Why Choose Stewart Law Offices?
Your South Carolina personal injury lawyer can make a difference in the outcome of your personal injury case. You want a law firm with not only the knowledge and experience to build a strong case but also the tenacity to fight for your rights and the compassion to support you during this difficult time in your life.
Here are a few reasons why you should consider the team at Stewart Law Offices:
24/7 Availability
We strive to make ourselves as available as possible to our clients. That means we take phone calls 24/7, and we can personally visit you at home or in the hospital if you’re unable to come to us. We’ll send a qualified attorney, not a staff member, to discuss your case and communicate with you regularly throughout the claim process.
Compassionate, Tenacious Representation
We treat all our clients with the compassion and respect they deserve and all personal injury claims with the focus they demand. Insurance companies will fight hard to weaken your claim and minimize your payout. Your personal injury attorney in South Carolina will take the fight to them and advocate aggressively for a fair settlement on your behalf. If the insurer still refuses to make a fair offer, we can take your claim to court and fight vigorously for a favorable verdict.
A Track Record of Substantial Victories
Our results speak for themselves. Some of our most significant recoveries include*:
- $9.8 million in a drunk driving car accident
- $3.8 million in a wrongful death case
- $3.5 million in a tractor trailer accident
- $3.4 million in a medical malpractice case
- $3.0 million in a semi truck wreck
We take on a wide range of personal injury cases and fight for maximum compensation on our clients’ behalf.
No Fees Unless We Win
We operate on a contingency fee basis, which means that you pay no attorney fees unless we win your case.** This not only alleviates any financial concerns you may have about seeking legal representation, but also demonstrates that we’re incentivized to seek maximum compensation.
Understanding the Personal Injury Claim Process
Taking legal action against the party responsible for your injuries may seem intimidating, but it is necessary to get just compensation for your losses. One of our main priorities is relieving you of the stress you are no doubt experiencing after an accident. To that end, we work to handle the majority of the legal process so that you can focus on your recovery. Our South Carolina personal injury lawyers will provide regular updates as your claim progresses, and we are available to answer questions 24/7.
A typical personal injury claim will involve the following steps:
- Getting medical treatment. After suffering injuries in an accident, you should promptly seek medical attention. This is the right thing to do for both your health and your case. If you do not seek medical attention, the insurance adjuster and the jury may think your injuries are not as severe as you say.
- Contacting legal representation and gathering information. You need a lawyer when you are injured. When you reach out to Stewart Law Offices, the first thing we will do is interview you, either at one of our five offices, at your home, or in the hospital. We want to know everything about the accident, your injuries, your medical treatment, who may be at fault, and any other relevant facts. Next, our attorneys will investigate the case, which will include obtaining all pertinent medical records and bills related to your injuries. This can take several months.
- Making a demand and beginning negotiations. Some personal injury claims are settled before a lawsuit is filed. Our goal is to get you the money you need as swiftly as possible, so if we think your case can be settled out of court, we will make a demand to the other side’s legal representation or insurance company. We will generally not make a demand until you have reached a point of maximum medical improvement (MMI). This is when you have ended all medical treatment and are as “recovered” as possible. We do this to help ensure you receive maximum compensation.
- A lawsuit is filed. If settlement talks stall or it becomes clear the other side will not accept a fair resolution, the case moves into the litigation phase. We will formally file a personal injury lawsuit against the negligent party.
- The discovery phase. During this stage of the lawsuit, each side will ask the other for information and prepare for trial.
- Mediation and further negotiations. When both sides have the information they want, they will generally meet to discuss a possible settlement. A settlement may be possible through informal conversations between lawyers, but in many cases, the legal representatives will turn to mediation, a process in which both clients and their attorneys get help from a neutral third-party arbiter to try and resolve the case.
- Trial. Mediation often works, but when it does not, the case will be scheduled for trial. Depending on the complexity of the situation, a personal injury trial can last a day, a week, or longer.
How Our Dedicated Personal Injury Attorneys Will Fight For You
When you are injured due to someone else’s recklessness or negligence, it is in your best interest to seek the help of a qualified South Carolina personal injury lawyer. Our legal team in South Carolina includes Stephen Suggs, a licensed attorney and member of the South Carolina Bar, who brings more than 16 years of experience representing injured individuals across the state.
