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Myrtle Beach Personal Injury Attorneys
Skilled representation for accident victims in South Carolina
After an accident, you may be facing overwhelming medical bills and other emotional and physical challenges. These obstacles can be compounded when the accident isn’t your fault. Whether a reckless driver, defective product, negligent doctor, or intentional action caused your accident, you should not be responsible for the resulting expenses and pain and suffering.
A Myrtle Beach personal injury attorney can be invaluable when you’re injured in an accident or incident through no fault of your own. At McGowan, Hood, Felder & Phillips, LLC, we understand personal injury cases and we want to help. Our team of attorneys has secured several hundred-million-dollar verdicts and settlements for our clients over the past 20 years. We fight tenaciously and aggressively for plaintiffs in personal injury cases, working to secure compensation when you suffer serious injury in South Carolina.
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What types of Myrtle Beach accident claims do you handle?
Our attorneys have the experience and resources to handle a wide variety of accident claims:
Vehicle accidents
Whether you’re driving on Route 17 or following North Kings Highway along the shoreline, a car or truck accident can happen at any time. We represent drivers, passengers, pedestrians, motorcyclists, and bicyclists when they are injured in an accident caused by someone else’s negligence, including:
- Car accidents. We handle all manner of Myrtle Beach car accidents, including head-on collisions, rear-end accidents, intersection crashes, Uber & Lyft accidents, single-vehicle accidents, and multi-vehicle accidents.
- Truck accidents. We also handle commercial truck accident claims, including rollovers, jackknives, cargo spills, underride accidents, and blind spot accidents. We fight for you if a semi-truck accident causes you harm.
- Motorcycle accidents. Because their vehicles offer little protection in the event of an accident, motorcyclists often suffer serious injury in a crash. Our firm represents motorcycle operators or passengers injured by negligent or distracted drivers.
- Pedestrian accidents. We also represent pedestrians injured in accidents when drivers fail to yield right of way, violate traffic laws, and otherwise cause collisions, whether at an intersection, road shoulder, or parking lot.
- Bicycle accidents. Our attorneys fight for bicycle riders injured by negligent drivers. This includes intersection accidents, right of way accidents, and a variety of other types of crashes caused by reckless driving.
Medical malpractice
Our Myrtle Beach attorneys also handle cases involving medical negligence. Medical malpractice refers to a situation in which a healthcare professional or healthcare facility, such as a doctor, nurse, surgeon, or hospital, fails to provide the standard of care that is expected in their profession, resulting in harm or injury to a patient. This harm can be physical, emotional, or financial in nature.
To establish a medical malpractice case, our attorneys work to prove the following elements:
- Duty. The healthcare provider owed a duty of care to you, the patient.
- Breach of duty. The healthcare provider failed to meet the standard of care expected in their profession.
- Causation. The breach of duty directly caused you harm or injury.
- Damages. You suffered physical, emotional, or financial harm as a result of the medical negligence.
It's essential to consult with an attorney experienced in medical malpractice cases if you believe you have been a victim of medical negligence. Examples of medical malpractice include misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosis, surgical errors, medication errors, anesthesia mistakes, and lack of follow-up care.
Birth injuries
Our experienced attorneys represent families in birth injury cases. A birth injury is an injury that occurs to a newborn baby or, in some cases, the mother during the process of childbirth. These injuries can happen for various reasons and may range in severity from minor and temporary to severe and long-lasting. Birth injuries can occur due to a variety of factors, including medical complications, the position of the baby during birth, and negligent medical intervention during labor and delivery.
Some of the birth injury cases we handle include brachial plexus injuries, cerebral palsy, broken bones and fractures, hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE), shoulder dystocia, and perinatal asphyxia.
It's important to note that not all birth injuries are due to medical malpractice or negligence. Some birth injuries occur despite the best efforts of medical professionals and cannot be prevented. However, in cases where a birth injury is the result of medical negligence, parents may pursue a medical malpractice claim to seek compensation for the harm caused to their child. We can help.
Sexual assault
If you have suffered harm due to a sexual assault, our attorneys are ready to help. Sexual assault is a broad term encompassing various non-consensual sexual activities or actions committed against an individual without their freely given and informed consent. It is a criminal offense and a serious violation of a person's autonomy and rights.
Sexual assault cases we handle include rape, sexual harassment, attempted sexual assault, groping, and other forms of sexual battery. Our attorneys can coordinate your civil case with the criminal case, working with authorities to ensure you are able to secure justice and compensation for the wrongs that have been done to you.
Other types of litigation
We also handle a variety of other types of litigation, including:
- Wrongful death claims. Handling wrongful death claims involves pursuing legal action on behalf of surviving family members to seek compensation for the death of a loved one resulting from the negligence or intentional actions of another party. Wrongful death damages aim to provide financial support and justice for the survivors.
- Product liability claims. Product liability claims involve pursuing legal action against manufacturers, distributors, or sellers of defective products, seeking compensation for injuries or damages caused by those products due to design flaws, manufacturing defects, or inadequate warnings.
