Every year, there are millions of cases involving accidents or incidents that cause injuries, financial losses, and trauma-related conditions. A South Carolina personal injury attorney can assist if you have suffered distress, adverse medical outcomes, or costs related to something that happened that was not your fault.
If you are unsure when to call a personal injury lawyer, our recommendation is to get in touch as soon as possible because compensation claims may rely on testimonials, documentation, and other evidence of the injuries or losses that arose from carelessness or negligence. Evidence is often more accurate if collected soon after the incident occurred.
What Does a Personal Injury Lawyer Do?
Our role at Strom Law is to represent your interests, objectives, and wishes, while upholding your legal right to compensation for costs incurred, which may include:
- Fees linked to medical care and treatments
- Ongoing costs of managing pain and symptoms
- Lost income or reduction in the ability to work
- Emotional distress and impacts on your career
- Changes to your quality of life or disabilities
Damages can also include other impacts, where an act of negligence has affected property, vehicles, or other assets.
Selecting a Personal Injury Lawyer
The focus when choosing a personal injury lawyer should be on the experience of the law firm and legal team, and if they have knowledge of the specific type of case you wish to pursue. Lawyers specialize in varied legal areas, so an attorney concentrating on family or estate law may not be best for supporting a personal injury case.
It is important to work with a legal representative with a strong background in personal injury cases to ensure they have a thorough grasp of the law and can recommend the right strategy to secure the outcome you want to achieve.
Personal injury cases can cover a broad range of scenarios, including:
- Car crashes
- Slips and falls
- Incidents at work
- Care home accidents
If your personal injury claim relates to a specialized field such as medical malpractice claims or defective products, it is worth speaking with lawyers with in-depth knowledge of this area.
Verifying Lawyer Licensing and Accreditations
Any South Carolina law firm you choose to hire should be admitted to practice law in the state and have a current and valid record with the state bar association. State bars provide search tools and information to help people in need of legal advice or representation.
Once you have short-listed your preferred personal injury lawyers, you will often be invited for a complimentary consultation to discuss your case and objectives.
This meeting or phone call is an opportunity to speak to a lawyer, get an initial perspective on their opinion, and discover whether you have good rapport.
Following an initial dialogue, you can ascertain whether you feel the lawyer and legal team are the right fit by considering the following:
- Your ability to communicate, explain the circumstances, and receive replies
- The way the lawyer listened, responded and asked you for information
- How comfortable and confident you feel about responding to queries
- The time taken and whether you felt rushed to conclude the consultation
We believe that a positive relationship with your selected personal injury lawyer can be instrumental in pursuing a successful outcome.
Preparing for a Consultation With a Personal Injury Lawyer
The more details and context you can provide your lawyer, the more meaningful their advice and guidance will be. If you have questions and concerns, compiling a list prior to a consultation is a good idea to ensure you cover all the relevant points.
Writing down and asking questions about your case, the lawyer’s experience, the potential outcomes, and the resources available can provide insights into how a case might proceed and its likely outcome.
When you have arranged a convenient time for your consultation, it’s wise to bring all the documentation and records available with you to ensure you receive the full benefit of the meeting. Documents may include medical records, accident reports, insurance claims, and anything else pertinent to your personal injury case.
A skilled lawyer will be able to discuss fee structures, anticipated costs, timescales, and how they believe your case will likely proceed to give you sufficient advice to make informed decisions.
Final Thoughts
We recommend that you look into whether you will have a designated point of contact at the law firm. This should be a lawyer who knows all the details of your case to make the claim process streamlined, stress-free and efficient.
