South Carolina Personal Injury and Elder Abuse attorneys
Hughey Law Firm represents injured people and families throughout South Carolina. We handle serious personal injury cases, including injuries caused by nursing home neglect and inadequate care in assisted living facilities. When negligence causes preventable harm, we work to hold responsible parties accountable.
Over $315 MILLION in Settlements, Verdicts and Judgments
Results & Settlements
- Auto and Trucking Accidents, Dram Shop, Wrongful Death
- Featured Cases, Wrongful Death
- Featured Cases, Trucking Accident
- Nursing Home / Assisted Living Facility
- Featured Cases, Premises Liability
- Nursing Home / Assisted Living Facility
- Auto and Trucking Accidents, Dram Shop, Wrongful Death
- Featured Cases, Wrongful Death
- Featured Cases, Trucking Accident
South Carolina’s Trusted
Personal Injury Attorneys
The personal injury lawyers at Hughey Law Firm regularly take on large insurance companies and represent injured accident victims during settlement negotiations and at jury trials.
Our experienced attorneys aggressively advocate for our clients, whether at the negotiation table or in the courtroom, working to pursue the compensation they deserve.
When someone acts recklessly or carelessly and causes an injury, they may be legally responsible for the resulting damages. But insurance companies and the lawyers who represent them are focused on protecting their interests. They may challenge your claim, question the extent of your injuries, or look for ways to reduce its value.
At Hughey Law Firm, we work to protect injured people’s rights and hold responsible parties accountable.
South Carolina Elder Abuse & Nursing Home Neglect Attorneys
If your loved one has been hurt in a nursing home or assisted living facility, you deserve answers. Hughey Law helps South Carolina families with cases involving injuries from neglect, poor supervision, or failures in care.
Our attorneys handle cases where residents have suffered serious harm, such as pressure sores, bedsores, falls with injuries, untreated wounds, dehydration, malnutrition, and other injuries caused by poor care.
We understand how difficult it can be to question a facility entrusted with your loved one’s safety. Our team investigates potential negligence, helps families understand their legal options, and holds responsible parties accountable when the evidence supports a claim.
Our Practice Areas
Hughey Law Firm represents clients in serious personal injury and negligence cases throughout South Carolina. Explore our practice areas to learn more about the types of cases we handle.
Frequently Asked Questions
An accident or an injury caused by nursing home neglect can have a significant impact on your life and your family. Medical bills, emotional distress, and concerns about a loved one’s care can leave you with many questions. If someone else’s negligence caused an injury, you may have the right to seek compensation. Our South Carolina personal injury and elder abuse attorneys can help you understand your legal options. Here are answers to some frequently asked questions about personal injury, elder abuse, and nursing home neglect.
Do I Need a Lawyer for My Personal Injury Claim?
Yes. Hiring a personal injury lawyer can help protect your rights and ensure you understand your legal options after an accident. An attorney can investigate your claim, deal with insurance companies, and pursue compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other losses.
How Long Do I Have to File a Personal Injury Claim in South Carolina?
The statute of limitations limits the amount of time you have to file an injury claim. In South Carolina, you have just three years from the date of your accident to seek compensation for your injuries and damages.
However, there are exceptions to this law, and in some cases, you may have a longer or shorter time to file a personal injury lawsuit. Hire an attorney quickly after your accident to ensure that you do not miss any critical deadlines for seeking compensation.
An attorney at our law firm will review your personal injury case and file the appropriate claims or lawsuits.
What Should I Do if I Suspect Nursing Home Abuse?
If you suspect nursing home abuse, act quickly to protect your loved one. Document any signs of neglect or mistreatment. You should also speak with the facility’s management and report to the relevant state agency.
Seek medical attention and speak to a nursing home abuse attorney to understand your rights and options. Prompt action can prevent further harm and protect your legal rights.
How Much Does It Cost to Hire a Personal Injury Lawyer?
Most personal injury lawyers offer an affordable payment model known as a contingency fee. This means their fee is a percentage of the financial recovery they obtain for you. You pay nothing upfront, and if there is no recovery, you owe no attorney’s fees.
Can I still receive compensation if I was partially at fault?
