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If you are dealing with the tragic loss of a loved one due to another party’s reckless actions or negligence, your family deserves compensation for your losses. Those who are responsible should pay for the hardships your family is now facing. A wrongful death lawyer in Spartanburg, SC, from our law firm can fight for your family’s rights and help you pursue a fair settlement.
At Farmer & Morris Law, PLLC, we offer comprehensive legal services for families that have been devastated by the death of a loved one. Our Spartanburg personal injury lawyers can help you identify the at-fault party, determine your family’s losses, and negotiate a fair settlement from the insurance company. Your family has been through enough. You should not have to pay for someone else’s mistake, as well. Call today. Our initial case assessments are free.
How Our Spartanburg Wrongful Death Lawyer Can Help You
At Farmer & Morris Law, PLLC, our Spartanburg wrongful death attorneys provide comprehensive legal services. Our legal team can handle your family’s case while you grieve for your deceased loved one. We will provide legal support and advice, bringing the liable party to justice in your civil case.
When we represent you, we will work to:
- Identify all parties responsible for your loved one’s death
- Obtain and submit evidence that proves their negligence
- Determine and assess the full range of damages in your case
- Prepare and submit your insurance claim, including all documents and evidence
- Negotiate for a fair settlement from the insurance company
- Prepare your case for trial if we cannot secure a fair settlement
We also engage with all parties on your behalf to give you the best legal representation possible. You can focus on spending time together grieving and managing other matters while we build your claim and seek maximum compensation.
Support and Advocacy for Your Family
When you have our legal team on your side, you have the leverage to move forward with your wrongful death case in confidence. If we cannot negotiate an appropriate settlement, you can leave the legal process of filing a lawsuit in our hands. Our team will leave the decisions up to you, but we will explain what your case is worth and offer advice along the way.
Then, we will handle the next steps for you. You will always know what to expect and be up to date about the latest developments. Plus, we have team members available to answer any questions you have throughout the legal process.
Our Services Cost You Nothing Up Front
One of the biggest factors that often keeps people from hiring a law firm after an injury or fatality is the fear of high legal fees. Our team seeks to eliminate such fears by operating strictly on contingency. Our approach to legal fees means that:
- You pay nothing to get us started on your claim or lawsuit.
- We front all costs associated with investigating, building, and pursuing the case.
- If we do not recover compensation for your family, you owe us no legal fees.
- When we do deliver a settlement or court award, we take a predetermined percentage of this as our fee.
- You never have to pull out your wallet to pay for our legal services.
If this fee arrangement still seems confusing, there is no need to worry. A member of our team will be happy to explain how our payment structure works during your free consultation. We want to make sure you know what to expect before you ever sign a contract with us.
It is policies like this that have led our past clients to praise us as “professional, prompt, and competent” in our Google reviews and testimonials. Our goals include exemplary customer service and always putting the client first, and we are proud that our former clients feel this way about our team.
Our Wrongful Death Lawyers in Spartanburg Will Seek Fair Compensation for Your Family
The types of damages you can claim for the untimely death of your family member depend on the circumstances of the accident, who is responsible, and how the accident led to their death.
Wrongful Death Vs. Survival Actions
In general, you may have a valid wrongful death claim if your loved one was killed due to the negligent actions of another. Survival actions, on the other hand, are based on the damages the decedent could have claimed if they survived. While the standards necessary to prove these two types of cases are similar, the recoverable damages are different.
Damages Your Family May Claim
Per S.C. Ann § 15-51-20, certain family members may be able to recover the following types of damages in a wrongful death case:
- Pre-death medical expenses: If the deceased spent time in the ER or hospital prior to their death, your family may be able to recover compensation for any medical expenses related to the fatal accident. Examples include the costs for emergency medical care, surgical procedures, and an ICU or hospital room stay.
- Pain and suffering: Did your loved one endure severe physical pain or mental anguish before they died? If so, you may be able to request compensation for their suffering in your claim. Although it seems impossible to put a dollar amount on pain and suffering, we can pursue what your claim is worth based on the circumstances, industry practices, and South Carolina law.
- Burial and funeral costs: Funerals can be expensive, potentially costing your family thousands of dollars. After laying your loved one to rest, you may have incurred burial and funeral costs related to body preparation, the casket, funeral services, the burial plot and tombstone, and funeral home fees.
- Household losses: Household damages can range from lost income, benefits, or retirement. We can calculate your current and future lost household income and add it to your claim, along with loss of services and related damages.
- Your family’s emotional distress: It may also be possible to get money damages for the emotional harm surviving family members endured because of their loved one’s injuries and death. From loss of parental guidance to loss of companionship, our attorneys understand that this has been difficult for every member of your family.
Our goal is to recover the maximum compensation your family is eligible to receive based on the extent of your losses.
