Moving personal injury law forward.

At Burnette Shutt & McDaniel, we understand that filing a personal injury lawsuit isn’t just about recovering the money. It’s also about recovering your life after a serious accident.  Whether you were injured on the highways or at a business, at work or at a doctor’s office, we will work to get you back on track.

There are number of reasons people file personal injury suits.

Personal injury suits include accidents involving cars, trucks, motorcycles or boats. Sometimes a defective product can cause an accident. Unsafe businesses or workplaces often cause injuries. So does medical malpractice.

In a day when bills for even a simple broken bone can add up to thousands of dollars, medical expenses are a big reason people sue. If the injury is serious enough to require extensive time off work, the financial impact is magnified. There’s also an emotional toll with many injuries, including pain and suffering.

It’s a complicated area of the law. Often, more than one party can be held responsible for the injury. Multiple insurance companies can become involved. Disputes arise as to who was at fault. In South Carolina, where juries can find that the injured person was partly at fault, this is a crucial point.

There also are deadlines, known as statutes of limitations, for filing lawsuits. In general, it’s three years from the date of the injury. In medical malpractice, though, that clock starts when the injury is discovered. Sometimes special situations can extend the time frame, though doing so requires following strict legal procedure.

That’s why it’s important to contact an experienced lawyer as soon as possible if you’re injured.  At Burnette Shutt & McDaniel, we understand that it’s crucial to begin finding evidence and tracking witnesses. The sooner work begins, the better your chances are of getting back on your feet financially and physically.

The emotional, financial and physical stress of an injury make it tempting to try to go it alone. An insurance company calls, makes what sounds like a reasonable offer, and an accident victim agrees. That’s often a mistake. Insurance companies have lawyers who do this every day for a living. You need to have one on your side, too.