South Carolina Personal Injury Statute of Limitations

What is the Statute of Limitations for Personal Injury Claims in SC?

Consider the statute of limitations as a ticking clock; it’s essentially the time limit within which an individual can legally file a lawsuit for a personal injury claim. These time constraints are set by state law and can significantly vary depending on the nature of the claim and the state in question.

In South Carolina, according to the personal injury statute of limitations, you have three years from the date of the accident to file a lawsuit against the at-fault party.

You Deserve an Experienced Personal Injury Attorney to Help With Your Personal Injury Claims

In the face of a personal injury, it’s crucial to have a knowledgeable and experienced advocate on your side. The Law Offices of Jason E. Taylor offers comprehensive legal support throughout the process of your personal injury claim. Our team is deeply familiar with the complexities and nuances of South Carolina’s personal injury statutes, and we are committed to helping you navigate this challenging time. Don’t wait until it’s too late; contact the Law Offices of Jason E. Taylor to explore your legal options with a personal injury lawyer today.

What Does the Statute of Limitations Mean for My Personal Injury Case?

The statute of limitations in South Carolina creates a strict filing deadline for personal injury claims. This means that if you’ve suffered an injury due to someone else’s negligence, you have a three-year window from the date of the injury to initiate a lawsuit. If you fail to file your personal injury claim within this time frame, South Carolina courts will likely refuse to hear your case, which means you forfeit your right to seek compensation for any damages suffered. It’s crucial to understand this timeframe and act within it to ensure your right to a legal remedy is upheld.

What is the Official Starting Date for South Carolina’s Statute of Limitations?

The official starting date of the South Carolina statute of limitations is the date on which your injury occurred. For example, if you were injured in a car accident on June 1, 2021, then your three-year window for filing a claim would begin on that date.

Are There Exceptions?

Yes, there are exceptions to the general three-year rule for personal injury cases in South Carolina. Notably, in situations where the injury is not immediately evident, such as cases involving exposure to harmful substances or instances of medical malpractice, the harmful ramifications may not come to light until much later. Under these conditions, the statute of limitations clock does not commence from the date of the injury-instigating incident but rather from the date the injury is discovered or should have been discovered with reasonable diligence. This exception plays a crucial role in ensuring that justice can be sought even in cases where the injury’s nature inherently delays its discovery.

Why Should You File a Claim Right Away?

Three years may seem like a substantial amount of time, but when it comes to personal injury cases, it’s beneficial to file your claim as soon as possible. Here are some reasons why it’s advantageous to act promptly:

Evidence Preservation:

The more time that passes, the greater the risk that crucial evidence may be lost, damaged, or become less reliable. Immediate action helps preserve vital evidence and witness recollections.

Legal Preparation:

Filing early gives your legal team ample time to prepare a robust case. They can conduct a thorough investigation, gather evidence, interview witnesses, and strategically plan for negotiation or litigation.

Medical Records:

Prompt filing ensures your medical records accurately reflect the injuries sustained and treatments required as a result of the accident. These records serve a critical role in substantiating your claim.

Financial Relief:

The sooner you file your claim, the sooner you may be able to obtain compensation for medical bills, loss of income, and other damages suffered due to the injury.

Witness Recall:

Witnesses’ memories tend to be fresher closer to the event. Filing sooner ensures their testimonies are more accurate and credible.

Negotiation Time:

An early filing provides adequate time for your lawyer to negotiate a fair settlement before contemplating a trial.

Peace of Mind:

Initiating the legal process early can give you peace of mind and allow you to focus on recovery.

Time is of the essence when it comes to personal injury claims. By taking swift action, you enhance the possibility of a favorable outcome in your pursuit of justice and compensation.

How Can Our Personal Injury Lawyers Help?

Our team of esteemed personal injury attorneys can assist you in various ways:

Case Assessment: We evaluate the details of your situation to understand the merits of your personal injury claim.

Evidence Collection: Our team meticulously collects and preserves all relevant evidence to build a strong case.

Expert Consultation: We collaborate with medical, forensic, and other experts to substantiate your personal injury lawsuit.

Claim Filing: We handle all the paperwork and meet all the required deadlines to file your claim.

Negotiation: We negotiate with the insurance companies and at-fault parties to secure a fair settlement.

Litigation: If negotiations are unsuccessful, we are fully prepared to take your case to court and advocate for your rights.

Compensation: We strive to obtain maximum compensation for all damages suffered, including medical bills, lost wages, emotional distress, and more.

Legal Advice: We provide you with clear, professional advice at each step, ensuring you’re fully informed about the legal process.

personal injury client meeting with a personal injury lawyer to meet the statute of limitations deadlines

Contact The Law Offices of Jason E. Taylor For a Free Consultation Today

Don’t let the statute of limitations deprive you of your right to justice and compensation. The Law Offices of Jason E. Taylor is here to assist with all aspects of your personal injury case, removing stress and ensuring that your rights are fully protected. Contact us today for a free consultation and learn more about how we can help you pursue financial relief for your injuries.

