When Your Back Is Against The Wall

South Carolina Wrongful Death Attorney

Serving Families Throughout South Carolina

Losing a loved one is never easy. When you lose a family member because of the negligence of another person or organization, the loss becomes even more difficult to bear. Your family deserves justice in these unimaginable situations, and Lanier Law Group, P.A. is in your corner.

Our South Carolina wrongful death lawyer is prepared to help you hold responsible parties accountable for their negligence. Our team of dedicated legal professionals is experienced, knowledgeable, and well-equipped to handle cases of all types and complexities. We are thorough in gathering evidence, relentless in negotiation, and formidable in court, always fighting to secure the justice and compensation our clients deserve. You can expect compassionate support and tailored guidance throughout each stage of the legal process.

If you recently lost a loved one due to negligence, we encourage you to call 919-342-1368 or contact us online to schedule a free initial consultation.

Common Causes of Wrongful Death

Wrongful death can be a direct result of various unfortunate incidents, many of which are preventable. When someone causes an avoidable death due to negligence or recklessness, they can generally be held accountable through a wrongful death lawsuit.

Our South Carolina wrongful death attorneys are prepared to represent your family if your loved one passed away due to many types of accidents and incidents, including:

Car accidents. Collisions involving cars, motorcycles, and trucks are all frequent causes of wrongful death. Negligent driving, such as speeding, reckless driving, drunk driving, or distracted driving can all result in fatal accidents.
Medical malpractice. A misdiagnosis, delayed diagnosis, surgical errors, or even negligence during labor and childbirth can all lead to catastrophic, fatal outcomes.
Workplace accidents. Certain occupations, like construction or industrial jobs, carry significant unavoidable risks. Employers are required to maintain safety standards, but serious accidents still can and do occur. In these instances, families may need to seek death benefits through a workers’ compensation claim, but they may also be able to pursue a wrongful death lawsuit against a third party whose negligence caused a work-related accident.
Defective products. Companies are required to ensure their products are reasonably safe for use. If a product is found to be dangerously defective and causes wrongful death, the manufacturer can be held liable.
Premises liability. Property owners are responsible for maintaining safe premises. A property owner may be liable if they fail to sufficiently address a hazardous condition (that they knew or should have known about) that fatally harms a visitor.

Who Has the Ability to File a Wrongful Death Claim in South Carolina?

Some states allow specific surviving family members of the victim to bring a wrongful death claim. In South Carolina, however, the right to bring a wrongful death claim is reserved for the personal representative of the victim’s estate. The personal representative is typically named in a person’s will, and the person in this role is also sometimes called the “executor.” If there is no valid will or the chosen personal representative is unavailable, the court will select a personal representative, typically a close surviving family member.

The personal representative does not collect the proceeds of a successful wrongful death lawsuit. Any settlement will be dispersed amongst the victim’s closest surviving relatives.

The following family members will generally receive compensation for wrongful death damages in South Carolina:

The victim’s spouse and children, or
The victim’s parents (if there is no surviving spouse or children)
Their closest surviving relatives (if there are no surviving parents, children, or spouse)

What Is the Time Limit for Filing a Wrongful Death Claim in South Carolina?

In South Carolina, the statute of limitations for filing a wrongful death lawsuit is generally three years from the date of the deceased’s death, which is not necessarily the date they sustained their fatal injuries. Certain exceptions can extend or shorten this time limit, particularly in cases involving medical malpractice, so it is in your best interest to speak to our South Carolina wrongful death lawyer about your options as soon as possible. If you miss the relevant deadline, you will usually be unable to recover any damages.

Compensation for Families of Wrongful Death Victims in South Carolina

In wrongful death cases, the compensation granted to families of the victims falls into several categories. Though no amount of money can replace a lost loved one, getting compensation through a wrongful death lawsuit helps the families of the victim reduce the financial burden of their loss. It also ensures accountability on the part of the negligent party.

Our team at Lanier Law Group, P.A. will fight to secure maximum compensation for all losses, including:

Economic damages. These are quantifiable financial losses resulting from the death. They include medical expenses incurred before the victim’s death, funeral and burial expenses, loss of the deceased’s expected earnings, loss of benefits such as medical coverage or pensions, and loss of inheritance as a result of premature death.
Non-economic damages. These are intangible losses that do not have a definitive monetary value but significantly impact the lives of the victim and their surviving family. They include pain and suffering endured by the deceased before death, loss of consortium (loss of the companionship, care, or protection of the deceased), mental anguish, and emotional distress suffered by the family.
Punitive damages. Unlike economic and non-economic damages that aim to directly compensate the victim’s family, punitive damages are awarded to punish the responsible party for especially reckless or negligent behavior and to deter others from engaging in similar conduct.

