The First Days After a Burn
Burn care comes first. Someone you trust can start saving evidence while you're in treatment.
- Get to the ER. Call 911 for a serious burn. Keep up with surgery, wound care and therapy, and hold on to the paperwork.
- Request the report. The fire department, police or the business may have written one up. Ask for a copy and the case number.
- Save equipment only when it's safe. Leave damaged batteries, gas appliances and electrical items alone until a safety professional says otherwise. Then keep the item, its box and the receipt, and ask a lawyer before returning or discarding it.
- Get pictures before cleanup. A helper can photograph outlets, appliances, scorch marks, smoke damage and any warning labels.
- Track healing with photos. Dated pictures show the wound, the treatment and any scarring.
Where Burns Happen on the Grand Strand
People get burned in vehicle fires after wrecks on US-501 or the Bypass, in busy restaurant kitchens, on boats at the marinas and inlets, and by chargers, grills or appliances in a rental or condo. In a hotel room or rental, the shower, stove or wiring may work differently from what you're used to.
Time Limits
Most South Carolina injury claims need to be filed within three years.1 The limit is about a lawsuit in court, and a claim with an insurer won't freeze it.2 Suits against a state or local government entity generally have two years, which a qualifying verified claim may extend to three.4 Damage caps and other special rules may apply too.3
If the fire started with wiring, a gas line or construction, time may be shorter than you'd expect. Claims over work on real property can be cut off by a fixed outer limit no matter when the problem surfaces.5 See our statewide burn injury page for more.
Want someone to look at your situation?
Talk with our team about what happened and ask the questions on your mind.
Talk With Us
Serious burns change everyday life for a long stretch. We start by hearing how it happened and what you're facing now.
We take cases across South Carolina, including Myrtle Beach and the Grand Strand. Our office is on King Street in Charleston. The first conversation can happen by phone.
If a product failed, read about product injuries in Myrtle Beach. Call and tell us what you still have from the scene.
South Carolina Law on This
- Most personal injury claims in South Carolina must be filed within three years.1
- South Carolina's statute of limitations generally sets the deadline for filing a lawsuit in court. Simply opening a claim with an insurance company or negotiating with an insurance adjuster does not stop the statute of limitations from running.2
- Claims against a South Carolina state or local government agency have their own filing deadline, which can be shorter, and there could be caps on damages under the South Carolina Tort Claims Act, depending on the facts of the case.3
- Lawsuits under the South Carolina Tort Claims Act generally must be filed within two years after the loss was or should have been discovered. A three-year deadline may apply if a qualifying verified claim was first filed under the Act.4
- Claims against builders, contractors and designers over work on real property can be cut off by a fixed outer time limit that applies no matter when the problem is discovered.5
- Most injuries that happen on the job in South Carolina go through the workers' compensation system, which has its own rules, and usually limits suing your own employer.6
- An injured worker in South Carolina generally must tell the employer about a work accident right away, and no later than 90 days after it, to receive workers' compensation, unless an exception applies.7
- A South Carolina workers' compensation claim generally must be filed with the Workers' Compensation Commission within two years after the accident, or after a death it caused. Telling the employer does not count as filing. Occupational diseases and repetitive trauma follow different rules.8
- In South Carolina, an employee injured at work may be able to receive workers' compensation benefits and also pursue a personal injury claim against a responsible third party, such as another driver. The workers' compensation insurer may have a right to reimbursement from any settlement or judgment. Special rules and deadlines apply when pursuing both claims.9
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I hang on to the charger, battery or appliance that caught fire?
If it's safe, yes. Damaged batteries, wiring and gas appliances can flare up again, so ask the fire department or another safety professional before you touch or move them. Keep any cord, box or receipt, and ask a lawyer before giving the item to a maker or insurer or throwing it out.
I was burned working in a restaurant kitchen. What are my options?
The wiring in the condo went in years ago. Is it too late?
Maybe, and the facts matter. Claims against builders, contractors and designers over work on real property can be barred by a fixed outer limit, however late the defect turns up.5 So the sooner a lawyer hears about the fire, the better.
Sources
This page is general information about South Carolina law, not legal advice for your situation. Every case depends on its own facts.