- Premises liability claims. Premises liability claims involve seeking legal remedies when an individual is injured on someone else's property due to hazardous conditions or negligence by the property owner or occupier, holding them responsible for injuries and associated costs.
- Nursing home abuse and neglect. Nursing home abuse and neglect refer to the mistreatment, harm, or failure to provide adequate care and attention to elderly or vulnerable residents in long-term care facilities, requiring legal action to protect the well-being and rights of these individuals.
- Dangerous medical devices. Dangerous medical devices are products intended for medical use that pose significant risks to patient safety due to design flaws, manufacturing defects, or inadequate warnings, often leading to product liability claims.
- Construction accidents. Construction accidents involve on-site incidents resulting in injury or death, typically due to unsafe working conditions, equipment malfunctions, or human error. Our legal process includes seeking compensation and improved safety standards in the construction industry.
Look to us for legal assistance when you or a loved one suffer severe injuries, including:
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Burns
- Limb loss and traumatic amputation
- Head and neck injuries
- Soft tissue injuries
- Broken and fractured bones
- Internal organ damage
- Scarring and disfigurement
We also handle injuries to children. Our attorneys will get to work proving accountability and negligence, demanding compensation from all parties liable for your or your loved one’s accident.
How do you work to prove my case?
Proving a personal injury case involves a comprehensive approach designed to establish liability and demonstrate the extent of damages suffered by you as the injured party. Here's a more detailed explanation of how this process typically works:
Initial consultation and case assessment. Proving a personal injury case often begins with an initial consultation with an experienced personal injury attorney. During this consultation, you'll discuss the details of your accident, injuries, and any potential negligence on the part of another party. The attorney will assess the viability of your case based on the information you provide.
Evidence gathering. Once you decide to proceed, your attorney will start gathering evidence to support your claim. This may involve obtaining accident reports, medical records, photographs of the accident scene, witness statements, and any other documentation relevant to your case.
Medical evaluation. Proving the extent and cause of your injuries is one of the most important parts of your case. You'll likely undergo medical examinations and consultations with healthcare professionals who can provide expert opinions on the nature and long-term impact of your injuries.
Expert witnesses. In many personal injury cases, expert witnesses play a vital role. We work with medical experts, accident reconstruction specialists, or other professionals who can provide expert testimony to support your claims.
Establishing negligence. To prove your case, we must establish that the defendant (the person or party you're suing) was negligent. This involves demonstrating that the defendant owed you a duty of care, breached that duty through their actions or negligence, and that this breach directly led to your injuries.
Causation. Establishing a clear link between the defendant's negligence and your injuries is essential. Your attorney will present evidence to show that your injuries resulted directly from the accident or incident.
Damages assessment. To recover compensation, you must demonstrate the extent of your damages. Our attorneys include medical expenses, lost income, property damage, pain and suffering, and any other losses related to the injury.
Witness testimony. Eyewitnesses and your own personal account of the accident and its aftermath can be crucial in establishing the facts of the case. Your attorney will work to gather statements from these individuals to support your claims.
Documentation. We also collect and compile all relevant documents, such as medical bills, pay stubs, repair estimates, and other financial records, to demonstrate the financial impact of your injuries.
Negotiation or trial. Finally, we negotiate with the defendant's legal team or insurance company to reach a fair settlement. If an agreement cannot be reached, your case may proceed to trial, where we present your evidence and arguments before a judge or jury.
How much is my personal injury claim worth in Myrtle Beach?
The compensation to which you are entitled after an accident that wasn’t your fault will vary according to the circumstances of the accident, the extent of your injuries, and other factors. Typically, however, we will take the following into consideration:
- Your medical expenses; current, past, and future
- Lost wages; including lost earning capacity
- Pain and suffering; for your physical pain and mental anguish
- Extent of your injuries; for example, will you need care for the rest of your life? The more severe your injuries, the greater the compensation.
It is important to have an experienced Myrtle Beach attorney on your side to ensure the best possible outcome. We are happy to review your case in a free consultation.
How much time do I have to file a personal injury claim in South Carolina?
The statute of limitations for filing a personal injury claim in South Carolina is three years. This means that you have three years from the date of the injury to file a lawsuit. If you fail to file your lawsuit within this time, you may lose your right to seek compensation for your injuries.
However, there can be exceptions to this law, which is why it is so important to consult with a skilled personal injury attorney as soon as possible after the accident or incident.
Do you have a personal injury lawyer near me?
McGowan, Hood, Felder & Phillips, LLC
508-B Hwy. 17 Business S.
Surfside Beach, SC 29575
Phone: 843-833-8082
Phones answered 24/7
Experienced personal injury attorneys serving Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
If you or someone you love were injured in an accident, talk to the personal injury attorneys today at McGowan, Hood, Felder & Phillips, LLC. Your rights matter, and we're here to fight for you. Get in touch with us and take the first step towards the justice you deserve. Call our offices at 803-327-7800 or simply fill out our contact form to schedule a free consultation.