Eastover, SC Personal Injury Lawyer
Injuries from an accident can leave you with expenses that you might not be able to afford if those injuries also keep you out of work. However, many accidents are anything but accidental, and they can be the foundation of a claim against a property owner, business, store, manufacturer, employer, driver, doctor, or other negligent party that caused your injuries.
Holding these companies responsible on your own is a difficult task. As such, our lawyers can work with you to represent your interests, negotiate with the defendants and the insurance companies they work with, and even present your case in court if necessary to recover the damages you deserve.
For a free case assessment, call the personal injury attorneys at Burriss Ridgeway Injury Lawyers today at (803) 451-4000.
Who is Responsible for My Injury Case in Eastover, SC?
After an accident, you might feel like what happened was your fault. If you slipped and fell or were in a car crash, it is easy to tell yourself that you should have been more careful. However, in many of these cases, someone else’s carelessness might very well be the actual, legal cause of your injuries. Suppose there is a party at hand who could have avoided the accident by being more careful or doing a better job with some task. In that case, there is a strong potential that our personal injury lawyers can help you sue them for your accident.
People Who Violate the Law
In many cases, the law lays out specific duties that need to be followed. This comes up in situations involving building codes, workplace safety requirements, traffic laws, and more. If you were injured because someone violated one of these laws, you might have a case against the violator.
Unreasonable Actors
In other cases, the accident happened because of carelessness. We judge carelessness under the legal framework of “negligence” by using an objective standard. We look to what an objective, reasonable person of “ordinary prudence” would have done in the same situation. For example, a reasonable person might mop up a spill in their store, so if the store workers left the spill in place and you slipped in the puddle, that would be unreasonable. As another example, a reasonable person might tie up a dangerous dog, so if someone’s dangerous dog got loose and bit you, that would be unreasonable.
In many cases, this duty of reasonableness is simple enough to ascertain, and a jury can listen to the case, decide whether the action or inaction in your case was reasonable or not, and decide the lawsuit in your favor. However, sometimes, the standard of what should be done is based on specialized technical or scientific knowledge, and you have to produce expert witnesses to explain the proper standards. This is especially common in medical malpractice cases, where other physicians are needed to explain the medical standard of care. This also comes up in manufacturing and product liability cases to explain whether the products or processes were up to industry standards.
Who to Sue
In cases where you are injured because of dangers on someone’s property, the property owner is usually at fault. Alternatively, if a different person or company operates the property but does not own it, like a commercial or residential tenant, then they could be responsible instead. Property owners and operators are liable for all kinds of problems, like slippery surfaces, unsafe stairs, missing smoke detectors, electrical hazards, collapsing structures, and more. However, some issues could be caused by negligent contractors or builders, and the property owner might be a victim, too.
In cases involving product injuries, the company that made or designed the product is likely responsible for failing to put adequate warnings on it or making an unsafe product. In some cases, you might also be able to sue the seller.
In cases involving negligent medical care, pharmacy services, or other health care resulting in serious injuries, you can often sue the doctor, pharmacist, or other care provider who injured you. In some cases, such as those involving hospital-acquired illnesses, the hospital might be at fault instead.
In auto accidents, the other driver is likely at fault. Some cases are more complex cause there are more drivers involved or because the driver’s actions are borderline violations, but we can sort through the specific facts of your case to determine how best to proceed. Additionally, we can look into whether any drivers were commercial drivers – such as truckers – whose employers might be responsible for their negligence.
Our attorneys can also help you determine who was at fault in other situations and parse out whether you should sue the specific individual, the company they work for, their insurance company, or some other party.
Damages for Injury Victims in Eastover, SC
If you were injured, you might now be dealing with time away from work, medical bills, and all of the other expenses that come with caring for yourself after an injury. In many cases, these costs could be above what you have the means to afford, especially if you are out of work. An accidental injury should never bankrupt the victim or put them in a dire financial situation, and a lawsuit could entitle you to recovery of all the damages associated with your accident.
Economic damages can be claimed for medical bills, therapy bills (for physical, occupational, and mental health therapy), lost wages, property repair bills (such as auto repairs), and even the cost of replacement services like childcare and home cleaning if you are able to perform those tasks because of your injury.
Non-economic damages can also be issued for emotional distress and what is stereotypically called “pain and suffering.” We can help you determine the cost of all of these damages and help you know what your claim should be worth.
Reach Out to Our Personal Injury Lawyers in Eastover, SC Today
Call (803) 451-4000 for a free case assessment with the personal injury attorneys at Burriss Ridgeway Injury Lawyers.