Your Claim May Be Eligible to Receive Punitive Damages
Depending on the circumstances of your wrongful death case, you and your family may also be eligible to receive punitive damages. However, these damages are only rewarded by the courts. The defendant must be shown to have acted in extreme negligence. These damages are meant to punish the defendant for their egregious actions and warn others not to commit anything similar in the future.
A Spartanburg wrongful death attorney from Farmer & Morris Law, PLLC, can stand up for your rights. We will help you explore all of your losses to submit and negotiate an accurate claim. You do not have to let the insurance company tell you what the case is worth, nor accept the first settlement an insurance adjuster offers. In fact, this is generally a bad idea. Most insurers’ initial offers are lowballing settlements that they hope you won’t recognize as being far too low for the value of your case.
Protect your family’s future. Call Farmer & Morris Law, PLLC, today for a free case consultation with a member of our legal team. We can listen to your story and explain your family’s legal options for recovering just compensation.
Negotiating a Fair Settlement With the Insurance Company
When working with insurance companies, it is often beneficial to allow your lawyer to engage with the adjuster on your behalf. Doing so minimizes any potential mistakes that you could make if you do not know the law or the tactics they frequently use to hurt your payout.
Even when you don’t make any mistakes, the insurer could still take your words out of context to deny or devalue the claim.
They may also:
- Try to blame your loved one for some or all of their injuries
- Claim another party was at fault
- Downplay or deny some key elements
- Create another defense to avoid accepting blame for the incident, injuries, and death
Our team knows how the claims process works and how to protect a case from such questionable tactics. We can initiate a claim soon after the accident, submit all records, send paperwork to the insurer, and present a compelling case for why your claim should be accepted.
If the insurer rejects your claim or offers a low settlement, then we can explore your legal options. For instance, we may counter with another offer. Our wrongful death lawyers in Spartanburg can also represent you in court if you decide to file a lawsuit.
Our Wrongful Death Attorneys in Spartanburg Take on All Types of Cases
Farmer & Morris Law, PLLC, has the resources, legal staff, and knowledge necessary to take on complex wrongful death cases. Regardless of how the fatal accident occurred, we can review the facts of the case and discuss your family’s legal options.
We help clients in cases related to:
- Auto accidents
- Commercial vehicle accidents
- Motorcycle accidents
- Bicycle accidents
- Pedestrian accidents
- Product liability
- Workers’ compensation
- Construction accidents
- Medical malpractice
Our legal team stands firm in our commitment to helping you see that justice is delivered and that your family is cared for. You can let us handle your case while your family grieves during this difficult time.
Our Spartanburg wrongful death attorneys know the types of evidence necessary to prove fault and liability in each of these injury incidents. We can develop a case against the individual or party whose actions caused them, filing a claim based on their applicable insurance policy or suing them in civil court. This is often successful in recovering compensation for our clients who lost a loved one in a negligent incident.
Your Family Has Three Years to File Your Wrongful Death Lawsuit
All lawsuits must be filed before their statute of limitations expires. You have a limited time to take legal action in a wrongful death case under S.C. Ann. § 15-3-530. The deadline to file is three years. Missing this statutory deadline could bar you from pursuing fair compensation through the courts.
Those three years may seem like a lot of time, but you and your attorney will need that time to build a strong case. If you contact your Spartanburg wrongful death attorney soon enough, they are in a better position to collect and preserve evidence. Also, the insurance companies are aware of these deadlines. If you do not resolve your claim with them and miss the deadline for your lawsuit, you will lose any negotiating power you may have with them.
Our team can outline the deadlines and exceptions to the statute of limitations after reviewing your case.
Common Questions Our Spartanburg Families Ask
You may have more questions about your family’s legal options. Below, we provide answers to some of the more common questions we receive:
What do lawyers charge for wrongful death?
Each law firm has its own fee structure, but we work wrongful death cases on a contingency fee basis. Under this agreement, you pay us nothing for our service. We only receive payment when we secure a settlement or court award. Our attorney’s fees will be a preapproved portion, which we will review with you before starting your case.
What is the difference between negligence and wrongful death?
Negligence is presented in four parts:
- Duty of care: The legal and professional obligations between two parties
- Breach of duty: The action or inaction that violates those obligations
- Causation: The incident or accident that caused injury and loss
- Damages: The financial losses, physical injuries, and emotional trauma suffered
Wrongful death is any negligent action that costs the life of another person.
How are wrongful death settlements paid out?
Settlements are typically paid out in lump sums or structured settlements. Most often, the settlements are placed in an escrow, which is then distributed according to the terms of settlement.
Speak With a Team Member From Farmer & Morris Law, PLLC, Today
If you are ready to file a claim against the responsible party for your loved one’s death, a Spartanburg wrongful death lawyer from Farmer & Morris Law, PLLC, wants to help. Our team is here to provide legal support and represent you in the fight for a fair settlement or court award.
Call or complete our online contact form to get a free case evaluation today.
