Practice Areas
Greenville Personal Injury Attorneys
At Parham Smith & Archenhold LLC we are more than Greenville personal injury lawyers. We are skillful trial attorneys who bring a high degree of confidence and skill to the negotiation and settlement of personal injury matters for individuals across South Carolina.
We prepare for every case thoroughly, as though it could go to trial. If negotiations do not yield the favorable results that our clients need, then we are willing and able to take the matter to court.
Comprehensive Personal Injury Representation That Gets Results
We provide legal services in a wide range of personal injury cases, including those involving:
- Medical malpractice — We hold medical professionals and care facilities to the highest standards of patient safety regulations when they have fallen short in misdiagnosis, surgery malpractice, medication errors and birth injury cases.
- Nursing home injuries — Our team has recovered compensation for nursing home residents who suffered lasting injury from falls, medical negligence, abuse or failure to monitor, including bedsores, malnutrition and other neglect.
- Motor Vehicle Accidents — Prompt investigation of the crash scene and thorough documentation of your injuries can make all the difference in settlement negotiations or a trial in truck accidents, bus and train accidents.
- Dangerous products — We have had significant victories in product liability litigation, including auto defects, pharmaceuticals and medical devices.
- Premises liability — Parham Smith & Archenhold LLC has held property owners responsible for safety hazards that caused a slip-and-fall injury.
- Brain, spinal or catastrophic injury — If your loved one suffered brain damage, paralysis, severe burns, loss of limb or other permanent, life-changing injury, we work hard to ensure compensation that covers a lifetime of care and lost opportunities.
- Wrongful death — We represent families across South Carolina putting their lives back together after medical negligence or a careless act proves fatal, seeking compensation for projected earnings and the profound loss of that family member.
Remember that if you have been injured, the insurance company you are pursuing benefits from is going to compensate you at the very minimum level possible. These are business issues for insurance companies, rather than personal issues. To get the full level of compensation for your medical needs, your lost wages, your long-term income loss and your general loss of the enjoyment of life, get legal representation that will look out for your best interests.
Greenville SC, Personal Injury Frequently Asked Questions
If you have been injured in an accident, you probably have many questions about your case. Some of the most common questions we receive about personal injury claims include those below. If you have follow-up questions, our personal injury attorneys at Parham Smith & Archenhold LLC can address them.
Why Should I Hire A Personal Injury Attorney?
Many injured parties wonder why they should hire a personal injury attorney because they are not sure they can afford it. Personal injury attorneys work on a contingency fee basis, meaning they are not paid unless they obtain compensation for you in a claim or lawsuit. Injured parties do not typically need to pay upfront legal fees, so there are no out-of-pocket costs.
Second, personal injury attorneys are skilled, experienced negotiators and litigators. Their experience means you can usually get more compensation for your injuries than you could yourself. Even if the other party is clearly at fault, their insurance company rarely offers a fair settlement for your injuries and other losses. To get the most compensation for medical bills, pain and suffering, and lost earnings, you need a Parham Smith & Archenhold LLC personal injury attorney.
How Do I File A South Carolina Personal Injury Lawsuit?
Your attorney will initiate a personal injury lawsuit when you file and serve the complaint and summons to the defendant who allegedly injured you. After these legal documents are filed and served, the defendant has a certain time to respond. Then, the court will provide a scheduling order, which establishes the various steps and deadlines in the lawsuit process.
Most personal injury lawsuits in South Carolina are handed in the state trial courts, also called circuit courts. Circuit courts have general jurisdiction. This means they can handle all types of personal injury claims, such as car accidents, medical malpractice, wrongful death, and slip and fall incidents. There are no damages caps in South Carolina, so you can file a circuit court lawsuit whether you ask for $100 or $20 million in damages.
On What Basis Do I File A Personal Injury Lawsuit?
Most personal injury lawsuits in South Carolina are filed based on the legal theory of negligence. This states that someone is liable if they do not meet the standard of care. For instance, South Carolina drivers must exercise reasonable care not to harm others on the road. If the driver does not exercise reasonable care, they can be held liable for any resulting damages.
Other bases for filing a personal injury lawsuit in the state are:
-
Intentional wrong: If someone intentionally harmed you, the intentional act could be the basis of a lawsuit. The most common example is if someone assaults and injures you. You could receive compensation in a lawsuit for your injuries and related losses.
-
Strict liability: Some acts are so dangerous that the other party could be held liable without proving they were negligent. In this situation, you only need to prove that the other party committed the act.
How Long Do I Have To File A Personal Injury Claim In South Carolina?
If you think you have unlimited time to file a personal injury lawsuit in South Carolina, that is not the case. You generally have three years from the date of the injury to file your claim. Thus, retaining a qualified personal injury attorney and getting started on your case is imperative.