Yes, in most cases. South Carolina’s modified comparative fault system reduces your compensation proportionally by your percentage of fault, as long as it does not exceed 50%. However, if you are found to be fifty-one percent or more at fault, you will not receive any compensation. An attorney can investigate the specific facts of your case to ensure that fault is assessed accurately.
Can an Assisted Living Facility Be Held Liable If a Resident Falls?
Yes. Assisted living facilities in South Carolina must assess residents for fall risk, implement prevention protocols, and maintain safe premises. If a facility fails to do so and a resident is injured in a fall, the facility is liable for the resulting harm.
Can I Sue a Nursing Home for Neglect in South Carolina?
Yes. South Carolina law allows injured residents and their families to pursue civil claims against nursing homes whose neglect harmed a resident. You can bring claims against the operating facility, its management company, and other entities whose decisions contributed to the neglect. An elder abuse attorney can evaluate whether a viable claim exists based on the specific circumstances.
What are Common Warning Signs of Elder Abuse or Neglect?
Common warning signs include unexplained bruises or fractures, repeated falls, sudden fearfulness, poor hygiene, dehydration, rapid weight loss, pressure injuries, unexplained medication changes, and missing valuables. If staff restricts visits or discourages private conversations, take that seriously. If you are concerned, call (843) 881-8644, use live chat, or contact Hughey Law Firm through our website.
Client Testimonials
About Personal Injury
Claims in South Carolina
South Carolina personal injury law encompasses a wide variety of accidents that can occur as a result of someone else’s carelessness or negligence. Personal injury cases may involve car and truck accidents, defective products, slip and falls, and premises liability. Each state in the nation has rules regarding the filing of personal injury claims. Here are some of the highlights of South Carolina’s personal injury statutes:
- The statute of limitations for filing a personal injury claim in South Carolina is generally three years from the date of the accident.
- The state has a modified comparative negligence rule. What this means is that if you are found to be partially responsible for the accident that caused your injuries, any award you receive for your damages will be reduced by the same percentage as your fault. For example, if you were twenty percent responsible for the accident, your damage award will be reduced by twenty percent.
- If you are found to be more than fifty percent responsible for your accident, then you are not eligible to seek compensation for damages from other at-fault parties.
- The types of damages that may be awarded for a personal injury claim include economic damages such as medical bills, lost wages, and property damages; as well as non-economic damages such as pain and suffering. Additionally, punitive damages—meant to punish the defendant for reckless or negligent behavior—may be awarded.
- Punitive damages in personal injury cases are capped at three times actual damages or $500,000—whichever is greater.
- The vast majority of personal injury cases will be settled before trial. Mediation is required in South Carolina civil litigation for the purpose of encouraging a settlement.
- In South Carolina, there is strict liability for dog bite cases. What this means is that a dog owner is liable for any injury to another person by their dog, even if the dog had no previous history of aggression.
- It is possible in South Carolina to file a personal injury claim against a governmental agency or its employees if the injury you incurred was the result of recklessness or negligence on the part of an entity or individual’s lawful actions. However, if the injury occurred due to unlawful actions, then damages may be sought only from the individual whose actions were unlawful, not the governmental agency.
What Should You Do After Suffering an Injury?
Most people do not go about their daily lives expecting an injury. Getting hurt often leaves people feeling confused and uncertain about what to do next. Knowing how to proceed after an injury can reduce stress and make it easier for you to focus on your recovery. Below are some suggestions for what to do after suffering an unexpected injury.
Common Types of Personal Injuries in South Carolina
Personal injuries from accidents can range from minor cuts and bruises to fatal injuries and everywhere in between. Whether your injury required a couple of weeks of medical care or you suffered catastrophic and debilitating injuries, you will still incur losses for which you deserve to recover from liable parties.
The Hughey Law Firm works with clients with a wide range of injuries, including:
Traumatic Brain Injuries
Whether you get a concussion or a moderate to severe brain injury diagnosis, you may experience lasting effects. Even injuries diagnosed as “mild” TBIs can impact your life in many ways for months or even years to come.
Spinal Injuries
Spinal trauma can result in herniated discs and similar conditions that cause chronic back pain and require ongoing therapy or even surgery. More severe spinal injuries can damage your spinal cord itself, which can result in permanent paralysis.