When Is a Rock Hill Personal Injury Lawyer Needed?
Accidents causing injury and property damage in Rock Hill may require an attorney, especially when injuries could require medical care over time. The injured party isn’t sure what to do next or feels pressured to settle. Accident victims should focus on getting better and often need an advocate who can help them get the compensation they deserve.
Accidents often lead to medical bills, loss of work, loss of future earnings, and other losses that are difficult to measure with a dollar figure alone. Attorneys assess anticipated lifetime costs for more severe injuries and pursue compensation for expenses such as medical bills and care, assistive devices, lost wages and earning potential, lost benefits, and other factors such as pain and loss of quality of life. Emotional suffering, including stress, anxiety, and psychological issues, may also be part of a settlement that an attorney seeks.
Keep notes and other documentation from your case, and be prepared to provide a detailed summary of what happened during the initial consultation with an attorney. Details allow an attorney to decide the best course of action and whether legal action is necessary for a case.
An attorney in the personal injury practice area will be able to provide legal services and ensure your case gets the best result, whether it be a negotiated settlement, jury trial, or alternative dispute resolution. Alternative dispute resolution, ADR, is a method of resolving a case through mediation or arbitration. Through mediation, a facilitator brings the parties to an agreement. Arbitration occurs through a small panel, usually three people, who serve as judges and make a binding decision by majority vote that bypasses a jury trial.
What Qualities Should You Look for in a Personal Injury Attorney in Rock Hill, South Carolina?
Hire a Rock Hill personal injury attorney who puts your interests first and has experience handling your type of case. Personal injury claims can be hard to navigate, and insurance companies often convince injured parties to agree to insufficient settlements. An experienced attorney will guide you to the best possible outcome and approach legal issues objectively. Seek an attorney who will offer legal advice, provide a free consultation at the first meeting with you, put your interests first, and help you take action based on facts and not emotions, opening the door to a more fair settlement.
Insurance companies investigate circumstances around accidents, such as car accidents or truck accidents, and an attorney representing the accident victims will do the same. Personal injury attorneys and their colleagues will uncover your case’s facts and evidence, including reconstructing the accident if needed. Law firms can use facts and expert witnesses to show fault and seek evidence from other sources such as security footage, witnesses, and online communication.
Seek an attorney with experience working with complex medical issues and communicating with the other party’s legal representation, especially during what is known as the fact-finding phase, where both sides share facts and documentation.
Working with a personal injury lawyer can provide the best result, whether it be a settlement with an insurance company or a case that goes to a jury trial. Many cases get resolved before trial. Seek an attorney skilled at negotiating for the best settlement. Signing a settlement prevents injured parties from seeking further compensation even if more medical needs arise in the future.
What Are Standard Personal Injury Attorney Fees in Rock Hill?
Injured parties represented by personal injury attorneys don’t pay upfront fees or a retainer. The lawyer offers services on a contingency fee, with attorney fees — about 33% — deducted from the settlement received at the end of the case. Based on their case evaluations, personal injury lawyers take on cases they believe have merit and will be successful.
Sliding scales of fees are an option some lawyers may choose. Fees would be lower the earlier a case gets resolved. Cases resolved early in the negotiation phase would result in a lower percentage paid in attorney fees. In comparison, cases that reach the trial stage would result in a higher percentage of the settlement going toward attorney fees.
Personal injury attorneys cover many costs and deduct them from the future settlement or court award. These expenses may include the following:
- Medical records retrieval
- Expert witness fees
- Investigations
- Transcripts and exhibits for trial
- Some charges such as court costs or document fees may be the responsibility of the injured party.
Attorneys receive the settlement check and first pay any bills and fees, itemizing costs, and then distribute the remainder to the accident victim.
What Types of Cases Does a Personal Injury Lawyer Handle?
Rock Hill personal injury attorneys handle various cases, ranging from auto accidents and premises liability to many types of injuries and property losses. Many factors could come into play, including establishing the responsible parties involved in the accident. Personal injuries can take many forms — from spinal cord injuries to head injuries — that require specialized knowledge and an understanding of injuries’ short- and long-term effects. Some of the common cases our Rock Hill personal injury attorneys handle are:
Car Accidents
The leading cause of injury in the United States is car accidents. Experienced car accident attorneys in Rock Hill help those injured in accidents caused by other drivers. Damages include property damage, lost income, medical bills, and pain and suffering.
Motorcycle Accidents
Serious injuries are often common in motorcycle accidents. Rock Hill attorneys who are well-versed in the operation of motorcycles, as well as motorcycle accidents, can help you pursue the settlement you deserve.
Truck Accidents
Commercial drivers have additional laws that apply to their Commercial Driver’s License. In addition to the possibility of significant damages due to a big rig or trailer’s size, these laws require a Rock Hill attorney knowledgeable about the intricacies of truck accidents.
Medical Malpractice
Claims involving medical malpractice can include complex medical issues. Having the right attorney in Rock Hill represent you in a medical malpractice suit means that these complex issues will be addressed to demonstrate medical malpractice or medical negligence in a case.
Other Types of Cases We Handle:
- Wrongful Death
- Nursing Home Abuse & Neglect
- Premises Liability
- Dog Bites
- Traumatic Brain Injury
- Workers’ Compensation Claims
- Rideshare Accidents
- Product Liability & Defective Products
- Construction Accidents
- Boating Accidents
What Type of Damages Can You Claim in a Personal Injury Case?
Personal injury victims may seek three different types of damages in Rock Hill, South Carolina, cases:
- Economic damages are the most visible type of compensation. They include current and future lost income, workers’ compensation, medical bills, medications, therapy, equipment, and other damages assigned a monetary value.
- Non-economic damages include pain and suffering, loss of companionship, enjoyment of life, and psychological issues.
- Punitive damages provide additional damages to the victim when the defendant shows a high degree of negligence and disregard for the other party’s safety. Punitive damages provide further punishment and serve as a means to keep others from being negligent.
Each state has its own rules for personal injury awards in cases where negligence was a contributing factor. South Carolina is an at-fault state, which means the insurance provider for the person at fault pays the injured party for damages incurred in an accident. South Carolina also practices modified comparative negligence, which means that a victim can claim damages if the individual is 50% or less at fault for an accident. Accident victims who are a percentage responsible for an accident will have their damages reduced by a proportional percentage.
Rock Hill personal injury attorneys can navigate complex laws and circumstances, placing their clients’ needs first. They can act based on facts and research; they will steer clients away from being rushed into a settlement that doesn’t meet their needs. An attorney will be able to look beyond emotions and pressure tactics, seeking the best possible compensation, ensuring contracts get followed, and claims get paid.
Contact a Personal Injury Lawyer in Rock Hill, SC
Have you or a family member been affected by an injury connected to someone else’s negligence? Contact the Rock Hill personal injury attorneys of The Law Offices of Jason E. Taylor, P.C. Our knowledgeable team has the experience necessary for personal injury cases in Rock Hill, South Carolina.
