Over 80 Years of Combined Experience. Never Once on the Insurance Company’s Side.
When a family loses someone due to another party’s negligence, the legal process that follows can feel impossible to face. Lewis Law Firm, LLC represents Rock Hill, SC families pursuing wrongful death claims throughout York County and the surrounding communities in North and South Carolina. Our attorneys bring over 80 years of combined personal injury experience to these cases, and we’ve never represented an insurance company. Every case we take is on behalf of the injured and their families.
That focus has produced results. We secured a $3,825,000 result in a tractor-trailer wrongful death case for a family we represented. Past results don’t guarantee future outcomes, but that record reflects how seriously we approach every claim we take on.
If you’ve lost a loved one due to someone else’s negligence, call us at (803) 327-1103 or reach us online. Free consultations are available by phone or online form.
Why Rock Hill Families Choose Lewis Law Firm, LLC
Insurance companies move quickly after a fatal accident. They assign adjusters, gather evidence, and work to limit what they pay. Families facing that pressure need an attorney whose loyalty runs entirely to them. We’ve never represented an insurer, and we never will. Our investigation and strategy are built entirely around your family’s claim.
Families shouldn’t have to weigh legal costs against their grief. We handle wrongful death cases on a contingency fee basis, meaning you pay no attorney fees unless we recover compensation for you. We also offer bilingual representation in Spanish, so language is never a barrier to understanding your rights or your options.
“The staff was so friendly and professional! They treated me with respect and you can tell they care.”
- Justin R.
South Carolina’s wrongful death statute, S.C. Code § 15-51-10, defines wrongful death as a death caused by the wrongful act, neglect, or default of another party where the deceased would have had a viable personal injury claim had they survived. Proving wrongful death requires establishing the same four elements as any negligence claim: duty of care, breach of that duty, causation, and resulting damages.
Not every accidental death qualifies. The death must result from another party’s negligence or wrongful conduct, not solely from the deceased’s own actions. Common causes of wrongful death claims in the Rock Hill and York County area include:
Who Can File, What Can Be Recovered, & How Long Families Have
Under S.C. Code § 15-51-20, only the executor or administrator of the deceased person’s estate may file a wrongful death claim. If no executor was named, a court may appoint a personal representative. That representative acts on behalf of all eligible beneficiaries: surviving spouses and children first, and if none, then parents. Family members don’t need to be the named plaintiff to receive compensation.
Damages Families May Pursue
Recoverable damages can include medical expenses incurred before death, funeral and burial costs, lost income and future wages, loss of benefits, loss of companionship and care, and mental anguish suffered by surviving family members. In wrongful death cases involving medical malpractice specifically, South Carolina caps non-economic damages per provider or institution at a base of $350,000, adjusted annually for inflation. Punitive damages are separately capped at $500,000 or three times compensatory damages, whichever is greater. These caps apply to malpractice claims and don’t govern other wrongful death cases.
Filing Deadlines
South Carolina imposes a three-year statute of limitations on most wrongful death claims, running from the date of death under S.C. Code § 15-3-530. Claims against government entities carry a two-year deadline. One important detail: the civil filing clock runs concurrently with any related criminal case. Waiting for a criminal proceeding to conclude doesn’t pause your deadline to file a civil claim.
How We Approach a Wrongful Death Case in Rock Hill
The period immediately after a fatal accident is when critical evidence is most at risk. Police reports, medical records, crash scene documentation, and witness accounts need to be preserved before they’re lost or altered. When a family comes to us, we begin building the evidentiary record right away.
From there, the process typically involves confirming whether a personal representative has been appointed, investigating the circumstances of the death, identifying all potentially liable parties, and calculating the full range of economic and non-economic damages the family has suffered. If the deceased shared any portion of fault under South Carolina’s comparative negligence rules, that can affect the final recovery amount. How those rules apply depends on the specific facts of each case.
The civil wrongful death claim and any criminal case against the at-fault party move on separate legal tracks. Families don’t need to wait for a criminal verdict before pursuing compensation. Because we’ve never represented an insurance company, our attorneys enter every case with one focus: pursuing the compensation your family may be entitled to seek.
Talk to a Wrongful Death Lawyer in Rock Hill at No Cost
Free consultations are available by phone or online. If we take your case, you pay no attorney fees unless we recover compensation for you. We serve Rock Hill, York County, and surrounding communities in North and South Carolina, and our team offers bilingual representation in Spanish for families who are more comfortable communicating in that language.
You shouldn’t have to navigate this process alone, and you shouldn’t have to wonder whose side your attorney is on. Contact Lewis Law Firm, LLC at (803) 327-1103 to speak with a wrongful death attorney who represents only you.
