Personal Injury Lawyer Greenville SC

HawkLaw is a South Carolina personal injury law firm that has represented injured people in Greenville since John D. Hawkins founded it in 2002. Its Greenville personal injury lawyers handle car and truck crashes, falls, dog bites, workplace injuries, and wrongful death claims. The firm has recovered more than $200 million* for its clients, takes every Greenville case on a contingency fee, and offers a free consultation.

Call HawkLaw at 1-866-962-6720 or fill out the free case review form to speak with a Greenville personal injury attorney.

Why Choose HawkLaw?

HawkLaw has handled more than 7,500 injury cases in South Carolina, and its founder has practiced law in the state since 1994. We prepare every Greenville case as if it will go to trial, which gives you leverage when an insurer makes a low offer.

• Experienced leadership: John Hawkins graduated with honors from the University of South Carolina School of Law, where he was Managing Editor of the Law Review. He served 12 years in the South Carolina legislature and 23 years in the South Carolina Army and Air National Guard.
• Proven results: More than $200 million recovered*, including a $3,000,000 trucking accident settlement and a $1,005,000 car accident settlement. See our results.
• Upstate presence: We have offices in Greenville, Spartanburg, and Anderson, plus Columbia and North Charleston.
• Trusted by clients: 500+ five-star reviews and a 4.8 average rating. We are members of the American Association for Justice and the South Carolina Association for Justice.

HawkLaw Case Results for Injured South Carolina Clients

HawkLaw’s South Carolina case results include:

• $3,000,000* trucking accident settlement. 
• $1,005,000* car accident settlement. 
• $575,000* personal injury settlement. 

*Settlement amounts are gross figures before attorney’s fees and costs. Past results do not guarantee a similar outcome in any other case. Read HawkLaw’s full disclaimer.

What Damages Can I Recover in a Greenville Personal Injury Case?

Injured people in South Carolina can recover economic damages for financial losses and non-economic damages for pain and lost quality of life. Punitive damages may also be available when the conduct was reckless.

Economic Damages

These include medical bills, future medical care, lost wages, lost earning capacity, and property damage.

Non-Economic Damages

These cover pain and suffering, emotional distress, scarring, loss of enjoyment of life, and loss of consortium.

Punitive Damages

Punitive damages punish reckless or malicious conduct, such as drunk driving, and require clear and convincing evidence (S.C. Code § 15-33-135). They are generally capped at the greater of three times compensatory damages or $500,000, with exceptions (S.C. Code § 15-32-530).

Wrongful Death Damages

When an injury is fatal, the family can bring a wrongful death claim (S.C. Code § 15-51-10) for lost support, grief, and funeral costs. The estate can also bring a survival action (§ 15-5-90) for the person’s medical bills and pain before death.

How Do I Know if I Have a Personal Injury Case?

You likely have a personal injury case in Greenville if someone owed you a duty of care, breached it, and caused an injury with real losses.

For example, suppose a driver on Laurens Road looks at a phone and rear-ends a stopped car, and the other driver needs neck surgery. That meets all four elements: duty, breach, causation, and damages. A fender-bender with no injury usually does not qualify. A HawkLaw attorney can tell you in a free consultation whether your claim is worth pursuing.

Who Can Be Held Liable for My Injuries?

Liability in a Greenville injury case can fall on any party whose negligence contributed to the harm. Often more than one party shares responsibility.

• Careless, distracted, or impaired drivers
• Trucking companies, maintenance contractors, and cargo loaders
• Property owners and managers
• Manufacturers and sellers of defective products
• Doctors, hospitals, and nursing homes
• Bars that overserve a visibly intoxicated customer
• Third parties in workplace injuries, such as subcontractors or equipment makers (S.C. Code § 42-1-560)
• Government entities such as the City of Greenville, Greenville County, or SCDOT, under the South Carolina Tort Claims Act

When several defendants share fault, a defendant under 50% at fault generally pays only its share (S.C. Code § 15-38-15). That is why we identify every responsible party early.

