, whether or not you feel injured. The responding officer can create a report of the incident, which can be beneficial to your case. Emergency medical personnel can screen you for any hidden injuries.
Try to document the scene of the injury. Take photos of any hazards, the surrounding conditions at the time of the injury, and any visible bodily harm. You should also make notes of what happened before the injury occurred while your memory is fresh.
If you can find witnesses to the accident, get their contact information in case you need them in the future.
Write down all medical appointments, treatments, and medications you receive. Also, record how your injury affects your daily life — any physical limitations or emotional distress you experience.
You should seek medical attention after an injury even if you don’t feel hurt. Some injuries may not be immediately apparent but can still cause long-term damage. By visiting a doctor, you can get the treatment you need to recover and document your injury’s link to the accident.
It’s important to speak with an attorney as soon as possible. A personal injury lawyer in Greenville, SC can help you determine whether you have a viable claim and explain your options.
Most personal injury claims in South Carolina have a strict three-year deadline known as the statute of limitations. This means that, in most cases, you must file your claim within three years of the date that the injury occurred to get the compensation you deserve.
The primary goal of any personal injury claim is to recover compensation for the losses you suffered as a result of the other party’s negligence. These losses are known as damages and may include both economic and non-economic damages.
Economic damages are financial losses that can be easily quantified with a dollar amount, including medical bills, lost wages and earning capacity, and more.
Non-economic damages are more subjective but can still be substantial. Pain and suffering, emotional distress, loss of enjoyment of life, and loss of consortium all fall under this category.
When you’re facing a life-altering injury, you need an experienced and caring personal injury lawyer in Greenville, SC who will stop at nothing to get you the closure you deserve.
The best way to find the right lawyer is to schedule a consultation before committing to any firm. During the consultation, ask the lawyer to share past case successes and details on their experience in the field to get an idea of how they may be able to help with your case.
You should also feel comfortable expressing your questions and concerns. Pay attention to how they answer your questions – their approach should be collaborative and reassuring, but they should also be willing to share their honest opinion.
At Smith Jordan, we don’t just seek an adequate settlement — we seek maximum compensation. This means that we will fight the insurance company for every dollar you’re entitled to under the law.
Insurance companies exist to make money. They have robust teams of adjusters and lawyers who are trained to minimize your settlement. You don’t have to challenge them on your own — we know their tricks and won’t let them get away with paying you less than you deserve.
To successfully pursue a personal injury case on your behalf, our attorneys must identify the parties who are legally responsible for your harm. The identities of these parties will depend on the circumstances of your accident. Common examples include:
In many cases, multiple parties may be held liable for the same accident. Our attorneys work diligently to determine the full scope of liability and pursue compensation from all responsible parties.
Once our Greenville personal injury lawyer has identified the potentially liable parties, we’ll need to prove that they owed you a duty of care and breached this duty, resulting in your injuries. To do this, we’ll draw from various sources of evidence, such as:
Our attorneys are experienced at securing evidence and using it to formulate a compelling legal argument that demonstrates how the defendant’s negligence caused your injury.
Every personal injury case is unique, but there are some general steps that you can likely expect from the process.
Before we agree to take your case, our Greenville SC personal injury lawyers will meet with you to discuss the details of your injury. We’ll then decide if you have a viable case and explain your legal options.
If we mutually agree to move forward with a personal injury claim, we’ll investigate the accident. This includes gathering any relevant documents and other evidence that can support your claim.
After we have sufficient evidence, we’ll formally initiate your claim by filing a demand for compensation with the liable party or their insurance provider. This document will outline the damages you requested, the grounds for your claim, and the supporting evidence.
A negotiation period usually follows the demand for compensation. During this time, our attorneys will meet with the liable party and their insurance provider, in hopes of reaching a mutually agreeable settlement outside of court.
If the liable party refuses to offer a fair settlement, we’ll file a personal injury lawsuit and take the case to court. At trial, we will present evidence and arguments in your favor and allow the judge or jury to decide on an appropriate award.
Your first meeting with a personal injury lawyer is an important step in understanding your legal options and having your case evaluated. During this initial consultation, your lawyer will take the time to get to know you and discuss your accident in detail. The information they will request includes the circumstances surrounding the incident, related medical records and bills, contact information of any witnesses or other involved parties, details about any insurance claim previously filed, and documentation relating to lost income for those unable to work. Your lawyer’s role during this meeting will be to listen intently, answer any questions you might have about the legal process and provide a preliminary assessment of your case merits. By the end of your consultation, you should feel more confident about how to proceed with your case.
You’re under enough stress as it is after suffering an injury; the last thing you need to worry about is how to pay for legal representation. That’s why we represent injured clients on a contingency fee basis. This means that you don’t owe us anything unless we recover money for your case. At that time, we take a percentage of the settlement or court award.
To get the quality help and support you need with your case, you want a Greenville personal injury lawyer that residents recommend. We know it can be very difficult to navigate the accident aftermath and the insurance claims made from the injuries.
However, the attorneys at Smith Jordan have years of experience working against insurance companies. We want to ensure you can get back on your feet financially and experience a better quality of life. If you were emotionally or physically injured by the negligence of someone else, reaching out to a Greenville personal injury lawyer is the first step.
Medical bills, lost wages, and other effects of the injuries sustained can have a profound effect on your life. We are here to reduce that effect by fighting for the fair compensation you deserve.
If you’re ready to get the legal help you need to get your life back on track, contact our South Carolina personal injury attorneys at (864) 343-2222.
As the victim of an accident or other negligence-based event, you are eager to recover damages and move on with your life. Strategic attorney selection is crucial; you need a skilled South Carolina personal injury lawyer to help you maximize your compensation.
The team at Smith Jordan can help you every step of the way. If you’re curious about what this process might involve or how you can improve case outcomes, keep reading.
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