Brain Injury Attorney Blog

Insurance companies would rather settle personal injury claims as quickly and economically as possible. This means not taking it to court, litigation is very expensive and lengthy. Depending on what type of injury you endured and the type of treatment you received or need will determine how to settle your personal injury claim.

If it is a minor fender bender and you are not hurt, you may not need to hire a personal injury lawyer. If it is more than a fender bender and you are injured in a car crash due to someone else's negligence, the at fault driver's insurance company may contact you immediately to settle the claim. Be careful when talking to the insurance company because as soon as you pick up the phone they will probably be recording everything you say. It is best to have everything in writing.

If you are injured, there is a dispute regarding liability or the at fault driver was underinsured or uninsured, it is best to hire a personal injury attorney. When you go to your personal injury consultation, have an idea about what kind of settlement you will accept. This will help the car accident attorney know your expectations and if he/she feels like he/she can meet them. A personal injury attorney at The Mace firm can guide you through the claims process. Call The Mace Firm to schedule a free consultation with one of our highly skilled South Carolina personal injury lawyers.

Continue reading " When to Hire a Personal Injury Lawyer " »

In 2005, a man was killed in a truck accident caused by a drunk driver. On December 6, 2010, a federal judge awarded $15 million dollars including $6.3 million in punitive damages to the family of the man who was killed in this crash. The truck driver had not only been drinking, but he had been driving longer hours than federal regulations permit. To make matters worse, the trucking company changed the driving logs to conceal their violation of the federal trucking law. Then, if that was not bad enough, they began selling assets and hiding property shortly after the fatal truck accident.

In February, the trucking company had not filed one motion or pleading regarding the complaint, and the federal judge awarded a default judgment against the company. According to the court documents, the company did not appear at any other hearings including the damages hearing in July.

Having a loved one pass away from natural causes is sad and hurtful enough, but to have someone you love or care about killed due to someone else's negligence is even worse. The Mace Firm has attorneys in South Carolina who have dealt with wrongful death cases and know that these are difficult times for the family members who are left behind. If you or your family have been hurt in a car crash please call to schedule a free consultation with one of our Myrtle Beach wrongful death attorneys.

Continue reading " $15 Million Dollar Verdict in Fatal DWI Crash " »

I am convinced that the joy of Christmas has healing powers. Restorative. Transformative. December is the month of brotherly love and shared joy…

Or in some cases, a season of clenched teeth and bitten tongues, perhaps even a slammed door or an overly tipsy in-law. The season of sacrifice and giving inevitably paves the way for a fresh start and the self-reclamation of New Year’s resolutions.

It appears that a staggering number of these resolutions lead to the filing for divorces all across the country. According to an article found at businessjournalism.org, (one of many articles heralding this new season), the chill of January prompts folks to at least consult an attorney regarding divorce. While consultations are on the rise, filings don’t appear to hit their peak until March. I suppose that is because any wise counselor asks the potential client, “are you absolutely certain your marriage is irreconcilable?” With this, many a potential client may ponder his/her possibilities, perhaps even pray for Cupids arrow of Valentines, but after exhausting all efforts, finally files the papers.

No one wants to admit defeat. In fact, this fear of giving up has driven many an unhappy mate to pursue an “undivorce.” An undivorce is the non-committal and often confusing variation on separation that hearkens to the open-marriages of the 1960s-70s. Mom lives in right next door to Dad, Dad still comes over for dinner most nights, family vacations are together, but Mom and Dad secretly see other people and pretend their precious but precocious children are none the wiser. In a predictable and perfect world, this could be an option. For most of us, the messy reality of domestic relationships require a bit more structure.

Even if you and your spouse opt for the undivorce, it would be wise for each of you to consult your own attorneys and reduce your desires to writing in an official separation agreement. And if you decide to go all the way, a property settlement and separation agreement negotiated between yourselves with the guidance of a skilled attorney is the best way to settle matters so that the court need only grant a divorce.

It is always best if issues of custody, visitation, and property are settled with great detail and specificity between you and your spouse, so as to ensure the most amicable and customized arrangement. If a judge is determining custody, visitation, etc, life gets more difficult both financially and emotionally for everyone involved. If you are facing a contested divorce or custody matter in South Carolina, you need a wise and aggressive attorney who can look out for your best interests and help you to understand your options.

We realize things are about to get rocky. We are rolling up our sleeves and ready to answer your call. Prepare yourself for the cold winter of January and make a resolution to give us a call.

