Florence, SC Personal Injury Lawyer
One of the most frustrating things about personal injury lawsuits is that they encompass a broad spectrum of injuries and accidents. It is crucial that you find an attorney who has experience with your specific kind of claim to improve your chances of recovery.
Personal injuries might involve any number of accidents and injuries. You should consider suing if you encountered significant expenses, experienced emotional and physical pain and suffering, and want justice. Damages in your case should account for all these losses and painful experiences and might be substantial. Our team of attorneys can assist in your hunt for evidence, development of legal strategies, and assessments of damages and fair compensation. Evidence is often unique to each case and situation, but common examples include photos, videos, victims’ medical records, and witness testimony.
After being injured in an accident, call our personal injury attorneys at (803) 451-4000 and schedule a free case evaluation with Burriss Ridgeway Injury Lawyers.
Why Sue for Personal Injuries in Florence, SC?
Many injured victims do not realize they have a strong personal injury claim until it is almost too late to file a lawsuit and recover damages. Because the personal injury legal field is so vast, many injuries could be due to negligence and warrant compensation, even minor ones.
Arguably, the main reason injured victims sue is the sheer cost of their injuries. Medical treatment is notoriously expensive, and there might be various other costs, depending on how badly you were injured. You still deserve fair compensation even if your expenses are less significant than other injury cases.
You should also file a lawsuit if you experienced great emotional distress because of your injuries and the defendant’s behavior. Perhaps your injuries are so severe that you have permanent disabilities. In that case, you might experience a lot of psychological trauma and emotional turmoil as you come to terms with how your life has changed. These damages are compensable, and we can help you quantify them when handling your case in Florence.
Above all, you deserve justice, and a lawsuit can help you achieve it. Even if your damages, as discussed in more detail below, are not severe and more manageable, you still deserve justice for the suffering you endured at the hands of the defendant. For many plaintiffs, a court verdict holding the defendant liable helps them move on and find closure.
Collecting Evidence of Personal Injuries and Liability in Florence, SC
Victims need evidence of their injuries and a defendant’s fault to get compensation for the many damages they have incurred because of negligence. Such evidence typically includes medical records, photos, videos, and statements from eyewitnesses and experts.
Medical Records
Medical records prove you suffered injuries and outline the exact care you received for them. Because of their significance in injury lawsuits, prioritize having thorough medical records after an accident. If you notice injuries immediately or are in any pain, go directly to the hospital. Delaying initiating your medical records for the incident could make proving certain elements of your lawsuit harder, like causation, so get treatment for injuries as soon as possible. Throughout your physical recovery, we can help request and obtain copies of medical records from hospitals and providers. We can also keep a running tally of medical damages by organizing bills from the hospital, as this will be crucial proof of your losses.
Photos and Videos
Victims may take photos of their injuries, regardless of the cause. These photos can help prove you were injured at the scene during the accident involving the defendant. If an accident leaves debris in its wake, like a car crash, take photos of that as well. For slip and falls on private property, our lawyers may be able to get security camera footage showing an accident and its cause, so we will prioritize preserving such video evidence on victims’ behalves.
Witness Testimony
Witness statements can come from those who saw an accident occur firsthand or those with professional expertise in a relevant area. For example, experts on your specific injuries can explain your likely physical recovery timeline and how your injuries may continue to affect you in the future. Eyewitnesses, on the other hand, can help confirm each involved party’s actions, undermining assertions by the defense that the plaintiff contributed to the accident and is partially liable for their resulting damages.
Possible Damages in Florence, SC Personal Injury Cases
As mentioned above, damages can be quite high in many personal injury cases. Damages reflect not only the economic costs of your accident but also the psychological consequences of suffering serious injuries. Assessing damages can be challenging because they might be so numerous that it is hard to account for everything. Fortunately, our attorneys can help you determine what your claim is worth.
Medical Expenses
After being injured, you should get medical attention as quickly as possible. Hospital bills are known for being expensive, even when treatment is minimal. The bills can be astronomical for those with serious injuries and who need extensive medical care. You should also think about whether you will need medical care in the future for your injuries. Complex or permanent injuries often require long-term care, and our personal injury lawyers can help you claim future medical costs. Especially if your medical costs amount to thousands upon thousands of dollars, you should file a lawsuit so that you do not have to cover any of these costs yourself.
