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Personal injury law encompasses a variety of different types of cases that arise from the negligent conduct of another party. Auto accidents are one of the most common types of personal injury cases. Please see our Auto Accident page in regard to auto accidents, trucking accidents, motorcycle accidents, and bicycle accidents. Work-related injuries have special rules regarding recovery and compensation. Please see our Workers’ Compensation page for important information about work-related injuries.

Other types of personal injury cases include:

  • Defective or unreasonably dangerous products
  • Premises liability
  • Slip and falls
  • False arrest or imprisonment
  • Dog bites
  • Assault and battery
  • Defamation, libel or slander
  • Adulterated food (food unsafe to consume due to foreign objects or contamination by virus, bacteria or parasites)
  • Any physical or mental injury arising from negligent or willful conduct

Have you suffered a personal injury and are trying to determine if you need a lawyer?  It will cost you nothing to call us or meet for a free consultation to discuss your case and whether hiring a lawyer will benefit you. People suffering personal injuries can suffer a wide variety of injuries to include muscle strains, muscle sprains, broken or dislocated bones, head injuries, including brain injuries, burn injuries, paralysis, and wrongful death (loss of life). If your injuries are minor and require only one trip to the hospital or family doctor, you can most often resolve your claim without the assistance of a lawyer. We are always glad to talk to you, whether you believe your case may be big or small. We encourage you to call us regarding any questions you may have and to help you make sure that you do not need the assistance of a lawyer.


If you have sustained more serious injuries that require therapy, ongoing treatment, or are permanent or disabling, the assistance of a lawyer can be helpful in obtaining the fullest compensation possible. An experienced lawyer can help to investigate and establish liability, determine the possible sources of recovery, investigate the extent of your injuries, clarify and present all your injuries and damages fully and clearly, and work to minimize what must be paid for medical bills and health insurance liens. A lawyer can also help to relieve some of the stress and frustration that comes from dealing with insurance companies and their adjusters. Please do not hesitate to contact us to discuss all the ways we can help you and your family.


If you believe that you need the assistance of a lawyer or just want to understand your rights, do not hesitate to contact us.

Some quick things to remember if you have suffered a personal injury:

Take pictures of  the scene, defective product/condition, and your injuries.

Pictures provide some of the best evidence for your case.

Keep and maintain defective products and adulterated foods.

These are evidence in your case and need to be properly kept to assist in proving your case. Defective products, their packaging, and any accompanying paperwork should be placed in an area to avoid exposure to the elements and to avoid accidental disposal. Adulterated foods should be maintained to avoid spoiling and contaminating other foods in your household.

Do not resolve your claim until all your injuries have resolved or been fully addressed.

Once you settle the case, you cannot come back and obtain further compensation. Thus, you must make sure you understand the full extent of your injuries so when you settle, you are settling based upon everything that you have and will suffer and sustain in damages.

Avoid delays or gaps in treatment.

Delays and gaps in treatment are often used by insurance companies to argue that you really were not that injured or that you were injured by something that happened during the gap/delay. If you believe you need treatment, it is best for your case that you get treatment as soon as possible. Also, make sure you are as consistent with your treatment and not cancelling or missing scheduled visits.

Insurance companies often request recorded statements.

If you are thinking about hiring a lawyer, it is best to speak with a lawyer before doing a recorded statement. If you decide to give a recorded statement, you must be sure to listen carefully to the questions and be completely accurate in what happened and your injuries. People often generalize their injuries or say they are okay when they think they are not that hurt. Never make your injuries sound any less or more than what they are. It is best to describe everything you are feeling from head to toe so that the insurance company cannot later claim that you said nothing about a particular injury. Many times, it is the injury that is thought to be insignificant that seems to linger and is really never addressed until the more painful injuries are resolved.

You are limited in the amount of time to recover for your injuries.

If you fail to bring a lawsuit or resolve your claim before the time period runs, you lose your right to be compensated for your injuries. In South Carolina, the type of personal injury sustained and who the at-fault party is, such as a government employee, determine the appropriate time limitation to bring a lawsuit. It is always best to discuss your case with a lawyer as to best understand your rights and the time you have to pursue your rights.

Other questions, worries, and concerns.

A lawyer can answer your questions, explain your rights, put some of your fears to rest, and help you decide if you would benefit from having representation. When in doubt, contact a lawyer. We will be glad to help you at Smith & Jones Law, LLC.

Defective and Unreasonably Dangerous Products

Manufacturers, wholesalers, and sellers may all be held responsible when a defective and unreasonably dangerous product injures someone. Causes of action for negligence, strict liability or breach of warranty may be used to obtain a recovery for injuries caused by defective and unreasonably dangerous products. Products can be defective and unreasonably dangerous due to design defects, manufacturing defects and/or inadequate warnings.


If you have been injured by a defective or dangerous product, you should keep the product and store it somewhere that it cannot be destroyed. Also, take pictures of the product as soon after the injury as possible. You should be aware that most product cases require the expense of experts that can be costly to prove the defect of the product.


