Sumter Personal Injury Lawyer

A personal injury case comes about when a claim is made that an injury is a result from the negligence of a person, company, government agency, or any entity. At Deas Law Firm, our Sumter personal injury lawyer is experienced with the many different types of cases that can fall under personal injury cases.

Types of Cases in Personal Injury Law

A personal injury case can involve a variety of causes and circumstances, including:

Car Accidents

Some of the most common cases in personal injury law are from car accidents. These occur due to another driver’s negligence, such as being distracted while driving, using drugs or alcohol, or speeding. Victims of these accidents can suffer significant physical and emotional trauma, such as minor injuries that are treated within a few days to long-term disabilities.

Medical Malpractice

When a patient at a healthcare facility is harmed due to the negligence or error of a medical professional, it can be considered medical malpractice. This can include:

• Misdiagnosis
• Delayed diagnosis
• Treating for the wrong condition
• Error during surgery
• Administering the wrong medication

Workplace Accidents

Workplace accidents cover any type of injury or illness that happens when an individual is carrying out their job duties. These types of accidents at work are common, especially in high-risk industries like construction, which is why the government in South Carolina requires almost all employers to offer workers’ compensation insurance. Workers’ compensation exists to fund unexpected expenses that were caused by a workplace injury, such as medical bills, lost wages, and even long-term disability support.

Slip and Fall Cases

One of the most common premises liability claims is for slips and falls. These happen when an individual becomes injured due to an unsafe condition on someone else’s property, like slipping on wet floors, tripping on uneven surfaces, or even falling due to poor lighting. Property owners have a legal duty to keep their premises safe, and they are vulnerable to these types of claims if they neglect to uphold that responsibility.

Product Liability

If you have been injured from a defective or dangerous product that did not operate the way it was intended, you could hold the manufacturer accountable through a product liability claim. This can include anything from faulty appliances to unsafe pharmaceuticals. A product liability case is especially compelling if there is evidence that the manufacturer did not provide enough warning labels or explanations to keep their consumers safe from harm.

Defamation

A defamation case under personal injury law occurs when someone’s reputation has been tarnished due to someone else’s inaccurate public statements. This could be through written statements on social media or something they have said verbally in public. A personal injury attorney can link these false statements to their client’s reputational damage through evidence such as screenshots, witness testimony, and articles from media publications that restated the falsehoods and spread them on a mass scale.

Assault and Battery

Unlike other cases under personal injury law, which focus on someone’s neglect, assault and battery cases involve someone’s intentional actions. These cases can range from someone making threats of violence to actual physical attacks. In addition to a victim receiving compensation for their injuries, these cases can also take a while to complete due to their accompanying criminal proceedings, which will also ensue to hold the alleged perpetrator accountable.

Animal Bites

Personal injury cases under the category of “animal bites” are most commonly scenarios where someone else’s dog bites another person. Victims of these cases often worry about recovering from their injuries and contracting any diseases from the animal, as sometimes dogs lash out in this way when they are suffering from a health condition like rabies.

Wrongful Death

Wrongful death cases are advanced by the family of the deceased who passed away due to someone else’s negligence or misconduct. These types of cases help seek compensation for the surviving family members to cover the expenses that stem from their loss, such as lost wages and the price of having a funeral. These can be some of the most emotionally tolling personal injury cases, as the families are required to navigate the legalities with an attorney while still in the process of grieving.

FAQs

Q: What Should I Do If I’m Involved in a Car Accident in Sumter?

A: If you are involved in a car accident, your first priority should be to seek safety and medical attention. You also want to make sure that someone has documented the scene of the accident and collected all contact information from everyone else involved, including witnesses who may not have been in either car.

After that, contact a personal injury law firm to help guide you through each step of the claim-filing process, including:

• Establish who was at fault.
• Negotiate with insurance companies to maximize compensation.
• Ensure that whoever was at fault for the accident is held accountable.

Q: How Is Liability Determined in Personal Injury Cases?

A: Any evidence that can point to an individual’s negligence or intention to cause harm to another party will go far in providing liability in a personal injury case. To do this successfully, a client and their personal injury attorney must show how the party at fault owed a duty of care that they breached, leading to the incident. Having an experienced injury lawyer collect evidence legally, such as accident reports and medical records, can help establish clear liability and strengthen the overall case.

Q: What Type of Compensation Could I Expect After Winning a Personal Injury Case?

A: Compensation in personal injury cases, often referred to as damages, can include medical expenses, lost wages, and even pain and suffering if the incident was proven to be emotionally distressing. The exact amount that will be awarded will largely depend on how severe the injury was and the impact that it had on your life. To ensure that no one tries to take advantage of your rights and minimize your final compensation package, a personal injury lawyer should supervise the entire process.

Q: Are Personal Injury Lawyers Expensive?

A: The most expensive personal injury legal battles are typically the most complex. For example, cases like medical malpractice or product liability could require a great deal of research and expert testimony to find who is the most responsible for the injury. While some personal injury lawyers work hourly, many work on a contingency basis as well. This means that they only get paid if the case is won. That gives individuals who may struggle to pay upfront the ability to afford legal representation and still have access to justice.

Contact Deas Law Firm Today

At Deas Law Firm, we work tirelessly for you to make sure you are fairly compensated on your personal injury case. From slip and fall cases or even catastrophic injury cases, Deas Law Firm is ready to fight for you and your rights. Call us today to discuss your personal injury case.

Contact Deas Law Firm Today

At Deas Law Firm, we work tirelessly for you to make sure you are fairly compensated on your personal injury case. From slip and fall cases or even catastrophic injury cases, Deas Law Firm is ready to fight for you and your rights. Call us today or fill out the online form to discuss your personal injury case.