First Steps After a Burn Injury in North Charleston
Treatment first. Family can start saving evidence.
- Call 911 for serious burns.
- Keep every wound care and surgery date.
- Ask the fire department for its report number.
- Swollen battery or leaking fuel? Leave it to professionals.
- Once safe, keep the item, box and receipt.
- Photograph outlets, scorch marks and labels before cleanup.
- Dated photos of healing burns help.
- Manuals and receipts identify the maker.
How Burns Happen Around North Charleston
Around North Charleston, serious burns come from vehicle fires after wrecks on I-26 or I-526, kitchen and electrical fires in older houses near Park Circle, e-bike batteries charging in apartments off Rivers Avenue, and hot work in plants and warehouses along the freight corridors.
South Carolina Law on Burn Injury Claims
Time to File
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.2 Lawsuits under the South Carolina Tort Claims Act generally must be filed within two years, and a three-year deadline may apply if a qualifying verified claim was first filed under the Act.4 Claims against a South Carolina state or local government agency could face caps on damages under the Tort Claims Act, depending on the facts of the case.3
Fires From Wiring or Construction
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 South Carolina generally imposes an eight-year outer deadline on lawsuits arising from defective or unsafe improvements to real property, measured from substantial completion of the improvement, and exceptions may apply.6 So a fire from old wiring or a gas line needs a fast look.
Our statewide page explains how burn injury claims work.
Want someone to look at your situation?
Talk with our team about what happened and ask the questions on your mind.
Talk With Us
Severe burns can mean grafts and months of therapy. Tell us how the fire started and where recovery stands. If you hire us, the insurers can usually deal with us.
We take cases across South Carolina, including North Charleston. Our office is on King Street in downtown Charleston. A product that caught fire? Our North Charleston product liability page covers that.
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
- South Carolina generally imposes an eight-year outer deadline on lawsuits arising from defective or unsafe improvements to real property, measured from substantial completion of the improvement. Exceptions may apply. This deadline is separate from the ordinary statute of limitations and may prevent some claims even when the problem was discovered later.6
- 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.7
- 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.8
- 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.9
- 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.10
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I keep the charger or heater that started it?
Only if it's safe. Damaged batteries can reignite. Let firefighters or another safety pro say how to handle it. Then keep the cord, box and receipt, and ask a lawyer before returning or tossing anything.
I got burned at work. What are my options?
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.7 An injured worker generally must tell the employer no later than 90 days after the accident, and a claim generally must be filed within two years.89 An employee injured at work may also be able to pursue a personal injury claim against a responsible third party.10
The wiring went in years ago. Too late?
Possibly. 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 Call soon after the fire.
Do I have to come downtown to talk?
The first conversation can happen by phone. Our office is on King Street in downtown Charleston, south of North Charleston by way of I-26 or Rivers Avenue. If the drive is hard right now, we can meet you at the hospital, at home or somewhere else that works for you.
Sources
This page is general information about South Carolina law, not legal advice for your situation. Every case depends on its own facts.