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Notice of Data Security Event
Updated March 28, 2025

The Law Offices of Jason E. Taylor is providing notice of an event that may affect certain individuals’ information. Although we have no indication of identity theft or fraud in relation to this event, we are providing information about the event, our response, and additional measures individuals can take to help protect their information, should they feel it appropriate to do so.

What Happened? On October 28, 2024, The Law Offices of Jason E. Taylor identified suspicious activity related to our email system. We quickly took steps to investigate and determined that an unknown actor may have accessed certain emails within our email system between August 7 and November 7, 2024. We then conducted a comprehensive review of the potentially affected emails and attachments to determine what information was contained therein and to whom the information related, which was completed on February 25, 2025. Unfortunately, we were unable to verify the addresses of certain affected individuals, so we are providing this notice to ensure potentially affected individuals receive information about the event.

What Information Was Involved? The information affected may include individuals’ Social Security number, driver’s license and state ID information, financial account number, and health information.

What We Are Doing. We are notifying individuals about this matter and providing guidance about free resources that are available to assist with monitoring relevant accounts, credit reports, and how to place a fraud alert or security freeze on one’s credit file. Further, as with our typical security practices, we will continue to evaluate our policies, procedures, staff training, and technical security measures to reduce the likelihood of an event like this reoccurring.

What Individuals Can Do. We encourage you to remain vigilant against incidents of identity theft and fraud by reviewing your account statements and monitoring your free credit reports for suspicious activity and to detect errors. We also recommend you review the below “Steps Individuals Can Take To Help Protect Personal Information”.

For More Information. If individuals have questions about this matter, we have a dedicated assistance line with agents ready to answer their questions. Please contact our toll-free dedicated assistance line at 1-800-939-4170, Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. through 9 p.m., excluding holidays. You may also write to us at The Law Offices of Jason E. Taylor, Attn: Compliance, P.O. Box 2688, Hickory, NC 28603.

Sincerely,

The Law Offices of Jason E. Taylor

STEPS INDIVIDUALS CAN TAKE TO HELP PROTECT PERSONAL INFORMATION

Monitor Your Accounts

Under U.S. law, a consumer is entitled to one free credit report annually from each of the three major credit reporting bureaus, Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. To order a free credit report, visit www.annualcreditreport.com or call, toll-free, 1-877-322-8228. Consumers may also directly contact the three major credit reporting bureaus listed below to request a free copy of their credit report.

Consumers have the right to place an initial or extended “fraud alert” on a credit file at no cost. An initial fraud alert is a 1-year alert that is placed on a consumer’s credit file. Upon seeing a fraud alert display on a consumer’s credit file, a business is required to take steps to verify the consumer’s identity before extending new credit. If consumers are the victim of identity theft, they are entitled to an extended fraud alert, which is a fraud alert lasting seven years. Should consumers wish to place a fraud alert, please contact any of the three major credit reporting bureaus listed below.

As an alternative to a fraud alert, consumers have the right to place a “credit freeze” on a credit report, which will prohibit a credit bureau from releasing information in the credit report without the consumer’s express authorization. The credit freeze is designed to prevent credit, loans, and services from being approved in a consumer’s name without consent. However, consumers should be aware that using a credit freeze to take control over who gets access to the personal and financial information in their credit report may delay, interfere with, or prohibit the timely approval of any subsequent request or application they make regarding a new loan, credit, mortgage, or any other account involving the extension of credit. Pursuant to federal law, consumers cannot be charged to place or lift a credit freeze on their credit report. To request a credit freeze, individuals may need to provide some or all of the following information:

1. Full name (including middle initial as well as Jr., Sr., II, III, etc.);
2. Social Security number;
3. Date of birth;
4. Addresses for the prior two to five years;
5. Proof of current address, such as a current utility bill or telephone bill;
6. A legible photocopy of a government-issued identification card (state driver’s license or ID card, etc.); and
7. A copy of either the police report, investigative report, or complaint to a law enforcement agency concerning identity theft if they are a victim of identity theft.

