Personal Injury Attorneys in South Carolina

Our South Carolina personal injury attorneys at Joye Law Firm understand the stress and suffering a severe personal injury can cause. We have nearly 300 years of combined experience helping victims of life-altering accidents in South Carolina.

We know that physical pain is just one of the outcomes of a serious accident. We are committed to obtaining compensation to help you cope with the financial and emotional consequences as well, both in the present and in the unpredictable future.

Even the most cautious person can fall victim to an accident that comes without warning. One moment you’re fine and going about your daily routine. In an instant, someone else’s carelessness or negligence changes everything forever.

You’re in pain and concerned about your family and job. You may even be clinging to life. What’s going to happen? How will you pay for your medical treatment and what if you can never function independently again? What steps to take? Should you consider Arbitration for your personal injury case? And so many other concerns may arise.

The First Four Things You Should Do After Suffering a Serious Injury in South Carolina

Unfortunately, many injury victims are unable to recover the full compensation that they deserve. This happens because mistakes are made immediately following the accident. By taking the proper steps immediately after suffering an injury, you will go a long way towards protecting your rights.

If you have been seriously injured in a South Carolina accident, please consider the following list of the four things that you need to do as soon as possible:

1. Seek medical attention: There is nothing that should come before your health. After suffering any type of injury, you should get yourself a comprehensive medical evaluation. Often, your injuries will be far more serious than you realize. Injuries like head trauma and back damage are difficult to diagnose and often come with a delayed onset. You need to protect your health. Further, it is also important to get medical attention from a legal perspective. In the event that you choose to take legal action in relation to your injuries, you will need official medical documentation. Without the documentation that you will receive during your medical exams, it will be very difficult to prove the full extent of your injuries.
2. Report your injury: You must also report your injury to all appropriate authorities. Who needs to know about your injury will depend on the specific circumstances of your case. For example, if you were injured in a Charleston car accident, you will need to report your accident to the local highway authorities and to any implicated insurance companies. Alternatively, if you were injured on the job in Columbia, you will need to report your injury to your supervisor and to the South Carolina Workers’ Compensation Commission. Regardless of where and how it occurred, you need to report your injury. This will establish a valid record that it happened and that you fulfilled your legal duties.
3. Secure evidence: Successful personal injury claims require evidence. After suffering an injury, you need to take proactive steps to preserve any evidence that you can get your hands on. Unfortunately, many types of evidence will quickly begin to disappear. If you fail to secure evidence soon after your accident, you may miss out on your opportunity to do so. For example, if you do not obtain a witness statement immediately after your accident, you may lose track of that witness. Alternatively, their statement may be perceived as less reliable.
4. Contact an attorney: Ultimately, the most important thing you can do after a serious accident is to consult with a South Carolina personal injury attorney. Your attorney can make sure that you do everything the right way so that your legal rights are protected. As one example, your personal injury attorney will ensure that you can gather and secure all forms of evidence that are relevant to your claim.