Columbia Personal Injury Lawyer

Columbia Personal Injury Attorney

If you or a family member recently sustained injuries due to the actions of another party in the Columbia area, this could form the foundation of a personal injury claim. This type of civil case seeks compensation for damages from the party responsible for causing those damages. Every year, personal injuries happen in a variety of ways. Most of these cases arise from acts of negligence, or failure to use reasonable care, but some result from intentional and illegal misconduct.

Helping Personal Injury Victims Recover in Columbia, SC

No matter how your recent injury occurred, if you believe another party is responsible, you have the right to seek accountability and compensation for the damages they caused with a personal injury claim. An experienced Columbia personal injury attorney is an invaluable asset in this situation, and they can act as your legal advocate through all stages of your recovery efforts until you recover the compensation you rightfully deserve.

The attorneys at Axelrod & Associates, P.A., have years of professional experience in personal injury law that we are ready to place at your disposal to help you recover from your recent injury. We can help gather the evidence you will need to prove fault and establish the full range of the damages you suffered. Our goal in every case we accept in Columbia is maximum client recovery in the most efficient manner possible. The sooner you reach out to our firm, the sooner we can begin working on your case.

Types of Personal Injury Claims We Handle in Columbia

When you are searching for a legal representative to assist you with your personal injury claim in Columbia, it’s vital to find an attorney who has a proven record of success handling cases like yours. At Axelrod & Associates, P.A., our team routinely provides comprehensive legal representation in a wide range of personal injury cases, including:

• Motor vehicle accident cases. Vehicle crashes are a leading cause of personal injuries throughout the United States each year. Recovering from a car, truck, or motorcycle accident will typically begin with filing a claim against the at-fault driver’s auto insurance policy. If they do not have insurance or if your damages exceed the extent of their coverage, a personal injury suit can enable you to recover the rest.
• Slip and fall claims. If you suffered a personal injury from a slip and fall accident on someone else’s property, you may have grounds for a personal injury suit under South Carolina’s premises liability laws. Property owners are required to maintain reasonably safe premises and address foreseeable safety issues as soon as they notice them, and failure to do so can lead to liability for a slip and fall.
• Medical malpractice. This is a unique type of personal injury claim that pertains to harm done by a medical professional. While still a form of personal injury case, a medical malpractice claim is subject to unique statutes that will require the attention of a seasoned Columbia personal injury attorney.
• Catastrophic injury claims. While many personal injury victims eventually recover, some are not so fortunate and suffer extreme permanent harm from the actions of others. Spinal injuries and traumatic brain injuries are common examples of catastrophic injuries that often lead to permanent disability, extensive economic harm, and severe physical and psychological suffering.

Whatever type of personal injury you experienced, it is crucial that you have a legal representative you can trust to guide you through your case proceedings. The right attorney can not only make it easier for you to gather the evidence you may need to prove liability, but they may also uncover avenues of compensation that you did not know were available to you, enhancing your recovery beyond what you may have believed to be feasible at first.

Success with your personal injury claim in Columbia hinges on your ability to prove fault for your damages. The plaintiff must clearly identify the defendant or defendants responsible for causing their damages and then show the full extent of those damages. Most personal injury claims filed in Columbia each year pertain to acts of negligence, meaning a defendant held a duty of care they breached in some way and consequently caused the plaintiff’s damages. It is also possible for a defendant to have caused a personal injury by breaking the law, in which case they face criminal prosecution in addition to their civil liability. Your Columbia personal injury attorney can explain how any such variables in your case may influence your final case award.

Claimable Damages in Your Columbia Personal Injury Case

The main goal of your personal injury claim is to recover compensation for the damages the defendant caused. The average personal injury plaintiff in Columbia will have grounds to claim compensation for their economic damages, which include any direct financial losses the defendant inflicted, as well as non-economic damages. Economic damages are more straightforward and typically proven with the right documentation. Your Columbia personal injury attorney can potentially help you recover compensation for:

• Property damage. If the defendant caused any harm to your personal property, all associated repair or replacement costs can be cited as economic damages in your personal injury claim. Depending on the type of personal injury you experienced, insurance could offer some compensation, such as after a vehicle accident, but any remainder can be included in your personal injury case as economic damages.
• Medical expenses. Most personal injury claims filed pertain to physical injuries. The defendant who injured you is liable for the cost of all medical care you will need to recover as fully as possible. Your attorney can help secure compensation not only for immediate medical expenses following your injury but also for future medical treatment costs if you require ongoing care.
• Lost income. If you are left unable to work and earn an income because of the defendant’s negligence or misconduct, you have the right to seek compensation for the income you are unable to earn during this time. This applies to lost future income as well if you have been permanently disabled by your personal injury and will not be able to return to work in the future. Your Columbia personal injury attorney can help calculate how much income you would have reasonably been able to earn in the future if the defendant had not injured you.