Should consumers wish to place a credit freeze or fraud alert, please contact the three major credit reporting bureaus listed below:

Equifax Experian TransUnion
https://www.equifax.com/personal/credit-report-services/ https://www.experian.com/help/

https://www.transunion.com/credit-help
1-888-298-0045 1-888-397-3742 1-800-916-8800
Equifax Fraud Alert, P.O. Box 105069 Atlanta, GA 30348-5069 Experian Fraud Alert, P.O. Box 9554, Allen, TX 75013 TransUnion Fraud Alert, P.O. Box 2000, Chester, PA 19016
Equifax Credit Freeze, P.O. Box 105788 Atlanta, GA 30348-5788 Experian Credit Freeze, P.O. Box 9554, Allen, TX 75013 TransUnion Credit Freeze, P.O. Box 160, Woodlyn, PA 19094

Additional Information

Consumers may further educate themselves regarding identity theft, fraud alerts, credit freezes, and the steps they can take to protect their personal information by contacting the consumer reporting bureaus, the Federal Trade Commission, or their state attorney general. The Federal Trade Commission may be reached at: 600 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington, DC 20580; www.identitytheft.gov; 1-877-ID-THEFT (1-877-438-4338); and TTY: 1-866-653-4261. The Federal Trade Commission also encourages those who discover that their information has been misused to file a complaint with them. Consumers can obtain further information on how to file such a complaint by way of the contact information listed above. Consumers have the right to file a police report if they ever experience identity theft or fraud. Please note that in order to file a report with law enforcement for identity theft, consumers will likely need to provide some proof that they have been a victim. Instances of known or suspected identity theft should also be reported to law enforcement and the relevant state attorney general. This notice has not been delayed by law enforcement.

For District of Columbia residents, the District of Columbia Attorney General may be contacted at: 400 6th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20001; 1-202-442-9828; and oag.dc.gov.

For Maryland residents, the Maryland Attorney General may be contacted at: 200 St. Paul Place, 16th Floor, Baltimore, MD 21202; 1-410-576-6300 or 1-888-743-0023; and https://www.marylandattorneygeneral.gov/.

For New Mexico residents, consumers have rights pursuant to the Fair Credit Reporting Act, such as the right to be told if information in their credit file has been used against them, the right to know what is in their credit file, the right to ask for their credit score, and the right to dispute incomplete or inaccurate information. Further, pursuant to the Fair Credit Reporting Act, the consumer reporting bureaus must correct or delete inaccurate, incomplete, or unverifiable information; consumer reporting agencies may not report outdated negative information; access to consumers’ files is limited; consumers must give consent for credit reports to be provided to employers; consumers may limit “prescreened” offers of credit and insurance based on information in their credit report; and consumers may seek damages from violators. Consumers may have additional rights under the Fair Credit Reporting Act not summarized here. Identity theft victims and active-duty military personnel have specific additional rights pursuant to the Fair Credit Reporting Act. We encourage consumers to review their rights pursuant to the Fair Credit Reporting Act by visiting www.consumerfinance.gov/f/201504_cfpb_summary_your-rights-under-fcra.pdf, or by writing Consumer Response Center, Room 130-A, Federal Trade Commission, 600 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington, DC 20580.

For New York residents, the New York Attorney General may be contacted at: Office of the Attorney General, The Capitol, Albany, NY 12224-0341; 1-800-771-7755; or https://ag.ny.gov.

For North Carolina residents, the North Carolina Attorney General may be contacted at: 9001 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699-9001; 1-877-566-7226 or 1-919-716-6000; and www.ncdoj.gov.

For Rhode Island residents, the Rhode Island Attorney General may be reached at: 150 South Main Street, Providence, RI 02903; 1-401-274-4400; and www.riag.ri.gov. Under Rhode Island law, individuals have the right to obtain any police report filed in regard to this event.
STEPS INDIVIDUALS CAN TAKE TO HELP PROTECT A MINOR DEPENDENT’S PERSONAL INFORMATION

Typically, credit reporting agencies do not have a credit report in a minor’s name. To find out if a minor has a credit report or to request a manual search for a minor’s Social Security number each credit bureau has its own process. To learn more about these processes or request these services, consumers may contact the credit bureaus by phone, writing, or online:
Equifax Experian TransUnion
https://www.equifax.com/personal/help/article-list/-/h/a/request-child-credit-report/
https://www.experian.com/help/minor-request.html
https://www.transunion.com/fraud-victim-resources/child-identity-theft

1-800-685-1111 1-888-397-3742 1-800-916-8800
P.O. Box 105788
Atlanta, GA 30348-5788 P.O. Box 9554
Allen, TX 75013 P.O. Box 2000
Chester, PA 19016

To request information about the existence of a credit file in a minor’s name, search for a minor’s Social Security number, place a security freeze or fraud alert on a minor’s credit report (if one exists), or request a copy of a minor’s credit report consumers may be required to provide the following information:
● A copy of their driver’s license or another government issued identification card, such as a state identification card, etc.;
● Proof of address, such as a copy of a bank statement, utility bill, insurance statement, etc.;
● A copy of the minor’s birth certificate;
● A copy of the minor’s Social Security card;
● The minor’s full name, including middle initial and generation, such as JR, SR, II, III, etc.;
● The minor’s date of birth; and
● The minor’s previous addresses for the past two years.

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