A knowledgeable and experienced attorney like him can provide invaluable assistance throughout the entire process of filing a personal injury claim, from conducting an investigation into the cause of the accident to representing you at trial if necessary. With their legal expertise and understanding of how insurance companies operate, they can ensure that your rights are protected and that you receive full compensation for your losses.
In addition to providing knowledgeable advice and guidance, our legal team will:
- Thoroughly investigate the circumstances of the accident and identify all potentially responsible parties
- Collect evidence to show how you were impacted by the injuries caused by the accident
- Obtain medical records and bills related to your injuries
- Calculate economic and non-economic damages, such as pain and suffering, that resulted from your injury
- File a formal personal injury lawsuit against negligent parties if necessary
- Negotiate with insurance companies for fair compensation on behalf of their clients
- Represent clients in court in order to maximize potential damages awarded
- Educate clients about their legal rights so they can make informed decisions about settling or litigating their case
- Investigate whether any third party may be liable for your loss due to liability issues or product defects
- Provide compassionate support throughout the entire duration of the claims process
Recovering Compensation Through a South Carolina Personal Injury Claim
A personal injury claim is designed to do more than hold the negligent or responsible party accountable for their actions. It is also meant to make you “financially whole.” Put simply, this means you are entitled under the law to compensation that would restore you to the position you were in before the accident. While no amount of money can make up for all of the intangible damages that can come with serious injuries, you can secure damages that are roughly equivalent to those losses.
Special Compensatory Damages
Economic damages you may be entitled to include:
- Past, current, and future medical expenses
- Lost income and earning capacity
- Property damage
General Compensatory Damages
Non-economic damages you may be entitled to include:
- Physical pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Loss of consortium
Essential Documents to Keep After an Accident To Protect Your Claim
Having the right documentation can make all the difference when it comes to getting you fair compensation. It is not possible to document too much in the aftermath of an accident: The more evidence you have, the better.
Make every effort to retain the following documents after an injury-causing accident:
- Insurance information
- Law enforcement reports
- Photos of the scene
- Bills
- Incident reports
- Any statements you have
- Notebooks chronicling what happened and/or treatment journals
Deadlines For Filing a South Carolina Personal Injury Claim
You should not wait to get legal guidance after suffering injuries in an accident. Time limits apply in these cases, meaning you only have a limited amount of time to start the legal process. If you wait too long, you will be barred from recovering any compensation, even if you have a strong case.
In South Carolina, you will generally have three years from the date of an accident to file a personal injury claim for many types of cases, including those involving vehicular collisions and premises liability. In some cases, you may not discover you were injured until after the initial three-year window has expired. For example, in a medical malpractice case, you may not discover you were harmed by a negligent doctor until months or years after the substandard care was administered. In these instances, South Carolina’s discovery rule typically allows you three years from the day you discovered (or reasonably should have discovered) your injuries.
Workers’ compensation claims work differently. You may be denied benefits if you do not report the injury to your employer within 90 days of sustaining it. Then, you will only have two years from the date of injury to file a workers’ compensation claim.
We want to help you get the compensation you deserve and encourage you to schedule your free initial consultation by calling
(866) STEWART or
contacting us online today.
Take the First Step by Calling Our South Personal Injury Lawyers Now
If you or a loved one has been injured in an accident, don’t wait to explore your legal options. Brent Stewart, attorney at Stewart Law Offices, and his team of dedicated professionals are here to help. As trusted injury lawyers in your area, we treat every client like family and work tirelessly to achieve the best possible outcome.
Let us guide you through the legal process and fight for the justice and compensation you deserve.
With four locations in South Carolina, including Beaufort, Columbia, Rock Hill, and Spartanburg; we are conveniently located for in-person visits or house calls depending on your needs.
You do not pay anything unless we win*, so there is no risk or obligation when you call to discuss your case with us. Call 866-783-9278 or contact us online to schedule a free initial consultation today. Se habla español. Get started on your personal injury claim today!
Founded by Brent Stewart, a licensed South Carolina Bar attorney with more than 3 decades of experience, our firm has been a trusted advocate for injury victims in York County, Greenville County, Aiken County, Richland County, the Lowcountry, and throughout South Carolina. We understand what you are going through and will treat you with the respect and compassion you deserve.