Types of Personal Injury Cases We Handle in Greenville

HawkLaw’s Greenville personal injury lawyerss handle vehicle crashes, premises injuries, workplace injuries, medical malpractice, and wrongful death claims across Greenville County.

Car Accidents

The City of Greenville found that 41% of injury and fatal crashes happened on less than 5% of its roads. It calls those roads its High Injury Network, which includes Laurens Road, North Pleasantburg Drive, Woodruff Road, and Wade Hampton Boulevard. Our Greenville car accident lawyers handle rear-end, head-on, drunk driving, and Uber and Lyft crashes. If the at-fault driver has no insurance, your own uninsured motorist coverage, required in South Carolina, may pay.

Truck Accidents

I-85, I-385, and I-185 carry heavy freight traffic through Greenville County. Federal rules limit truck drivers to 11 hours of driving within a 14-hour window (49 CFR § 395.3). Our truck accident lawyers preserve driver logs, electronic logging data, and maintenance records before a trucking company can overwrite them.

Motorcycle, Bicycle, and Pedestrian Accidents

Riders and walkers suffer the most severe injuries in a crash. Bike Walk Greenville has identified White Horse Road as one of the county’s most dangerous roads for pedestrians and cyclists. We handle motorcycle, bicycle, and pedestrian accident claims.

Slip and Fall Accidents and Dog Bites

Property owners must keep their premises reasonably safe. We handle slip and fall claims involving wet floors, broken stairs, and poor lighting. For dog bites, South Carolina holds owners strictly liable when a dog bites someone who is lawfully present, even if the dog never showed aggression before (S.C. Code § 47-3-110).

Workers’ Compensation and Workplace Injuries

Workers’ compensation covers medical care and part of lost wages. Report the injury to your employer within 90 days (S.C. Code § 42-15-20). When a third party caused the injury, such as on a construction site, you may also have a separate injury claim. We also help with Social Security Disability for permanent injuries.

Medical Malpractice

A medical malpractice claim requires showing that a provider fell below the accepted standard of care. Before filing suit in South Carolina, you must file a Notice of Intent with a supporting expert affidavit (S.C. Code §§ 15-79-125, 15-36-100).

Wrongful Death

When negligence causes a death, we help families bring wrongful death and survival claims.

We also handle brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, burns, defective products, and nursing home negligence.

What to Do After an Injury in Greenville, SC

What you do in the hours and days after an injury matters. It affects your health, your recovery, and your ability to move forward with a personal injury claim. Most people are not thinking about evidence or insurance issues in that moment — they are trying to deal with pain, confusion, and disruption. That is completely normal. Still, there are steps you can take that protect you in both the short and long term.

• Get medical attention right away: Immediate medical attention should always come first. Even if you think your injuries are minor, symptoms can worsen over time. Early treatment also creates a clear record linking your injuries to the personal injury accident.
• Follow your treatment plan: Once you begin medical treatment, follow through with it. Skipping appointments or stopping care early can be used by an insurance company to argue that your injuries are not serious.
• Report the incident: Whether it is a car accident, a fall, or another type of injury, make sure there is an official report. For motor vehicle accidents, that means calling law enforcement. For injuries on someone else’s property, notify the property owner or manager.
• Document what you can: If you are able, take photos of the scene, your injuries, and anything that may have contributed to the accident. Get names and contact information for witnesses. These details can become important later.
• Be careful with the insurance company: You may be contacted quickly by an insurance company asking for a statement. Be cautious. What you say early on can be used to minimize your injury claim or shift fault under South Carolina law.
• Keep track of everything: Save medical bills, receipts, appointment records, and any communication related to your case. This includes time missed from work and how your injuries are affecting your daily life.
• Talk to a personal injury attorney early: You do not need to have everything figured out before speaking with a lawyer. In fact, getting legal representation early can help you avoid mistakes, deal with the insurance company, and start building a strong personal injury case from the beginning.