Lost Wages
Your injuries might make it difficult to work. If you can no longer work, you will lose income. The longer you are out of work, the higher your damages should be. Even if you have a partner or family member who can financially support you during this time, you may still claim the loss of your income. Income is more than just money. It is independence.
Property Damage
In some cases, plaintiffs experience bodily harm and lose valuable property or personal belongings. In car accident cases, plaintiffs often claim the cost of repairing or replacing their vehicle along with expenses like medical bills.
Pain and Suffering
Damages for emotional distress can be complex as they are very subjective. Distress might stem from a feeling of violation. Knowing someone caused you bodily harm can be tough to accept. You might also have been deeply embarrassed or humiliated during the accident. In a workplace accident, you might not only be humiliated in front of colleagues but your professional reputation might be tarnished as well. These experiences are very painful and should be adequately compensated. We can discuss your pain and suffering with you, encourage and have mental health experts evaluate you so that they can testify regarding your mental anguish and emotional suffering if your case goes to trial.
Personal Injury Cases Our Lawyers Handle in Florence, SC
Since personal injury lawsuits might stem from any number of possible accidents, it is important to find a lawyer familiar with your kind of claim. If you were hurt in a car accident and want to sue the other driver, you would not go to a lawyer who only works in real estate law. Even when you find a lawyer who practices personal injury law, you must make sure they are familiar with your case.
Our team of attorneys has experience with various forms of personal injuries, including, but not necessarily limited to, bicycle accidents, slip and falls, defective products, auto collisions, medical malpractice, injuries in nursing homes, and construction accidents, among others.
In all these instances, someone owed the victim a duty of care but breached it, injuring them and making them incur real damages. Our personal injury lawyers can confirm if you have a cause of action soon after you suffer injuries. Waiting to confirm whether or not you can file a lawsuit could put you at risk of missing the three-year statute of limitations for personal injury claims in South Carolina under S.C. Code Ann. § 15-3-530(5).
How a Florence, SC Lawyer Can Help You Prove Your Personal Injury Claims
Personal injury lawsuits are difficult to navigate without an attorney. After getting any necessary medical care, your first step should be to find a qualified lawyer for help. Just preparing your lawsuit before it is even filed can be incredibly difficult, and we can handle these complicated aspects necessary to your fair recovery.
First, our attorneys can help you find evidence to support your case. Evidence might be anything relevant to the case and tends to show whether the defendant is liable. Common examples of evidence include photos and security camera footage from the accident. We should also gather medical records to prove the extent of your injuries and track down witnesses who might have information about your accident and injuries.
Once we know what kind of evidence we have, we can develop an effective legal strategy for your case. Some plaintiffs are very fortunate to have such strong evidence that their court victory is all but assured. Others have to get more creative, and our attorneys can help you determine the best way to approach your case.
Preparing for Settlement Negotiations During Your Florence, SC Personal Injury Case
Preparing for settlement talks is key. Our attorneys will tabulate your damages before discussing an out-of-court arrangement and plan a negotiation strategy so we are ready to counter the defense’s initial offers.
Before we entertain any settlement talks, we will calculate your total damages. This will include economic damages incurred to date as well as upcoming medical expenses we expect you to incur as you continue your treatment. We will also consider the mental suffering and emotional distress you have experienced so we know the value of your non-economic damages.
Expect the first offers to be lower than the relief requests we make when filing your lawsuit. This is intentional, as defendants hope victims will accept lesser settlements in exchange for a faster recovery. We can continue to assert your deserved damages with our strong proof of the defendant’s negligence, such as eyewitness statements, photographs, and possible video footage.
Part of preparing for settlement negotiations is knowing they might not succeed. Even when faced with compelling evidence of their liability, some defendants might want to take their chances at trial. Going to court can also benefit victims in many cases, particularly if settlement offers never improve, even after staunch negotiations. When building your case, our personal injury lawyers will do so with the possibility of going to court in mind so that we will be ready to meet the standard of proof during a trial.
Call Our Florence, SC Personal Injury Lawyers for Help
If you have been injured because of someone else’s negligence, call our personal injury lawyers at (803) 451-4000 and schedule a free case assessment with Burriss Ridgeway Injury Lawyers.
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