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South Carolina Personal Injury Lawyer

While the laws that punish those who cause unintentional physical harm to others are soft when it comes to jail time and other penalties, our society does allow for compensation through the civil court system. This is often the greatest form of justice that an injured victim ever gets. Not only that, but depending on the size of the at-fault party’s insurance policy, this compensation can afford the injured party a degree of financial security that they would otherwise not be privy to if they were left to pay for their medical expenses, property damage, and other fallout from the incident.

Marc Brown has a deep understanding of personal injury claim matters, from gathering medical evidence and poring over insurance policies to negotiation and litigation.

The Four Key Elements in a Successful Personal Injury Claim

In order for a personal injury claim or lawsuit to be successful, the injured party—called the plaintiff—must be able to establish a specific relationship between themself and the at-fault party—called the defendant—as well as prove that the defendant’s negligent actions caused the incident in which the plaintiff was harmed. For example, the defendant was texting while driving and caused a car wreck. The plaintiff was injured in that truck wreck, as a result of the defendant’s distracted/careless driving. The four key elements in a South Carolina truck accident claim that apply in all types of injuries (traffic collisions, premises accidents, etc.) are as follows:

  1. The plaintiff owed a duty of care by the defendant
  2. The defendant breached said duty of care
  3. The plaintiff was injured (suffered damages)
  4. The plaintiff’s damages were a result of the breach

Why Hire A Marc Brown Law Firm South Carolina Injury Lawyer?

We serve all of South Carolina through our offices based in Columbia and Sumter. At Marc Brown Law Firm, you can rely on experienced legal help in your South Carolina personal injury case. Here are some of the reasons our law firm is right for you:

  • Excellent Claim Management: Personal injury claims can involve complex legal and medical issues; an experienced attorney like Marc Brown can navigate these complexities effectively. If you’re dealing with medical complications after a Richland County car accident, contact our Columbia personal injury lawyers.
  • No Cost Initial Consultations: Typically, injury attorneys work on a contingency basis, meaning they only charge attorney fees after winning your case for you*. Our personal injury attorneys in Sumter will assess your injury claim and circumstances to determine your best path toward fair compensation in Sumter County.
  • Efficiency & Objectivity: One of our injury lawyers can provide an objective perspective on your injury claim, helping you make decisions based on your best interest.

We Handle all Types of Personal Injury Claims

South Carolina personal injury lawyer

While no two incidents are identical, we have extensive experience handling all types of personal injury matters.

Steps to Take After a South Carolina Injury

Suffering a serious injury is traumatic and painful. In a grave or catastrophic injury situation, you may be incapacitated and unable to take any action on your own behalf, instead relying on others. Still, by using a cell phone at the scene of the injury or asking an uninjured companion to do so for you, you can take purposeful action in spite of your pain, protecting yourself physically and financially by doing the following:

  • First, call 911 to request an ambulance or arrange transportation to a hospital or urgent care facility straight from the accident scene. This not only ensures that you receive the care you need, but also documents evidence that the injury did not occur elsewhere
  • Then, use the phone camera to take photos of the cause of the injury, such as a broken balcony, a wet floor, or the damaged vehicles in a car accident
  • Photograph any visible injuries
  • If the injury occurred on commercial property, ask for an accident report
  • Ask the property owner or manager to preserve any security camera video they might have of the accident

At the hospital, ask for a complete medical examination as well as treatment for obvious emergency injuries. This helps identify, diagnose, and treat injuries with delayed symptom presentation. Ask for a detailed medical report. This becomes crucial evidence in your personal injury claim.

During the process of your claim, avoid posting on social media and direct all communication with the insurance company to your lawyer.

Types of Compensation for South Carolina Injury Victims

A sudden serious injury can leave you feeling like your life was derailed, taking you in a new and unfavorable direction. Although no legal action can erase the injury, a successful personal injury claim opens the door to the best possible medical care and relieves related financial hardship so you can focus on healing.

South Carolina’s civil court system divides compensation for injury victims into the following three categories:

Economic Damages

Economic damages are the tangible, financial repercussions of the accident when a personal injury causes you to undergo surgery, endure costly medical procedures, take prescription medications, and have other treatments, such as physical, rehabilitative, or occupational therapy. The term economic damages also refers to the income lost during the recovery period and any out-of-pocket expenses, such as traveling to specialists or buying adaptive medical or mobility equipment for the home.

Non-Economic Damages

Although non-economic damages are intangible and more difficult to assign a monetary amount, they are the most harmful aspect of the personal injury. The non-economic damages include the pain of the injury itself and the suffering experienced as the injury victim undergoes medical procedures and the recovery period. Depending on the type of injury, you could also experience emotional trauma, chronic pain, depression, anxiety, sleep disorders, and PTSD.

Punitive Damages

Punitive damages are available for South Carolina injury victims if the person or business responsible for the injury committed egregious wrongdoing, or willful and wanton misconduct without regard to the possible harm to others. Punitive damages are paid to the injury victim, but it is not intended as compensation, but rather as a punishment to the wrongdoer and a deterrent to discourage repeated egregious actions.

Call South Carolina Personal Injury Attorney Marc Brown

Settling a personal injury claim takes many months—often more than a year. Litigating a South Carolina accident lawsuit in the courtroom takes even longer. Do not be fooled by the other party’s insurance adjusters if they reach out to you with a quick offer, as it will be far lower than what your case deserves. To help secure the value of your case, call South Carolina personal injury attorney Marc Brown today at (803) 848-0008 to schedule a consultation, free of charge.