Murrells Inlet is a historic fishing village about 10 miles south of Myrtle Beach in South Carolina. The census-designated place is split between Georgetown County and Horry County and boasts many events and attractions that bring in scores of visitors.
The Marsh Walk in Murrells Inlet is a half-mile wooden boardwalk along a natural saltwater estuary, the Jetty View Walk is a boardwalk providing views of marsh and wildlife, and Huntington Beach State Park provides both the Sandpiper Pond Nature Trail and Kerrigan Nature Trail. While there are many sights to behold in Murrells Inlet, the region has also been home to many accidents.
If you or a loved one suffered severe injuries in an accident caused by another party’s negligence in the greater Murrells Inlet area, you are going to want to be sure to secure legal counsel right away. Make sure that you contact Evans Moore, LLC as soon as possible.
Our firm has secured more than $100 million in verdicts and settlements for our clients. We can review your case and discuss your rights when you call (843) 995-5000 or contact us online to take advantage of a free, no-obligation consultation.
Do I Need a Murrells Inlet Personal Injury Lawyer?
The chances are strong that soon after whatever accident you were involved in, a representative from the insurance company for the negligent party will contact you. In these initial phone calls, the agent will usually be quite friendly and may promise to take care of you and say that you won’t need to hire an attorney.
These statements are designed to create a false sense of security, as the insurance company will be actively looking for any reason whatsoever to completely deny any injury claim you might file. One of the easiest ways to do this is to use a victim’s own words against them, which is precisely why you should never agree to provide a recorded statement to a claims adjuster.
You will want a lawyer to be on your side because the insurance company may likely argue that you were the party at fault for your accident and you do not deserve any compensation because of your own negligence. An attorney will be able to investigate and secure crucial evidence that can prove another party was at fault for your injuries.
It is even more critical to have a lawyer if an insurance company offers you a lump sum settlement because you are more than likely being offered an amount that is well below what you are entitled to. An attorney is going to know what your case is worth and will be able to work toward recovering that amount.
Why Choose Evans Moore, LLC To Handle My Case?
Evans Moore, LLC serves residents of and visitors to Murrells Inlet as well as the entire state of South Carolina. Our firm has received such national recognition as multiple consecutive designations as “Rising Stars” by South Carolina Super Lawyers Magazine, being named among the 10 Best Attorneys in 2017 for Client Satisfaction by the American Institute of Personal Injury Attorneys, and listed on the Top 10 Jury Verdicts of 2016 by South Carolina Lawyers’ Weekly.
Scott C. Evans and James B. Moore III have both tried cases resulting in multi-million-dollar jury verdicts. They are both listed under the American Society of Legal Advocates Top 40 Lawyers under 40.
Scott C. Evans is South Carolina native who graduated cum laude from the University of South Carolina School of Law in 2008 and was ranked seventh in his class. James B. Moore III graduated cum laude from the Charleston School of Law and served as the Associate Editor of the Charleston Law Review while also receiving the Pro Bono Award that is given to students serving over 100 hours of pro bono work during their law school career.
You should know that it costs you nothing up front to work with Evans Moore, LLC, as we only collect legal fees when you receive a financial award. Our firm will help you get a fair and full settlement or take the case to court when an insurance company refuses to make an acceptable offer.
Types of Personal Injury Cases We Handle in Murrells Inlet
Evans Moore, LLC handles a wide variety of injury cases in Murrells Inlet. Some of the most common cases we see include, but are not limited to:
- Brain Injuries— A traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a quietly devastating injury for a person to suffer, as the true extent of the damage caused is not usually visible to other people. Victims, however, can struggle with essential daily functions, and some people may require full-time assistance.
- Car Accidents— United States Route 17 (US 17) is one of the major highways that run through Murrells Inlet, but Wachesaw Road, Burgess Road, and Journeys End Road are some of the other common motor vehicle collision locations in Murrells Inlet. People can be involved in any number of possible crashes on various streets around the village.
- Defective Medical Devices— Tidelands Waccamaw Community Hospital is the main hospital in Murrells Inlet, but injuries stemming from defective medical devices could occur during a visit to any hospital in South Carolina.
- Dram Shop Liability— Drunk drivers who cause motor vehicle accidents resulting in serious injuries are usually liable for damages caused, but many such offenders do not have adequate resources to pay significant judgments ordered by courts. Businesses such as bars or restaurants that knowingly served alcohol to an intoxicated person who went on to cause a crash can be held liable under dram shop laws in South Carolina.
