Experienced South Carolina Personal Injury Attorneys

While we like to assume that insurance companies have our back after an accident when we are in a tough spot, this sadly is not normally the case. Luckily, when you hire our team, we will communicate with the insurance company to ensure your rights and best interests are protected.

However, if for some reason you do not hire a lawyer for your case, you should always be on the lookout for common tricks insurance companies use as a way to limit your payout or deny your claim altogether.

Here are some of our tips when it comes to handling communication with an insurance company:

• Do not provide a recorded statement
• Do not admit fault
• Do not answer questions regarding your medical history
• Do not answer misleading questions
• Do not accept the first settlement offer without consulting an attorney

The statute of limitations in South Carolina typically lasts three years. This means you generally have three years from the date of the accident to file a claim.

However, this time can be reduced significantly if the accident involves a government entity or other entities.

While you generally have 2-3 years to file a claim, it’s important to begin the process sooner rather than later so witness testimony is fresh and other critical evidence is preserved.

Every personal injury case is unique. Some personal injury cases are resolved in weeks, while others can take years. There are many things that can impact the length of your case:

• The extent of your injuries
• The extent of your damages
• The estimated recovery time for your injuries
• How many parties are involved
• How willing the insurance company is to pay you the entirety of what you deserve under state law
• Whether the case settles or goes to trial.

The team at Cavanaugh & Thickens, LLC deeply values client-attorney communication, which is frequently brought up in our 5-star client reviews. You can trust that our team will keep you up to date on the status of your cas and what to expect next.

Many times, accidents leave you with expensive medical bills, painful injuries, and time-consuming treatment plans. With decades of combined experience, our lawyers help clients navigate all sorts of accidents and injuries including:

• Soft tissue injuries
• Broken bones
• Concussions
• Whiplash
• Seat belt injuries
• Internal injuries
• Organ damage
• Nerve damage
• Traumatic brain injuries
• Spinal cord injuries
• Catastrophic injuries
• Wrongful death

The statute of limitations is an important part of finding out if you have a case to pursue through the civil courts. You must still be within the statute of limitations to bring a lawsuit against someone. If you are facing criminal charges, the incident must be within the statute of limitations to be prosecuted. The statute of limitation varies depending on the type of incident, but you can find all of them in the South Carolina Code of Laws. An attorney can also quickly let you know what the statute of limitations is for your case and what options you have.

The civil court system is for noncriminal matters. Any party can file suit against another party, and South Carolina civil laws govern the case. In some cases, local ordinances may also come into play. In criminal court, there is a defendant and a prosecutor who takes the place of the plaintiff in a civil matter. Both courts follow similar procedures when it comes to witnesses and evidence.

An attorney who practices personal injury law generally represents victims who have been injured through the fault of another party. Common types of personal injury cases include auto accidents, slip and fall cases, premises liability, and dog bites. Personal injury attorneys may also work on cases involving medical malpractice, drug injuries, workers’ compensation, defective products, and wrongful death. When you’re talking to an attorney about your case, ask them how many of those types of cases they have worked on before and how they handle typical cases to find out if the firm is a good fit.

Absolutely! Not only can you meet with an attorney before you hire them, but you absolutely should – and some firms require it. Before you hire an attorney, you want to make sure that they are a good fit for your case and that you can have a good working relationship with them. It’s important to meet with the lawyer to discuss the details of your case, get their perspective on how they can help and what they think the right course forward is, and ensure that it’s a good personality fit as well.

When it comes to hiring an attorney to represent them, the cost is one of the most common topics people have questions about. How much an attorney charges and what their terms are varies by firm. Still, in general, attorneys usually either work on a retainer or take a percentage cut of your settlement if you win your case. The second option is common in personal injury cases. In this situation, you wouldn’t have to pay anything to the attorney upfront – and you usually don’t have to pay if you lose. If you win, the attorney takes a percentage of the settlement as their payment before the rest of the money passes on to you.

Having an attorney on your side is an important part of navigating the legal system, but you also want someone experienced in your type of case. To find a good attorney, you’ll need to do a bit of research. You can start by looking at law firms that practice in the area your case is in – such as personal injury or criminal defense – and reading reviews. You can also ask others you know who have used an attorney recently and were happy with their services. Even if that attorney doesn’t work in the specific practice area, they may be able to refer you to a colleague who does. When you meet with the attorney, ask questions about the kinds of cases they work on and their success rate to determine if you want to move forward.