Lexington, SC Personal Injury Lawyer

Did you recently get hurt in an accident? We often chalk accidents up to bad luck, but this is incorrect. Accidents and injuries happen because other people are negligent, and they should be held responsible. Speak to an attorney about your accident. They can help you determine who should be held accountable and help you get financial compensation for your injuries.

Personal injury cases involve plaintiffs who have somehow been physically injured, often in an accident. Accidents might stem from dangerous conditions on someone’s property, unsafe amusement parks, car accidents, and more. Your damages vary based on how the accident occurred and the extent of your losses and injuries. Damages often account for economic losses and non-economic injuries such as physical pain and emotional suffering or distress. You should talk to a lawyer soon, as you only have so much time to file a case, and the clock might already be counting down. Your lawyer can help you assess your damages, find evidence, and file the case on time.

Start your case with a free initial review from our personal injury attorneys by calling Rice, Murtha & Psoras at (803) 219-4906.

Frequently Filed Personal Injury Cases in Lexington, SC

The interesting thing about personal injury cases is that they may include various accidents and injuries. The only real requirement of all personal injury claims is that the plaintiff must have experienced some bodily harm. Without bodily harm, you do not have a personal injury claim. Here are a few common examples of personal injury cases handled by our team.

Premises Liability

Many accidents happen because of dangerous conditions on someone’s property. For example, you might walk up and down the aisles of a grocery store doing your weekly shopping when you slip in a spill nobody cleaned up. You might be badly hurt in the fall, and the store owner may be held responsible. This is a classic example of a premises liability claim, often involving severe accidents and injuries. Even a seemingly simple slip-and-fall can lead to terrible injuries.

Property owners have a legal duty to make sure their property is safe for guests. This includes a duty to repair or remove known hazardous conditions. Also, property owners must make reasonable inspections for hazards they might not yet know about. For example, basic maintenance and regular safety checks can help property owners spot hazards before they cause accidents. Our personal injury attorneys know how to find evidence needed to prove that the defendant is responsible for the unsafe conditions on their property.

Amusement Park Accidents

While we go to amusement parks to have fun, often with families and friends, they can be very dangerous places if the premises are not in safe condition. Rides and rollercoasters can be extremely dangerous if they are malfunctioning or have not been properly cared for. A crash or collision might seriously injure riders. Someone might instead be injured by a carnival game gone awry or simply by unkempt conditions around the park. Maybe the park is littered with trash, causing you to fall and break your arm. The amusement park owner should be held responsible for injuries caused by unsafe conditions.

Auto Accidents

Some of the most frequently filed personal injury claims involve vehicle collisions. You might be rear-ended at a stop sign, T-boned in an intersection, or struck by an intoxicated driver. Accidents range from minor incidents to severe crashes. Even if you are not badly hurt, you still have the right to take legal action against the other driver for your damages, whatever they might be. Many people file car accident cases because their lives are totally upended, and they need compensation to get back to normal. You might be badly hurt, unable to work, and have no car after a bad crash. A lawyer can help you get justice.

Recovering Damages in Lexington, SC Personal Injury Cases

Your damages should reflect everything you have lost and endured because of the accident and your physical injuries. The more damages you have, the greater your financial compensation should be. Your attorney can help you identify all your damages and evaluate them accurately so that no compensation is left out.

Economic Damages

Your economic damages should include how the accident and your injuries cost you money. Accidents are often expensive, and many people cannot afford them. For example, your injuries likely need medical attention, and hospital bills are notorious for being expensive. In some cases, a single visit to the ER can cost hundreds or even thousands of dollars. Those needing more extensive medical care might be dealing with incredibly high medical bills.

You might lose money in other ways. Maybe your personal belongings or property were damaged in the accident. Maybe your injuries prevent you from returning to work, and now you are losing valuable income. Even seemingly smaller costs, like paying for gas to drive to doctor appointments, can add up over time.

Non-Economic Damages

Your non-economic damages generally represent losses that do not involve money but still deserve fair compensation. These damages are often hard to evaluate because they are inherently subjective and unique to each plaintiff. You may claim non-economic damages related to your physical pain, emotional suffering, psychological distress, embarrassment, loss of enjoyment of your life, and the reduction in your quality of life, among others.

How Much Time You Have to File a Personal Injury Case in Lexington, SC

Your time to file a case after being injured in an accident might be shorter than you realize. The statute of limitations under S.C. Code Ann. § 15-3-530(5) allows plaintiffs only 3 years to file their cases. Additionally, your limitation period starts on the same day you are initially injured, so time is truly of the essence.

If you are running out of time, talk to your attorney about whether you can have the statute of limitation tolled. Tolling allows plaintiffs to pause the clock counting down on their case, but only under certain conditions. It is often available for people who are minors or “insane” when they are hurt.

According to § 15-3-40, if a plaintiff is under 18 or under a mental or psychological condition that makes it difficult or impossible to understand their injuries or legal rights, the limitation period would not begin until these legal disabilities are lifted. Put another way, the clock does not start ticking until you are 18 or whatever mental or psychological condition you have is lifted.

Contact Our Lexington, SC Personal Injury Attorneys for Legal Help Today

Start your case with a free initial review from our personal injury attorneys by calling Rice, Murtha & Psoras at (803) 219-4906.