[Transcript]
Hi, my name is Kenneth Berger, and I handle significant injury cases across the Myrtle Beach area and throughout South Carolina. One of the questions that often comes up is, how can a lawyer, especially a personal injury lawyer, really benefit you? A lot of what we hear about personal injury lawyers comes from television ads, so I want to remove fact from fiction, take away some of those myths, and talk about the real work that personal injury lawyers do on cases.
I can just speak for ourselves. What we do is, first things first, gather the evidence. We want to make sure that evidence doesn't disappear, so we gather all that information to have an arsenal of evidence and rely less on arguments and more on the facts themselves.
Lawyers also often ensure that we have the right experts. Not all cases require experts, but some do, such as a trucking case or a case against a bar, known as a dram shop action. These cases often involve experts, and we work with experts across the country to ensure we find the best ones to get the best result for you.
We also want to identify all potential sources of recovery. We don't just rely on what one insurance company tells us. We find all potential sources of recovery, starting with identifying all potential wrongdoers. For example, in a drunk driving case, it might not just be the drunk driver. It could be the drunk driver and the bar or bars that over-served that person. We ensure all potential sources of recovery are identified.
After that's done, we may negotiate with insurance companies. Sometimes those negotiations are successful and the case resolves. Other times, the insurance companies dig their heels in, forcing us to file a lawsuit on your behalf and potentially take your case all the way through trial and a jury verdict.
When a case is resolved, whether through a settlement or a jury verdict, the settlement amount means one thing. But the important thing for you, and the way an injury lawyer can help, is maximizing your net recovery—what you receive at the end. My law firm has never taken more money at the end of a case than a client puts in his or her pocket.
To help accomplish that, we deal with your medical providers. If you have a bunch of medical bills outstanding or a health insurance lien against the proceeds of your settlement, we work with those healthcare providers and that health insurance company to bring those payment obligations down as low as possible, ensuring what you receive is as much as possible.
Be it gathering evidence, negotiating with insurance companies, or negotiating medical bills and liens, our goal is to focus on all those legal and insurance issues so you can focus on healing. Whether you live in Myrtle Beach year-round, are visiting as a tourist, or visiting a family member and got hurt, we're here to help you. Myrtle Beach residents and visitors alike, no one deserves to be harmed by a negligent or reckless party. We ensure that the people who caused you harm are held accountable and that you receive full civil justice.
If you have any questions, whether it's a car crash on 17 or 501, an injury at a resort, or out on the water, we are here to help you. We have an office here in Myrtle Beach and handle cases throughout the Grand Strand and across South Carolina. You can contact us to get help and get your questions answered easily. You can fill out the live chat on the website, fill out our contact form, or call us. No matter what you choose, it's absolutely free and absolutely risk-free. Let us help answer some of those questions, provide guidance, and remove some of that uncertainty so you can focus on healing.
What Does a Personal Injury Lawyer Do?
We get this question a lot because people wonder where the advantage lies in hiring a personal injury lawyer. I put together this list of what I do as an accident attorney and how my team and I can potentially help maximize your case’s value.
1. Gather and preserve evidence to build a stronger case.
2. Negotiate with insurance companies.
3. Hire experts to help prove liability, determine future costs, and calculate lost earnings to help maximize the value of your case.
4. Identify all possible sources of compensation after someone is injured.
5. Take your case to trial if an insurance company refuses to pay a fair settlement.
6. Set up liens against your medical bills, so they won’t go into collections while you wait for your settlement money.
7. At the end of your case, our legal team can attempt to negotiate to reduce your medical liens.
8. Client-focused injury lawyers will take everything off your plate, so you can focus on healing while they focus on your case.
Why Should I Hire a Personal Injury Lawyer in South Carolina?
After experiencing a catastrophic injury, you only have one chance to receive a fair outcome. Once you sign settlement paperwork, your case is over, and there are no more opportunities for you to get additional compensation. Hiring a lawyer can help make sure no stone goes unturned, so that all possible sources of recovery – for current and future medical bills, lost wages, lost enjoyment of life, and punitive damages – are exhausted.
Hiring an attorney can help you feel confident that nothing was left on the table and that you will be taken care of now and into the future.
Contact Our South Carolina Personal Injury Lawyers for a Free Consultation
If you think you might benefit from consulting with a personal injury lawyer in South Carolina, contact us. We would be honored to hear your story and see how we can help. Our experienced attorneys are committed to our mission and values; we treat our clients like family; and we take pride in the relationships we are able to build with them, in addition to the results we were able to achieve.
Hiring an attorney can help you feel confident that nothing was left on the table and that you will be taken care of now and into the future. South Carolinians who have been injured due to another’s negligence or intentional wrongdoing, may also be allowed compensation for non-economic harms. Though pain and suffering is a commonly used term for these harms, I never use this phrase when speaking with insurance adjusters, defense attorneys, or clients.
We offer free consultations and would be happy to answer your questions. Our offices are conveniently located in Columbia and Myrtle Beach, and we have been proudly servicing clients throughout the surrounding areas. Contact us online today or call us at 803-790-2800 (Columbia, SC) / 843-427-2800 (Myrtle Beach, SC)
Our South Carolina injury attorneys are here to help anyone who has been injured due to another person or business’s negligence. We exclusively handle catastrophic injury and wrongful death cases.