Continue reading " And a Happy New Year " »

Tis the season for shopping, and every good shopper knows that there is a right and a wrong way to shop. Good shoppers clip coupons, are courteous and sincerely search high and low for the perfect purchase. They are discerning, educated, and seek the perfect balance of quality to price.

These shop savvy individuals, people just like you and me, may reach a season in their life that requires them to shop around for a skilled attorney; someone that can wisely counsel them through a divorce, an appeal, a custody case, or visitation.

While we at The Mace Firm offer all of the above services and more, we encourage you to shop around. This is a very vulnerable time in your life and choosing the right family law attorney is crucial.

As smart shoppers already know, there are some rules of conduct when calling around for counsel. First, do not expect to get a hard and fast price quoted to you over the phone. Law, like life, is complicated. Your simple uncontested divorce, no matter how hard you try, is never as simple as it seems. Most attorneys will want to meet with you for an initial consultation so that they can get a more accurate picture of your present scenario. Initial consults are typically one hour of an attorney’s time. At The Mace Firm, appeal consults, criminal and personal injury are all free consultations. For family matters and matters of immigration, the hour initial consult fee is 40% less than the attorney’s hourly rate and can be scheduled as phone conferences if needed. It is during this consult that the attorney will evaluate the particular circumstances of your case and quote a retainer fee to secure representation.

At this point, a smart shopper goes home to think it over, maybe calls around, and perhaps even consults another divorce attorney. A very smart shopper calls us back. Even if a month or more has passed, when you are ready to proceed we are ready to help you through.

Continue reading " Shopping for an Attorney " »

The State Department of Natural Resources has decided to add ten officers to patrol the waterways next summer rather than establish speed limits. The DNR has decided to step up the amount of officers on the water to try and reduce recklessness. This comes about because of four boating deaths caused by boating accidents on May 1 on Lake Murray.

This decision has disappointed some boaters and safety advocates. They believe that setting speed limits would slow down traffic. On the other hand, other boaters and safety advocates agree that speed limits would be difficult to enforce and would take the officers off of the water to attend legal proceedings.

South Carolina has more than 400,000 registered motorboats, one of the highest numbers in the nation. There is already a boating safety course for underage operators, and courtesy inspections are routine at boat landings during holiday and high-profile boating events. While the number of boaters is increasing the number of police is decreasing due to budget cuts.

If they are unable to enforce boater safety laws or classes, there could be many more boating accidents with deadly consequences this summer. If you are unfortunate enough to be injured in a boating accident, please call The Mace Firm to schedule a free consultation with a South Carolina boating accident attorney.

Continue reading " South Carolina Boating Speed Limits " »

You have just been in a car crash and your car is totaled or atleast you cannot drive away from the automobile accident and the other driver is at fault. What are you supposed to do about the property damage?

1. Make sure you take pictures of all of the damage to your vehicle. If you can get pictures of the damage to the other car, please do. Then, get a business card from the towing company that takes your car so that you know how to find your car.

2. Contact the insurance company of the at fault driver. If this driver has insurance, it will be listed on the FR-10 report you receive from the investigating officer. If the driver does not have insurance you may need to contact your insurance company. If your car is not drivable, let the insurance company know that you will need a rental. Do not speak to either insurance company about how the car wreck occured or your injuries, speak only about the property damage.

3. If the at fault driver disputes his liability, his insurance company is also going to dispute their liability. You will need to get the complete accident report. You can get this report from the South Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles.

4. When figuring out how much your car is worth, you can refer to Autotrader.com, NADAguides.com, Kelley Blue Book, and Edmunds.com. Find a car similar to yours within a 100 mile radius. This number will be based on mileage, year, and overall condition. You can print this information and send it to the adjuster if the offer they make is lower than you expect.

5. There are generally 2 claims that come from a car crash, the property damage claim and the personal injury claim. Make sure you are only settling the property damage claim. Do not speak with anyone or sign anything that refers to the personal injury claim, that is your personal injury attorneys job.

6. Should the at fault driver's insurance company take too long to pay, if you have property damage coverage on your policy, file a claim with your insurance company and you will be reimbursed for the deductible once the at fault driver's policy finally pays.

7. Call The Mace Firm to assist you with your personal injury claim.

If you or someone you know has been in a car accident, please call The Mace Firm to schedule a free consultation to speak with a car accident attorney regarding your injuries.

Continue reading " Automobile Property Damage " »