- Hospital Negligence— While medical malpractice usually centers on the actions of a specific health professional, hospital negligence could involve a legal claim against a hospital for failure to maintain adequate staff, insufficient supervision, or failure to perform a proper procedure.
- Insurance Bad Faith— People with insurance claims in Murrells Inlet may be unfairly victimized by delayed claims, wrongfully denied claims, significantly reduced payouts, or other types of insurance fraud.
- Jail Misconduct— When a person is arrested and taken into custody in Murrells Inlet, they still have certain rights. Jail misconduct claims may stem from people who were wrongfully denied medical care or suffered abuse at the hands of police officers or other unmonitored inmates.
- Medical Malpractice— Medical errors that cause injuries are commonly considered medical malpractice. Common claims include misdiagnosis, failure to diagnose, anesthesia errors, emergency room errors, surgical errors, foreign objects inside the body, and prescription errors.
- Nursing Home Negligence— Nursing homes are expected to provide a quality line of care for their residents, but some nursing homes are negligent in the staff they hire which can lead to residents being the victims of possible financial, violent, or even sexual crimes.
- Premises Liability— Property owners in South Carolina must either correct or warn other people about possible hazards, as failure to do so can make the property owners liable for injuries caused by defective property conditions.
- Product Liability— Defective products can cause severe injuries, and the manufacturers or sellers of such products may be liable for possible design defects, manufacturing defects, or failures to warn.
- Truck Accidents— Commercial motor vehicles are much larger than passenger vehicles, and they also have to comply with strict federal and state regulations. Large trucks not only typically cause much more severe injuries, but it can also be possible for multiple parties to be held liable.
- Workers’ Compensation— People who are injured on the job in Murrells Inlet often have the right to workers’ compensation, but it can be challenging to obtain these benefits in some cases. A lawyer can examine to see if you are entitled to additional compensation when a third party’s negligence is to blame for your injuries.
- Wrongful Death— If another party’s negligence kills a person, the family of the deceased person can be entitled to compensation for various hardships resulting from the death.
It is important to remember that South Carolina is considered a modified comparative fault state, which means that you are entitled to file a lawsuit to recover damages so long as you were not more at fault for your injuries than the defendant.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Murrells Inlet Injuries
Below are a few common questions we get from clients at Evans Moore, LLC regarding their Murrells Inlet injury claims. We hope you find the following information useful. Feel free to reach out to our experienced Murrells Inlet personal injury attorneys at (843) 995-5000 if you have any questions about your particular case.
What should I do after being involved in an accident?
Seeking medical attention should be your No. 1 priority after an accident. Even if you think you are fine, you should still go to a hospital to be sure you did not suffer an injury with delayed symptoms. If you were involved in a car accident, motorcycle accident, or bicycle accident, contact the local law enforcement agency to file a police report. If your accident occurred at a place of business, file a report with the manager or supervisor on duty.
Try to take as many pictures of your accident scene as you can before that evidence disappears. Look around for people who saw the accident and ask them for their contact information in case they are needed as witnesses. Make sure you contact Evans Moore, LLC before speaking to an insurance company.
What kinds of compensation could I be entitled to?
Settlements are usually the most common result of most injury cases because insurance companies do not want to bear the costs of going to trial. If an insurer refuses to settle, then a case that goes to trial can result in a victim possibly being awarded numerous compensatory damages, which are usually a combination of economic damages and noneconomic damages. Economic damages are awards for tangible losses like medical expenses and lost wages, while noneconomic damages are awards for more subjective types of harm such as pain and suffering or loss of consortium.
How long do I have to file a lawsuit?
Under South Carolina Code § 15-3-530(5), a person has three years to commence legal action for an injury caused by negligence. Certain exceptions do exist to this limitations period, however. For example, the statute of limitations will be tolled (delayed) when a person is considered to be under a “legal disability,” which could either mean that they are a minor under 18 years of age, incapacitated, or declared insane. In such cases, the individual would have three years to file from the date they turn 18, regain cognizance, or are declared sane. Another possible exception could be if the defendant leaves the state, as such absence and period spent locating the defendant will not be counted against the limitations period.
Contact a Personal Injury Attorney in Murrells Inlet
Did you or a loved one suffer catastrophic injuries in an accident caused by another party’s negligence in Murrells Inlet? If so, be sure to contact Evans Moore, LLC form help. The Murrells Inlet injury lawyers Scott C. Evans and James B. Moore III are here to represent you and get you the justice you deserve. Call (855) 752-9146 or contact us online to set up a free and confidential consultation.