With the right attorney handling your case, you might discover that you can claim much more compensation for your economic damages than you may have initially realized. However, your personal injury case can also yield compensation for the pain and suffering you experienced. Calculating these non-economic damages can seem impossible to some, as it is difficult for the average person to assign a monetary value to something intangible, like physical pain or psychological trauma.

Your Columbia personal injury attorney can help determine a fair amount of pain and suffering compensation to include with your personal injury claim based on the overall severity of the damages you suffered and the extent of long-term effects your injury is likely to cause. A plaintiff who has been left permanently disabled by a defendant’s actions is likely to recover far more pain and suffering compensation than a plaintiff expected to make a full recovery in the near future. South Carolina law does not limit how much a plaintiff can claim in pain and suffering compensation, but the amount sought should reasonably reflect the severity of their condition after the defendant’s actions.

What to Expect From Your Columbia Personal Injury Attorney

When you choose the team at Axelrod & Associates, P.A., to represent you in your personal injury case, you will have compassionate and responsive legal advocates ready to address your concerns and answer your questions throughout all stages of your case. Our firm takes time to learn as much as we can about each client we represent, helping them make clearer sense of their situation and understanding the breadth of the proceedings ahead of them as they seek compensation for their losses.

Most of the personal injury cases filed in Columbia each year end in settlement negotiations. When a defendant’s fault is clear, it behooves them to seek a swift settlement and avoid the stress and expense of litigation. However, this is not always an option. Whatever your case entails, you can trust Axelrod & Associates, P.A., to provide comprehensive support through every stage of the claim and help you reach optimal results as efficiently as possible. We’ll seek to settle your personal injury case swiftly if we can, but we are fully prepared to represent you in litigation if necessary.

FAQs About Columbia, SC Personal Injury Laws

How Long Do I Have to File a Personal Injury Claim in Columbia?

If you plan to file a personal injury claim, you must meet the statute of limitations or time limit for filing this case. Under state law, a plaintiff has three years from the date an injury occurred in which to file their personal injury suit with the court. Failure to file the case within this time limit will likely mean losing the ability to claim compensation from the defendant.

Can You Sue for Pain and Suffering?

Yes, South Carolina allows a personal injury plaintiff to claim pain and suffering compensation from a defendant. Additionally, there is no limit to how much the plaintiff may claim, with the exception of medical malpractice cases. As long as your personal injury suit does not fall within the extent of medical malpractice law, you have the right to claim as much as you deem reasonable to reflect the severity of your experience and the extent of long-term or permanent effects you face from the defendant’s actions.

How Much Is My Personal Injury Claim Worth?

The total value of your personal injury case depends on the extent of the damages you suffered from the defendant’s actions. State law enables you to seek full repayment of all financial losses caused by the defendant’s negligence or misconduct, along with as much pain and suffering compensation as you deem appropriate. Your Columbia personal injury attorney can offer an estimate of your case’s total potential value.

Why Do I Need to Hire a Personal Injury Attorney?

Technically, it is possible for you to pursue your personal injury claim on your own; state law does not require you to hire an attorney to represent you in your case. However, this would be incredibly difficult, even if you think your case is straightforward. Working with an attorney who has a strong record of successful cases behind them will allow you to approach your case with peace of mind and confidence that your recovery is in capable hands, and they will be likely to secure far more compensation than you could have managed on your own.

How Much Will It Cost for Me to Hire a Columbia Personal Injury Attorney?

It’s natural to worry about the potential cost of hiring an attorney, but this is no cause for concern when you choose Axelrod & Associates, P.A., to represent your case. We take personal injury clients on a contingency fee basis, meaning you will only owe our firm a fee if and when we win your case, and your fee will be a percentage of the total we recover from the defendant. There is no risk of paying more in attorneys’ fees than you win in compensation for your damages, and there is no fee at all if your attorney is unable to secure compensation for you.

The right legal team can have a tremendous positive impact on the outcome of any personal injury case. The team at Axelrod & Associates, P.A., has years of professional experience with a wide range of cases, and we are ready to put this experience to work for you in your personal injury claim. Contact us today to schedule a consultation with a Columbia personal injury attorney and learn how our firm can assist you with your recovery efforts.