Sumter Wrongful Death Lawyer
Personal injury victims always struggle to recover from their physical, emotional, and financial injuries. These struggles often pale in comparison to the challenges that wrongful death survivors must overcome. In addition to the sudden loss of a loved one, along with the sudden medical and other bills this loss creates, survivors must somehow find a way to move on with their lives. Putting a wrongful death behind them and moving forward is usually the best way to honor the decedent. But these things are much easier said than done.
No one can turn back the clock and alter the events which culminated in the wrongful death of another person. The dedicated Sumter wrongful death lawyer at The Stanley Law Group can do the next best thing. We work hard to obtain compensation for survivors. This compensation helps them pay final expenses which they couldn’t possibly have anticipated. Furthermore, although this compensation doesn’t begin to fill the void a wrongful death creates, money helps. At this point, helping survivors move forward is the best possible outcome.
Wrongful Death Causes
Vehicle collisions, falls, unintentional poisoning, and medical negligence are among the most common causes of wrongful death in Sumter County.
If a vehicle collision kills a victim, many survivors don’t want to file wrongful death claims. They understandably don’t want to blame anyone for the wreck, especially since that blame doesn’t change the outcome. Civil claims don’t blame anyone for anything. Instead, these claims force people to accept responsibility for the mistakes they make. We all make mistakes, and we must all accept the consequences of those mistakes.
Falls are especially serious if the victim has a pre-existing condition. Usually, maximum compensation is available in these situations. South Carolina’s eggshell skull rule prohibits insurance companies from using a victim’s vulnerabilities as an excuse to reduce or deny compensation.
A tragedy like a drug overdose usually has multiple causes. The person who voluntarily ingested the medicine shares some responsibility. Other responsible parties could include a doctor who over-prescribed certain medicine, a shipping company that moved boxes and didn’t ask questions, and a property owner who looked the other way while people engaged in dangerous behavior.
Medical misdiagnosis is very common in South Carolina, especially in terms of cancer diagnosis. On average, doctors only listen to their patients for about seven seconds before they redirect or interrupt them. Making matters worse, many doctors don’t order a full battery of tests. Instead, they over-rely on their instincts.
Resolving a Claim
Establishing a claim’s settlement value is the first order of business for a Sumter wrongful death lawyer. Basically, the settlement value is like a new car’s sticker price. Both figures serve as the starting point for financial negotiations. Usually, the settlement value starts with current and future medical bills. So, meaningful settlement negotiations can’t start until medical treatment is at least substantially complete.
During these negotiations, insurance company lawyers often drag their feet or make low-ball offers. To jumpstart stalled negotiations, most attorneys file legal paperwork.
This action usually triggers a mandatory mediation requirement. During these court-supervised settlement negotiation sessions, both sides have a duty to negotiate in good faith. Things like low-ball offers and going through the motions are not allowed. Therefore, civil mediation in South Carolina is about 90 percent successful.
Work With a Sharp Sumter County Lawyer
Injury victims are entitled to substantial compensation. For a free consultation with an experienced Sumter wrongful death lawyer, contact The Stanley Law Group, P.A. We do not charge upfront legal fees in these matters.
