Personal injury claims involve legal claims regarding injuries to a person’s body. If you were involved in an accident and hurt, the person who caused the accident should be held accountable. Not only that, but you may be entitled to financial compensation for everything you have gone through, and our legal team can assist you.
The first step toward getting financial compensation for your injuries is to determine what caused your injuries in the first place. Personal injury law is very broad, and different laws might govern different kinds of injuries. For example, amusement park accidents, car crashes, and premises liability claims are all personal injury claims controlled by very different laws and rules. Meet with an attorney about your claims quickly, as you have only 3 years to prepare your case. We need all the time we can get to assess your damages, including economic and non-economic injuries and losses.
Call our Myrtle Beach, SC personal injury lawyers with Rice Law at (803) 219-4906 and get a free, private case assessment to begin.
Figuring Out What Caused Your Personal Injuries in Conway
The first thing we have to do to begin your case and hopefully get your financial compensation is to determine how your injury happened. Knowing how your injuries occurred can help our personal injury attorneys piece together other important details, including who caused the injuries and what evidence might be available.
Amusement Park Accidents
While amusement parks can be much fun, they can also be very dangerous. Amusement parks are full of equipment that can cause severe injuries if not properly cared for or maintained. Roller coasters, carnival games, and other amusement park features can easily break down and become dangerous. Conway, SC is not far from Myrtle Beach, where multiple amusement parks are aimed at tourists and vacationers. Water parks, boardwalk amusement parks, and even trampoline parks can cause serious injuries if things go wrong, and the park owners should be held accountable.
Vehicle Accidents
Perhaps one of the most common sources of personal injuries is car accidents. Maybe you were driving to work, following your normal morning route, when another driver crashed into you in the middle of an intersection. Maybe you were stopped at a light when the vehicle behind you rear-ended you. Depending on the accident, you might have injuries ranging from mild to extremely severe. On top of it all, you might be without a vehicle. The other driver should be identified and held responsible for your injuries.
Premises Liability
Some injury cases are based more on where an accident occurred rather than just on how it occurred. Premises liability claims involve injuries that happen on someone else’s property, often because the property owner failed to maintain the property for the safety of guests. You might be hurt because you slipped and fell in a store or restaurant. You might have been injured by broken glass from a shattered window. Maybe the wiring at someone else’s house was faulty and electrocuted you. Owners of these properties have a duty to maintain them. If they fail to do so and guests get injured, owners should be held accountable.
How Soon After Becoming Injured Should You File a Personal Injury Case in Conway?
You might need some time after an accident to recover from your injuries and consider your legal options moving forward. Even so, contacting an attorney as soon as possible is a good idea, even if you are still unsure about what you want to do. According to the statute of limitations under S.C. Code Ann. § 15-3-530(5), plaintiffs have only 3 years to file personal injury claims, or they lose their right to bring the cause of action at all. While 3 years might sound like more than enough time, it is a very tight time limit. Many people spend months or more preparing with a lawyer, and if you start too late, you might lose valuable time.
If the time to file your claims is running short, talk to your lawyer about tolling. Plaintiffs can have the statute of limitations tolled, meaning the limitation period is paused, for very specific reasons. For example, under § 15-3-40, tolling is available for plaintiffs who were minors when they were injured or were “insane.” Minors may have the limitation period tolled until they are 18, so they would have 3 years from their 18th birthday. If a plaintiff were insane, meaning they have a mental condition that makes it difficult or impossible to understand their own rights or injuries, the limitation period may be tolled until the condition is removed.
Assessing Damages in a Conway Personal Injury Case
Your damages are the basis of your potential compensation, and they must be accurately assessed and claimed by the time we file the formal complaint that starts your lawsuit. Damages tend to be classified as economic or non-economic, and their value depends on your unique circumstances.
Economic
Economic damages are based on money. How much money did your personal injuries cost you? For example, you likely needed medical care after being injured, and medical care does not come cheap. Even a single visit to a doctor might be more than many people can afford. We should also consider any property you lost in the accident that caused your injuries. Damaged vehicles, lost personal belongings, and more should be evaluated. Finally, many people in personal injury cases are so badly hurt that they can no longer work for a while, possibly indefinitely. In such cases, they can claim the income they lose because of their injuries.
Non-Economic
Non-economic injuries are somewhat harder to assess because they are subjective and vary from person to person. They encompass emotional and psychological trauma and distress caused by the accident as well as physical pain from injuries. How badly a person’s life is impacted by an accident varies, but these damages are often quite substantial. If injuries lead to a significant decline in the quality and enjoyment of your life, you may be entitled to significant compensation for non-economic damages.
Speak to Our Conway Personal Injury Attorneys About Your Case Today
Call our personal injury lawyers with Rice Law at (803) 219-4906 and get a free, private case assessment to begin.