Taking these steps does not guarantee a result, but it puts you in a stronger position. It also makes it easier for your legal team to gather evidence and move your case forward.

What Is the Greenville Personal Injury Lawsuit Process?

Most Greenville injury claims move through five stages: consultation, investigation, demand and negotiation, filing suit, and mediation or trial. Many settle before a lawsuit is filed.

1. Free Consultation

We review what happened, your treatment, and the insurance involved, and explain your options.

2. Investigation

We gather crash reports, video, witness statements, and medical records, and send preservation letters so evidence is not destroyed.

3. Demand and Negotiation

Once your treatment is far enough along to value the claim, we send the insurer a demand and negotiate. You decide whether to accept any offer.

4. Filing a Lawsuit

If the insurer won’t pay fairly, we file in the Greenville County Court of Common Pleas, located at the Greenville County Courthouse, 305 East North Street.

5. Mediation and Trial

South Carolina circuit courts generally require mediation before trial. If mediation fails, a Greenville County jury decides the case.

How Long Do I Have to File a Personal Injury Claim in South Carolina?

Most South Carolina personal injury lawsuits must be filed within three years of the injury (S.C. Code § 15-3-530). Claims against government entities generally have a two-year deadline (§ 15-78-110), and medical malpractice has its own rules (§ 15-3-545). Evidence such as store and traffic video can disappear within weeks, so it’s best to start early.

What If I Was Partly at Fault?

South Carolina follows the 51% modified comparative negligence rule. You can recover if you are 50% or less at fault, but your award is reduced by your share. For example, if you are 20% at fault on $100,000 in damages, you recover $80,000. If you are 51% at fault, you recover nothing.

How Much Does a Greenville Personal Injury Lawyer Cost?

HawkLaw handles Greenville injury cases on a contingency fee*. There is no upfront cost, and no attorney’s fee unless we recover compensation. The fee is a percentage of the settlement or verdict.

What Should I Expect During My First Meeting?

Your free consultation covers how the injury happened, your medical treatment, and the insurance involved. Bring what you have, such as:

• The crash or incident report
• Photos
• Medical bills
• Your auto insurance card
• Any letters from an insurer

We will explain your options, what your claim may be worth, and the next steps.

When Should You Hire a Greenville Personal Injury Lawyer?

An injured person in Greenville should talk to a personal injury lawyer when the injury needs ongoing medical care, keeps them out of work, or when an insurance company disputes fault or the value of the claim.

Talk to a Greenville personal injury lawyer if:

• Your injuries need more than a single urgent care visit
• You are missing work or losing income
• An insurance adjuster is questioning fault or asking for a recorded statement
• More than one party may share blame, such as a driver and a trucking company
• A government vehicle, city sidewalk, or public property was involved
• You do not know what your claim is worth

Timing matters for evidence as well as deadlines. Trucking companies can overwrite electronic logging data, and stores often record over security video within weeks. A lawyer can send a preservation letter that legally obligates the other side to keep that evidence. We send these letters early in Greenville cases where video, vehicle data, or maintenance records could prove fault.

Areas We Serve in Greenville

HawkLaw’s Greenville office is at 3 Caledon Court, Suite A, Greenville, SC 29615, off Pelham Road near I-385. We represent clients throughout Greenville County, including:

• Downtown and North Main
• Augusta Road
• Overbrook
• West Greenville
• Berea
• Parker
• Taylors
• Greer
• Travelers Rest
• Mauldin
• Simpsonville
• Five Forks

Talk to a Greenville Personal Injury Lawyer Today

If you were injured in Greenville, call HawkLaw at 1-866-962-6720 or request a free case review. There is no fee unless we win.

*Contingency fees refer only to the fee charged by the attorney. The client may still be responsible for certain costs and expenses. Results are not guaranteed. The Anderson office is by appointment only, and clients are generally served out of the Greenville office location.