If you want to succeed in your personal injury claim, it never hurts to have a good lawyer on your side. Our attorneys can represent you and your family in your injury case and work to get you the compensation you need.
When you get hurt because of something someone else did, you face medical expenses, lost earnings, and lost wages – among other damages. We can fight to get them paid in full, whether through an insurance settlement or even a lawsuit, if needed.
For your free case evaluation, call Rice Law at (803) 219-4906 for your free case review today.
Can I Make an Insurance Claim for Injuries?
Damages are often paid through insurance, meaning that an insurance claim might be the most straightforward way to get damages. However, insurance companies often pay well under the true value of your claim.
Insurance companies typically base initial settlement offers on what it will cost them to fight the case, not what your damages are actually worth. Essentially, they start with the assumption that your claim is fake, and they seek to pay as little as they can to settle the claim.
If you want damages truly representing the harms you suffered, you should get a lawyer. Our personal injury attorneys can represent you and negotiate with the insurance company. We can show them the medical bills, the pay stubs, and the other expenses related to your injury to prove what your case is worth.
If we can negotiate a fair settlement, we will advise you to accept, but the choice is yours.
What Happens at a Personal Injury Trial?
In many cases, going to court can get you higher damages, given that a neutral jury decides the damages instead of the insurance company paying the claim. They can order whatever damages they see fit, if we can win the case.
Witnesses and Evidence
Juries need to see proof of the defendant’s fault, which means providing them with evidence and testimony. Our lawyers will call witnesses – usually including you – to testify as to what happened, what they saw, and how the defendant caused your accident.
Witnesses cannot give their opinion on who was at fault; deciding that is the jury’s job.
Opening Statements and Closing Arguments
We can also present opening statements at the beginning of the case to tell your general story about what happened and why you need damages. At the end, we sum everything up in closing arguments.
Defense’s Case and Objections
The defendant also gets a chance to present their case, and both sides can always object to the other side’s improper evidence or procedures.
How Long Do Injury Cases Take?
Most trials do not take more than a few days in court unless the facts are incredibly complex. This often happens with medical malpractice, products liability, or other cases with complex scientific or medical issues at hand.
If your case settles, it often goes much faster.
In any case, it can take a while before the case even gets to trial. Trials usually are not scheduled until a few months after the case is filed, with many trials taking over 6 months to complete.
When Do I Get Paid for My Injuries?
Before the insurance company can agree to pay you in a lawsuit, they need to verify all of the evidence and make their own fault determinations. If they do not believe their client was at fault, they will deny your claim, and we will have to negotiate further or file a lawsuit.
As mentioned, lawsuits can take around 6 months in many cases, but once the case gets to the “discovery” stage, it might settle quickly. At this stage, both sides trade evidence and take depositions. From there, the defense can see how weak their case is and push to settle.
Settlements are often paid quickly, though they may be paid as annuities instead of lump sums. If the case goes to a jury verdict, payment usually needs to be delivered within 30 days, or else we can take the judgment back to court to get payment enforced.
How Do I Pay for a Lawyer?
Our personal injury lawyers – and most personal injury attorneys, for that matter – typically use contingency fees. This means that you do not need to pay anything up front or pay out of pocket.
Our fee comes entirely from the winnings in your case. This means we take only a percentage of the total, and we only get paid if you win.
This gives you the flexibility to put every dime you can still make while injured toward your family’s expenses and avoids additional drains on your finances. Only after you win will we get our cut, and it is only a portion of the winnings. We will explain our fees and give you the agreements to review before you agree to anything.
Do I Need a Lawyer for My Injury Claim in Hardeeville?
You may think that you can handle an insurance claim on your own, but once you begin talking with insurance, you may see how challenging it can be to get the answers and payment you are looking for. Our attorneys have decades of experience doing this, and we know the right levers to pull and where to put pressure on these companies to get your demands met.
We can send demand letters, collect evidence, present it to the insurance companies, and seek to get your case settled quickly. If that fails, we have plenty of in-court experience and can handle a lawsuit on your behalf.
How Long Do I Have to File My Injury Case?
Most injury cases in South Carolina need to be filed within 3 years. If you wait too long, your case could be barred for good, so call us as soon as you can.
Call Our Personal Injury Lawyers in Hardeeville Today
Call our personal injury lawyers at Rice Law at (803) 219-4906 for a free case review.