Please feel free to contact us as soon as possible to discuss the potential of a product case and the expense of a potential case.

Premises Liability & Slip and Falls

Premises liability cases are based upon being injured by a dangerous or hazardous condition on someone’s property. There are a number of factors that are important to be able to make a recovery when injured on someone’s property. Factors such as why you were on the property, who owns the property and the nature of the condition that caused the injury.


One of the most important factors in pursuing a premises liability claim is showing that the owner/occupier of the property had actual or constructive notice of the dangerous or hazardous condition, at the time of the accident. It is best that an investigation is performed as soon as possible after the accident and that everything possible is documented by pictures or in reports.


Always report an accident to the property owner/occupier as soon as possible. If the accident happens at a business, ask them to document the accident and any injuries you sustained in a report. Make sure that you get a copy of the report. Also, ask for the information of any witnesses. If you have been injured while on someone else’s premises and believe a liability lawyer may be required, please do not hesitate to contact us so that we may use our experience to help you.

False Arrest or Imprisonment

It is unlawful to restrain a person against their will in a way which interferes with their personal liberty or freedom of movement. The act of restraint must be intentional in that the person committing the false imprisonment must have meant to restrain the victim. In certain circumstances, force is not required in the restraint.


However, it is not false imprisonment when there is reasonable/probable cause to believe a person has committed a crime. Thus, if you are arrested but the criminal charges are dropped, it does not mean that false imprisonment has occurred if there was reasonable/probable cause to believe you had committed a crime. Reasonable/probable cause is determined by the facts and circumstances known at the time.


It is also possible that the restraint may be considered lawful by one party but unlawful as to the party causing the restraint. The best example is when someone falsely accuses someone of a crime and causes the police to arrest someone when the facts and circumstances appear to show that you had committed a crime. If you believe you have been falsely imprisoned, please do not hesitate to contact us to discuss the facts and circumstances of your case.

Dog Bites

South Carolina law provides strict-liability for owners and persons who are keeping dogs when a dog bites someone. Meaning that a dog owner or person keeping a dog is automatically responsible for the damages caused when the dog bites someone. It does not matter that the dog has never bitten anyone before, never showed aggressive tendencies or never appeared dangerous. If a person was in a public place or lawfully in a private place when bitten there is a strict liability as long as they did not provoke or harass the dog. What is considered provocation and harassment is viewed on a case by case basis, and a lawyer with expertise in dog bite cases may be able to help. There are also nuances when it comes to children bitten by dogs. If you or a loved one is bitten by a dog, it is best to report it to animal control and obtain a report. This will document the incident and should help you find out who is the owner of the dog. Also, try to obtain information regarding the owner and/or keeper of the dog as soon as possible. If you or a loved one has been bitten by a dog, please do not hesitate to contact us to discuss the facts and circumstances of your case.

Other Personal Injury Cases

If you have been injured by an Assault & Battery, from Defamation/Libel/Slander, consuming Adulterated Food or have suffered a personal injury in any other way, please do not hesitate to contact us. We will be glad to discuss the facts of your case, your injuries and whether you would benefit from obtaining a lawyer.

Do not hesitate to call us if you think you can use our help.  Also, please call us if you have questions, concerns or worries regarding any legal matter. A lawyer can answer your questions, explain your rights, put some of your fears to rest, and help you decide if you would benefit from having representation.  We will be glad to help you at Smith & Jones Law, LLC, even if it is finding someone to assist you in any matter that we do not handle.

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WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT TYPES OF AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE COVERAGE, AND HOW CAN THEY BENEFIT YOU?

