Personal injury cases are common in the civil justice system, but what exactly constitutes a personal injury? These cases typically involve plaintiffs who experience some form of bodily harm because of the defendant’s negligence. If you were recently injured and believe someone else is to blame, talk to an attorney about whether a personal injury case can help you.
Before we can get you fair compensation, we need evidence that shows how badly you were hurt, how much the accident cost you, and how the defendant is responsible. This is a major task, and plaintiffs often spend a long time preparing with their lawyers. We need evidence and an accurate idea of your damages. You might lose valuable compensation if some damages are unaccounted for when we file the case. On top of it all, we must make sure we include the right people in the case. In some cases, the person you initially believe is responsible might not be the right defendant, or others should be included.
Receive a confidential initial case evaluation for no charge from our personal injury lawyers in Simpsonville when you call Rice Law at (803) 219-4906.
Gathering Proof and Evidence to Support Your Simpsonville Personal Injury Case
Finding evidence to support your claims in court might be a challenging task to accomplish. Evidence is sometimes easy or hard to obtain, depending on the situation. If you are unsure what evidence you need, our personal injury lawyers in Simpsonville can review your case and find the evidence necessary to prove the defendant is responsible for your injuries.
Videos and photos from the accident might be very powerful if they are available. Did you or someone else at the accident scene take pictures or record videos? Were there security cameras nearby that might have recorded the accident? If these recordings exist, they may shed light on how you were injured and what the defendant did to cause the accident.
Witness testimony and your testimony are also crucial. Witnesses can help us piece together the details of the accident, especially if they have information you do not. They might have seen the defendant act negligently before causing the accident or have other first-hand knowledge we can use. Your testimony might also be necessary, as only you can talk about how the accident and your injuries have affected your life.
In some cases, experts might be needed to review facts and evidence and render an opinion on how the accident happened and who is to blame. For example, in a medical malpractice lawsuit, medical experts and doctors can testify about your injuries. In a car accident case, accident reconstruction experts may offer their informed opinion. Their testimony is often held in high regard by jurors and can be very powerful.
How to Begin Your Simpsonville Personal Injury Case
Begin your case by speaking to a lawyer as soon as possible. It is understandable to need some time to rest, recover, and consider your legal options, but you should avoid taking too much time to decide. Under S.C. Code Ann. § 15-3-530(5), the statute of limitations gives plaintiffs only 3 years to file their claims. Your time begins on the day you are initially injured, and you will want to maximize your time to prepare with your lawyer.
First, your lawyer can assess your damages. Even though damages are awarded at the end of a case, they must be assessed, calculated, and claimed at the beginning. Your damages must be included when we file the formal complaint to begin the lawsuit. If we accidentally leave anything out, it might be difficult or impossible to add them later.
We should also begin to build your case around the evidence you have. There is no such thing as a perfect case. We might have some gaps in our evidence, but that does not mean we cannot use what we have to meet our burden of proof.
Evidence is unique to each case. Sit down with your lawyer and discuss what evidence is strong, what is weak, and what still needs to be gathered. This is often one of the more challenging parts of preparing a lawsuit. It is not unusual for plaintiffs to spend months or more working with their lawyers on gathering and preparing evidence.
Damages Available in Simpsonville Personal Injury Cases
Damages in personal injury cases are unique to each plaintiff. You might have exceptionally high medical bills, or maybe you lost a significant amount of property. Your injuries might have been extremely painful and come with long-term complications, or maybe they recovered quickly. Your lawyer can help you determine the extent of your damages so you get fair compensation.
Economic Damages
How much money did you lose because of the accident and your injuries? These losses should be included in your economic damages. Some common examples include medical bills from when you were treated by a doctor, property damage, and lost income if you could not go back to work for a while after the accident. Remember, these damages vary based on your circumstances, and an attorney can help you make sure all your damages are accounted for.
Remember to include smaller damages. You might not consider the cost of travel to get to medical treatments a major loss, but if you have to make numerous trips to distant hospitals to see specialists, travel costs can quickly add up. Keep all your receipts and records of costs.
Non-Economic Damages
Some damages are unrelated to money, but they still take an enormous toll on your mental and emotional well-being. These are known as non-economic damages, and they can be worth much compensation in many cases. For example, if your injuries were severe and painful, you might claim damages for the physical pain you endured. If the accident was especially traumatic, you might claim damages for psychological injuries. Maybe your injuries come with permanent complications, and you can no longer enjoy certain hobbies or be as active as you used to. In that case, you might claim damages for your reduced quality of life.
Speak to Our Personal Injury Attorneys in Simpsonville About Starting Your Case
Receive a confidential initial case evaluation for no charge from our personal injury lawyers in Simpsonville when you call Rice Law at (803) 219-4906.