The world is not as safe as we’d like to believe. In fact, unintentional injuries is one of the leading causes of death in the United States, despite the safety measures we have put forth in the workplace, roadways, homes, and other areas of society. While you may feel powerless during this traumatic time, know that, as a victim of another’s negligence, you do have the ability to demand compensation by filing a personal injury claim with that party’s insurance company. A personal injury claim is only successful if filed by a competent, experienced Sumter personal injury lawyer. Marc Brown assists clients throughout every step of this process, from gathering medical records to litigating in the courtroom if the other party refuses to cooperate and negotiate reasonably.
Why Hire an Experienced Sumter Personal Injury Lawyer?
- Increased Compensation: Studies show that claimants represented by attorneys often receive higher settlements or awards than those who represent themselves.
- Claim Management: Personal injury claims can involve complex legal and medical issues; an experienced attorney like Marc Brown can navigate these complexities effectively.
- No Upfront Costs: Typically, personal injury attorneys work on a contingency basis, meaning they only get paid if you win, reducing any upfront financial stress.
- Objectivity: An attorney can provide an objective perspective on your case, helping to make decisions based on your best interest rather than emotional responses.
- Efficiency: Having an attorney can expedite the claim process, as they are familiar with all procedural requirements and can avoid common pitfalls that might delay your case.
Hiring Attorney Marc Brown can significantly enhance your chances of a favorable outcome for your personal injury claim, providing you with expert legal assistance and peace of mind throughout the process.
Why Choose Us?
Why should you choose Marc Brown Law Firm as your personal injury lawyer in Sumter, South Carolina? Well, here are some things that we do differently at our firm, which makes us stand out.
- We make sure to give your full right
- We have both experience and resources
- We achieve big results
- We never charge you unless we win
Types of Personal Injury Cases We Handle
Marc Brown Law Firm is dedicated to representing individuals who have been injured due to the negligence or wrongful actions of others. With a commitment to justice and a deep understanding of personal injury law, our law firm handles a wide array of personal injury cases. These cases often involve complex legal and medical issues, requiring specialized knowledge and experience to ensure that you receive the compensation you deserve.
Here is an overview of the types of personal injury cases that Marc Brown Law Firm handles:
- Motor Vehicle Accidents: Cases involving collisions between cars, trucks, motorcycles, and other types of vehicles. These truck accident lawsuits in Sumter often involve negligence, such as speeding, drunk driving, or distracted driving.
- Pedestrian Accidents: Incidents where a vehicle strikes an individual who is walking, running, or standing near a roadway. These cases focus on pedestrian right-of-way and driver negligence.
- Bicycle Accidents: Accidents involving cyclists and vehicles. These cases often focus on the rights of cyclists and the responsibilities of drivers to share the road safely with them.
- Rideshare Accidents: Accidents involving rideshare services like Uber and Lyft. The legal complexities can include determining liability between the rideshare company and the individual driver.
- Dog Bites: Incidents where individuals are bitten or attacked by dogs, which can lead to claims against the dog owner for damages, medical costs, and emotional distress.
- Boat Accidents: These cases can involve recreational boats, ferries, or commercial ships, and may address issues like operator negligence or unsafe conditions.
- Slip & Fall Accidents: These claims arise when an individual falls and is injured on someone else’s property due to hazardous conditions like wet floors, poor lighting, or uneven surfaces.
- Work Injuries: Injuries that occur in the workplace, which might be covered under the state’s workers’ compensation system and/or personal injury laws.
- Brain Injuries: These are cases where individuals suffer brain damage due to accidents or medical malpractice, often requiring extensive medical evidence to demonstrate the impact and cause.
- Sexual Assault: Personal injury claims related to sexual assault can involve securing damages for the physical and emotional trauma suffered by the victims.
- Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect: Cases focusing on the mistreatment or neglect of elderly or disabled residents in nursing homes, often involving claims of physical or emotional abuse, neglect, or exploitation.
- Wrongful Death: Wrongful death claims in Sumter made by the family of an individual who has died due to the negligence or misconduct of another, seeking compensation for their loss, including funeral expenses, loss of income, and emotional distress.
Each type of personal injury case involves unique legal challenges, making it essential to have legal representation with specialized knowledge to effectively demonstrate liability, and secure the appropriate amount of compensation for the damages and injuries you sustained. In Sumter car accident lawsuits, compensation may cover medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other related costs to help you recover and move forward.
Elements of a Successful Personal Injury Claim
Accidents happen almost all the time, but not always is it the fault of both parties. Sometimes, one of the party’s negligence causes the accident. For example, a driver who hit your car was probably not up for it, but it is what he did that caused the accident to happen. Maybe the driver was drunk, maybe he was over-speeding, in other words, performing an illegal act while they were behind the wheel. It is obvious that they knew their illegal act was putting others in danger, yet they did it. Our Sumter personal injury lawyer Marc Brown is here to help you in whatever injury you have suffered.