By Jake Smith • 02 Feb, 2023
What is liability coverage, uninsured coverage and underinsured coverage? Many people know what liability coverage and uninsured coverage are but don’t understand what underinsured coverage is and why they should have it. LIABILITY COVERAGE Liability coverage is coverage purchased to protect an at-fault driver in an accident by providing coverage that compensates the people they injure in an accident. In South Carolina the minimum liability coverage for automobile insurance is $25,000.00 per person or $50,000 per accident for bodily injury and $25,000.00 per accident for property damage per S.C. Code Ann. § 38-77-140. With minimum limits coverage, no person who was injured will get more than $25,000.00 in compensation for their injuries, medical bills and/or lost wages and the liability insurance carrier will not pay more than $50,000.00, in total, for injuries, medical bills and lost wages regardless of how many people were injured in an accident. Also, under minimum limits coverage the liability insurance carrier will not pay more than $25,000.00 in property damage no matter the number of vehicles or amount of property damaged. Often, minimum limits coverage is insufficient to fully compensate those injured in auto accidents by an at-fault driver and can leave an at-fault driver exposed to being sued by injured parties seeking proper compensation from the at-fault driver’s personal assets. Those who wish to better protect themselves, especially people having significant assets, should consider purchasing higher limits of coverage. ________________________________________________ What if you are severely injured by a driver who had no coverage or insufficient coverage to fully compensate you? You can file a lawsuit and go after their personal assets, however often drivers with no coverage or minimum limits have very little in personal assets to help compensate you. So, what can you do? If they have no insurance you can look to your own uninsured motorist coverage on your policy. If they have coverage but it is insufficient to fully compensate you, you can look to underinsured coverage on your policy, if you have it. UNINSURED COVERAGE What happens when you are hit by a driver that has no liability insurance covering them or the vehicle they were operating? Uninsured coverage is required coverage per S.C. Code Ann. § 38-77-150 for every automobile insurance policy issued in South Carolina. Uninsured coverage is required in the same amounts as liability coverage. This coverage applies when someone is injured by someone not having liability coverage on the vehicle they are operating or covers them while operating such a vehicle. It is the injured person’s own coverage that compensates them. Uninsured coverage for property damage does allow for a deductible/exclusion of the first $200.00 in damage. There are rules on filing lawsuits related to uninsured coverage and making recoveries. There are also circumstances where an injured party may be able to “stack” uninsured coverage on different vehicles to allow greater compensation. To properly discuss these issues and how they may apply to you it is best to speak personally with an attorney. Please contact us at 803-996-3333 for a free consultation if you would like to speak personally with one of our attorneys. UNDERINSURED COVERAGE What happens when your injured by a driver who has liability coverage but it is not enough to fully compensate you for your injuries or damage to your property? Hopefully you have underinsured motorist coverage to help compensate you for your injuries and damages. Underinsured coverage is coverage that applies after an injured party has exhausted the liability coverage for an at-fault party. In South Carolina, the amount of your underinsured coverage is an additional amount of compensation above the liability coverage(s) that you can have that will allow you to try to fully compensate yourself for your injuries and damages. Underinsured coverage is an optional coverage that must be offered to you in South Carolina pursuant to S.C. Code Ann. § 38-77-160. Underinsured coverage is often not that expensive and offers you a better chance to protect/compensate yourself if you sustain serious injury. You must be offered this coverage, up to your liability limits, by your automobile insurance carrier, but it is usually possible to buy varying amounts of underinsured coverage. Underinsured coverage must be offered in a way that is “meaningful”. This means there are rules on how this coverage is offered and explained to you. If your carrier fails to give you a “meaningful” offer of underinsured coverage you may still have a right to such coverage if you are injured by a driver with insufficient coverage to fully compensate you. Like uninsured coverage, there are rules for making a recovery from underinsured coverage and possibly “stacking” underinsured coverage on different vehicles. Again, to properly discuss these issues and how they may apply to you it is best to speak personally with an attorney. Please contact us at 803-996-3333 for a free consultation if you would like to speak personally with one of our attorneys .

Permanent Disability In South Carolina Workers’ Compensation Claims

14 Nov, 2022
After receiving medical treatment, injured workers will often be entitled to some level of permanent disability due to on-the-job injuries. Unfortunately, injured workers in South Carolina are not entitled to pain and suffering as a result of on-the-job injuries. So, how is permanent disability calculated in South Carolina? The amount of permanent disability that an injured worker can recover depends on the severity of their injuries. There are generally three different methods of recovery for on-the-job injuries in South Carolina: scheduled member recovery, permanent partial wage loss recovery, and permanent and total disability The most common type of recovery in South Carolina workers’ compensation cases is scheduled member recovery. This recovery is based on a loss of use to a specific body part. The value for each body part in South Carolina is different. Awards are typically received based on a percentage loss of use of a specific body part. (Example: A 10% loss of use of the shoulder [valued at 300 weeks] would result in an award of 30 weeks of compensation). It’s important to note that impairment ratings given by a doctor are not disability, but instead disability is calculated by the Workers’ Compensation Commission based on individual circumstances. An experienced lawyer can help maximize your recovery for scheduled member injuries. More complex injuries, those involving two or more body parts or 50% loss of use to the back, may qualify for a wage loss recovery. Wage loss claims in South Carolina can be either permanent partial or permanent and total. There are exceptions for catastrophic injuries, such as paraplegia, quadriplegia, and brain injury, but injured workers are limited to a maximum recovery of 500 weeks of compensation for on-the-job injuries in South Carolina. Wage loss claims are often more complex than scheduled member claims and injured workers should strongly consider obtaining legal representation in dealing with the intricate difficulties that typically arise in wage loss claims. If you’ve been injured in a work accident and would like to speak with an attorney regarding your on-the-job injury, please do not hesitate to contact us at 803-996-3333.
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Personal Injury lawyers helping people throughout South Carolina

Call us or send us a message using our contact form to schedule a free, confidential consultation.

Call Now: 803-996-3333

Contact Us for a Free Consultation

Personal Injury lawyers helping people throughout South Carolina

Call us or send us a message using our contact form to schedule a free, confidential consultation.

Call Now: 803-996-3333
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