Kershaw County Personal Injury Lawyer
Big Injury? Call Big Ben
All State & Federal Courts
Serving You For Over 25 Years
Connell Law Firm is a Kershaw County personal injury law firm built on one idea: when you hire an attorney, you expect to talk to that attorney. You do not get handed off to a case manager, a call center, or a paralegal reading from a file.
Ben Connell makes himself directly available to his clients, including sharing his personal cell phone number, because he believes that direct attorney access is how a client relationship is supposed to work.
Our firm has represented injury victims across Kershaw County and South Carolina since 1993. We handle car accidents, truck wrecks, motorcycle crashes, workers' compensation claims, and wrongful death cases. If your family is considering filing a wrongful death claim, we can explain your legal options and guide you through the process.
Whether your injury happened on I-20, US 1, or a back road between Lugoff and Camden, our attorneys are ready to review your case at no cost. Call (803) 310-5700.
Why Do Kershaw County Families Trust Connell Law Firm?
Connell Law Firm is not a statewide billboard operation that happens to take calls from Kershaw County. We are based here. We practice here, and we have raised our families here.
Three Decades in This Community
Attorney Joe Connell founded the firm in 1993 in Lugoff and has practiced in South Carolina courts for over 30 years. He is fluent in Spanish and handles cases in both English and Spanish.
Attorney J. Benjamin Connell graduated from UNC School of Law and practiced at Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough before returning to the family practice. He currently serves on the Kershaw County Council.
Attorney Derek Shoemake served as an Assistant United States Attorney in the District of South Carolina and is a U.S. Marine Corps veteran. He brings federal courtroom experience to every case he touches.
What Sets This Firm Apart
Plenty of law firms run ads in the Midlands, but few of them offer what we offer:
- Direct access to your attorney, including the option to reach Ben Connell on his personal cell phone
- A family-run firm where three attorneys handle cases personally
- An office in Lugoff at 20 Townlee Ln, Suite A, open Monday through Friday
- Over 30 years of trial experience in both South Carolina state and federal courts
- Active involvement in Kershaw County civic life, including elected service on the County Council
The difference between a billboard and a relationship is whether your attorney picks up the phone when you call.
PRACTICE AREAS
What Types of Personal Injury Cases Does Connell Law Firm Handle?
Our Kershaw County SC personal injury attorneys handle a wide range of injury and wrongful death cases. The following table outlines the primary practice areas and the types of claims within each:
| Practice Area | Common Claim Types |
|---|---|
| Truck accidents | Tractor-trailer wrecks, 18-wheeler crashes, FMCSA violations, cargo loading failures |
| Car accidents | Rear-end collisions, intersection crashes, distracted driving, DUI-related wrecks |
| Motorcycle accidents | Left-turn collisions, lane-change wrecks, rider bias disputes |
| Workers' compensation | Workplace injuries, repetitive stress, construction site accidents |
| Wrongful death | Fatal car accidents, fatal truck wrecks, fatal workplace incidents |
We represent clients in Lugoff, Camden, Elgin, Boykin, and throughout Kershaw County. We also take cases across the broader South Carolina Midlands region.
How Does the Personal Injury Claims Process Work in South Carolina?
A personal injury claim in South Carolina follows a general path from initial consultation through resolution, whether that resolution comes through a settlement or a jury verdict in court.
What to Expect After You Call Our Office
You call (803) 310-5700, and you speak with an attorney. We review the facts of your accident and your injuries during a free consultation. If we take your case, the process typically moves through these stages:
- We gather medical records, police reports, and any available photos, video, or witness statements from the accident
- We calculate the full value of your claim, including current medical costs, projected future treatment, lost income, and non-economic losses
- We negotiate directly with the insurance company on your behalf and handle all carrier communication
- We file a lawsuit in Kershaw County Court of Common Pleas or federal court if the insurer refuses a fair resolution
- We prepare your case for trial and present it to a jury if settlement talks break down
Most personal injury claims in South Carolina settle before trial. But the willingness and preparation to try a case in front of a Kershaw County jury is what gives settlement negotiations real leverage.
What South Carolina Laws Affect a Personal Injury Claim in Kershaw County?
South Carolina personal injury law sets specific rules on filing deadlines, fault allocation, and recoverable damages. These rules directly shape the value and timeline of every claim.
Filing Deadlines
Under S.C. Code § 15-3-530(5), most personal injury lawsuits in South Carolina must be filed within three years of the date of injury.
Claims against government entities may carry a two-year deadline under the South Carolina Tort Claims Act, S.C. Code § 15-78-80, along with additional procedural requirements.
Other exceptions may apply depending on the type of claim, so confirming your specific deadline with an attorney is a good idea.
Comparative Negligence
South Carolina follows a modified comparative negligence rule. You may recover compensation if you are less than 51% at fault, with your award reduced by your percentage of responsibility. If you are 51% or more at fault, you are barred from recovering compensation.
Insurance adjusters use this rule to push your fault percentage higher and your settlement lower, which is why building strong evidence in a personal injury claim early in the process can make a meaningful difference in the outcome of your case.
What Compensation Might Be Available?
Compensation in a South Carolina personal injury case depends on the specific losses you suffered. The categories include:
- Medical expenses, including emergency care, surgery, rehabilitation, prescriptions, and projected future treatment costs
- Lost wages and reduced future earning capacity
- Pain, mental anguish, and emotional distress
- Loss of enjoyment of daily activities
- Scarring, disfigurement, and permanent disability
- In wrongful death cases, funeral costs, lost financial support, and loss of companionship
South Carolina does not cap noneconomic damages in most personal injury cases.
How Does Connell Law Firm Serve the Kershaw County Community Beyond Legal Work?
Ben Connell did not build his name in Kershaw County from behind a desk. He serves as a member of the Kershaw County Council, where he works on issues that affect the same families and neighborhoods he represents in court.
He is a past president of the Kershaw County Bar Association and served on the board of the Kershaw County Public Facilities Corporation.
Rooted in Kershaw County
You might see Ben at a community event in Lugoff or Camden before you ever see him in a courtroom. That local presence is intentional. We believe the attorneys who represent this community need to be part of this community, not just located near it.
Our commitment to Kershaw County also means we take cases on terms that remove financial barriers:
- Contingency fee basis on all personal injury cases, meaning you pay no attorney fees unless we recover money for you
- Free initial consultations with no obligation to hire us
- A single point of contact with your attorney throughout the life of your case
- Communication in both English and Spanish
We built this firm on the idea that Kershaw County residents need a personal injury law firm they know by name, not by billboard.
Connell Law Firm Office Location
Connell Law Firm
20 Townlee Ln, Suite A Lugoff, SC 29078
Phone: (803) 310-5700 Office
Hours: Monday through Thursday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM and Friday, 8:00 AM to 1:00 PM
Our office serves clients in Lugoff, Camden, Elgin, Boykin, and all of Kershaw County, as well as the broader South Carolina Midlands including Columbia, Richland County, and Sumter County.
FAQs for Kershaw County Personal Injury Lawyer
Call Big Ben at Connell Law Firm Today
Hiring a personal injury attorney in Kershaw County comes down to one question: when you need answers, who picks up the phone?
At Connell Law Firm, Ben Connell picks up the phone. That level of direct access is how we have built our practice, and it is what our clients tell us matters most.
We have represented Kershaw County families since 1993. We take personal injury cases on a contingency fee basis, and every consultation starts with an honest conversation about what your case involves and what realistic next steps look like.
You get a straight answer from a local attorney who already knows this community. Call (803) 310-5700 and talk to Big Ben.
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