Personal Injury Law in South Dakota
There’s a certain peace that comes with knowing your personal injury law office is gathering evidence and working to get you the financial compensation you need and deserve.
If you or a loved one has been hurt, you may feel vulnerable, scared, stressed, angry, and alone. Those feelings are all natural. South Dakota personal injury attorneys witness these emotions when prospective clients contact their offices.
The good news is that all these stressful feelings lessen once you’ve hired a personal injury lawyer and have a team of professionals on your side.
You are not alone. If you or a loved one has been injured in South Dakota, this article is meant for you. We’ll explain:
- The kinds of cases that South Dakota personal injury lawyers handle.
- What you need to prove in a personal injury case.
- Why you should call a lawyer immediately.
- How to find a South Dakota personal injury attorney.
Would a South Dakota Personal Injury Attorney Handle My Case?
Personal injury attorneys handle the cases of seriously injured people.
- If you were seriously injured in South Dakota, a South Dakota would be licensed to handle your case.
- The only way to find out if you have a case is to consult with a personal injury attorney. Case evaluations are always free.
In the meantime, here’s a list of cases that PI lawyers commonly handle.
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Motor Vehicles. Example motor vehicle cases include truck, car, motorcycle, pedestrian, bicycle, golf cart, RV, ATV, boat, cruise line, airplane, scooter, amusement park ride, construction zone, and mass accidents.
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Defective Products. Example defective include tires, equipment, medical equipment, cars, hair dryers, power tools, medicines, vacuum cleaners, machines, appliances, kitchen tools, chemicals, etc. have all been found to be defective at times.
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Serious Injuries. Example injuries include death, birth injuries, brain injuries, medical mistake injuries, dog bites, adverse drug reactions, burns, scars, lacerations, bruises, broken bones, fractures, food-borne illnesses, nursing home abuse injuries, slip and falls injuries, medical malpractice injuries, and Mesothelioma (i.e. cancer).
How Do I Prove My South Dakota Personal Injury Case?
Your South Dakota personal injury lawyer will provide specifics for your individual case. Because most PI cases are negligence based, we’ll provide the 3 elements of a negligence case.
- #1. Duty and Breach of Duty. There was a duty for action or inaction and the duty was not fulfilled.
- #2. Causation. The breach of duty caused serious injury.
- #3. Legal Damages. The injury is one that can be compensated in the eyes of the law.
Why Should I Call a Personal Injury Lawyer Immediately?
- To get a personal injury attorney and team on your side to collect evidence and give you advice.
- To preserve evidence.
- To protect you from insurance companies and other parties’ attorneys.
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To ensure the statute of limitations is met.
Here are some example South Dakota statute of limitations for personal injury cases:
- Medical Malpractice is 2 years (S.D. Codified Laws В§ 15-2-14.1).
- Personal Injury is 3 years (S.D. Codified Laws В§ 15-2-14(3)).
- Wrongful Death is 3 years (S.D. Codified Laws В§ 21-5-3).
- Property Damage is 6 years (S.D. Codified Laws В§ 15-2-13(4)).
How Do I Find a South Dakota Personal Injury Attorney?
To find a South Dakota personal injury lawyer, search our site, www.attorneys.org, or ask the bar association or a loved one for a referral. We think you’ll feel better as soon as you make the call.