The value of your claim will depend on the unique circumstances of your case. Factors such as the deceased’s life expectancy, earning capacity, health condition, age, and the financial dependency of survivors are all taken into account. We will always seek the maximum possible compensation.

Our compassionate team is in your corner, and we are ready to help you and your family get justice. Contact us online or call 919-342-1368 today.

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Lanier Law Group is Here When Results Matter Most

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*Featured Case Results, Settlements, & Trial Wins From Our Attorneys

Any result the law firm may achieve on behalf of one client is one matter and does not necessarily indicate similar results can be obtained for other clients.

$5.95 Million

Permanent Brain Failure

Our client had a brick fly off of a utility trailer and go through their windshield and hit her on the face.

$4.8 Million

Settlement

A case with multiple plaintiffs who were potentially exposed to a deadly disease while in the hospital.

$4.3 Million

Head-On Collision

Personal injury litigation settlement for a client who was involved in a head-on collision with a commercial tractor-trailer.

$3.1 Million

Birth Injury/Hypoxic Brain Injury

The OB doctor’s negligence caused a delay in the baby’s birth which resulted in the baby suffering of a severe hypoxic brain injury.

$1.8 Million

Litigation Settlement

Our client was involved in a motor vehicle accident with a meat truck.

$1.375 Million

Medication Overdose/Hospital Negligence

Our client died following an overdose of medication that occurred as a result of the negligence of the nursery staff while they were in the hospital.

We Never Back Down From a Fight

Featured Reviews, Testimonials & Results

Any result the law firm may achieve on behalf of one client is one matter and does not necessarily indicate similar results can be obtained for other clients.

"20 out of 10 stars."

There are times in your life you are so hurt and feel life has a grudge against you. Nothing in your life is going right. I lost the most important person in my life to death, of which I knew mistakes were made because I witnessed it with my own eyes. When you contact a law group you most of the time get all business and a matter of fact conversation. I want all to know that from the first phone call they listened to my lengthy story, sobbing most of the time with so much compassion. They never made any promises but offered assurances that no stone would be unturned. They fulfilled every word they said. They restored faith that I had lost. Until you are in a position like mine you can never know how invaluable Lanier Law Group is. They were wonderful while maintaining their professionalism. They treated me like a family member. They really do care about their clients. But most of all they are the best at what they do. I worked in the court system for years so I knew how attorneys and law firms basically operated. Understanding the law and it’s interpretation is the ultimate key to winning any case. Also know that if an attorney/attorneys study and review your case and know that you don’t have a chance in a court of law and are big enough to tell you that instead of giving you false hope, you then my friend have a group with valuable shared values. I have so much respect for everyone in this Law Group. I recommend Lanier Law Group, P.A. to anyone who needs representation, they are in your corner. 20 out of 10 stars.

- Diane W.

"Lanier Law Group will always be the choice for me and all my family members"

I started working with Lanier Law Group in 2020 on my Social Security Disability case. They from start to finish were awesome. My case manager Janet Hanks and attorney, Ashley Sappenfield were always available to answer all my questions. I did not have to do much but sit back and let them handle whatever was needed. My case took too long (2 years) and if I did not have Janet and Ashley My case would still not be approved. I would recommend Lanier to anyone to get the job done and approved. Do not go to another firm with your case, who promise the world and do not see it to completion and do not think another firms would have worked as hard as they did on my case. Lanier Law Group will always be the choice for me and all my family members to handle any cases of this type and other legal services they provide. They went above and beyond!

- Phillip J.

"So thankful for your expertise and professionalism"

Mrs. Gonzalez did an awesome job of explaining everything in detail and keeping me informed on the status of my case. Despite poor customer service with the insurance company, Mrs. Gonzalez was able to fix what they could not. Mrs. Gonzalez was very helpful with helping me understand things that I was not aware of when dealing with insurance claims. I am so thankful for her expertise and professionalism.

- Mario H.

"Always ready to answer any questions I may have"

The staff kept me well informed in a more than timely manner and was always ready to answer any questions I may have.

- Timothy M.

"The Lanier Law Group provided excellent customer service!"

The Lanier Law Group provided excellent customer service! My main contact was Denise.

- Malinda P.

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After an injury, every second counts. We are available to meet with you in person, virtually, or at your location to provide the highest quality legal counsel.

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We Never Back Down

Our attorneys are confident taking cases to trial and will always seek to maximize your compensation.