This is called gross negligence. No matter what the driver was doing, it was their negligence that caused the accident. South Carolina’s law allows you to file a personal injury lawsuit against anyone who harmed you due to their negligence and seeks damages for your loss or injuries. At this point, if you wish to file a lawsuit, you will need the services of a personal injury lawyer. Personal injury lawyers are, in fact, the ones who help you recover your damages and get full compensation for your injuries. These lawyers can help you with your case by settling large settlements, taking the at-fault party to court, and other legal things.
There are four essential elements in any successful personal injury claim or lawsuit. These include the following:
- Duty of Dare—The defendant owed the victim (plaintiff) a duty of care.
- Breach of Duty—The defendant breached that duty of care.
- Injury Occurred—The plaintiff suffered physical harm.
- Causation—The plaintiff’s injuries were caused by the defendant’s breach of duty of care.
In plain English, what the above amounts to is that the at-fault party acted carelessly or recklessly in some manner, and because of their actions you, the plaintiff, were injured. An example of this would be a driver deciding to text and drive at the same time, fail to see that a slow down ahead was happening, and plow into the back of the vehicle in front of them, injuring the occupants of that vehicle. Another example: a surgeon leaves behind a surgical instrument inside a patient (this happens more often than you may believe), resulting in delayed recovery and further injury to the patient. In both of these scenarios, the negligent party owed the plaintiff a duty of care, breached that duty, and caused harm.
Having a Sumter personal injury attorney is extremely important before you take any step for settlement with the party. For this reason, we at our firm, provide you with the best personal injury lawyer services in Sumter, South Carolina.
Compensation You May be Able to Collect in a Sumter Personal Injury Claim
When we talk about harm, physical injury is not the only element in the discussion; there is a landslide of resulting damages caused by the physical injury, such as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and the inability to work for months on end due to being disabled. A personal injury claim or lawsuit allows victims to seek compensation for the following damages:
- Medical expenses
- Projected costs of future medical needs
- Pain and suffering
- Mental anguish / emotional distress
- Loss of joy of life
- Lost wages
- Lost earning capacity
- Property damage
The Statute of Limitations for Personal Injury Claims in South Carolina
In South Carolina, the statute of limitations for filing a personal injury lawsuit is generally three years from the date of the incident (S.C. Code Ann. § 15-3-530). This means that you have a limited amount of time to file a lawsuit in court seeking compensation for your injuries.
However, certain circumstances can either extend or shorten this period:
- Minors: If the victim is a minor, the statute of limitations may be extended until they reach the age of 18.
- Discovery Rule: In some cases, if the injury was not immediately apparent, the statute of limitations may start from the date the injury was discovered or should have been discovered.
- Government Entities: If the premises liability claim is against a government entity, special rules and shorter timeframes may apply.
It is also important to note that while the statute of limitations pertains to filing a lawsuit, it does not directly affect the timeframe for initiating an insurance claim. In most cases, an insurance claim should be started as soon as possible to ensure a timely investigation and preservation of evidence, and to allow time to negotiate a satisfactory settlement before a lawsuit needs to be filed.
An experienced Sumter personal injury lawyer, like Marc Brown, can advise you on the applicable statute of limitations for your case, and ensure compliance with all the legal timelines.
How Attorney Marc Brown Can Help
Hiring Attorney Marc Brown to handle your personal injury case can offer significant advantages and support through various stages of the legal process. Here are some key ways in which Attorney Marc Brown can assist you:
- Legal Expertise: Marc Brown brings specialized knowledge of South Carolina personal injury law and can ensure that all legal filings are accurately prepared and submitted within statutory deadlines.
- Case Evaluation: A thorough evaluation of your case to identify the responsible parties and the applicable laws, which is crucial for establishing liability and the scope of your damages.
- Gathering Evidence: Gathering and preserving critical evidence, including your medical records, the accident report, and witness statements, which are essential for substantiating your claim.
- Negotiation: Negotiating with insurance companies to secure fair settlements without the need for a prolonged court battle and ensuring that the compensation offered reflects the true value of your claim.
- Trial Representation: If a fair settlement cannot be reached, Marc Brown is prepared to represent you in court, using his litigation skills to advocate on your behalf effectively.
- Maximizing Your Compensation: Identifying all possible sources of compensation, including medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and more, ensuring that you receive the maximum compensation available.
- Guidance and Support: Throughout the process, Marc Brown will provide ongoing guidance and support, helping you understand each step and making the legal process as stress-free as possible.
Call Sumter Personal Injury Attorney Marc Brown Today
Regardless of how you were injured, we are confident in our ability to see your claim through to a successful conclusion. Call Sumter personal injury attorney Marc Brown today at (803) 848-0008 to schedule a free consultation at your soonest convenience.