Attorney Michael Melonakos is the founder of The Melonakos Law Firm, where he concentrates his practice on personal injury matters, including motor vehicle accidents, wrongful death, medical malpractice, premises liability, nursing home abuse, workers’ compensation, and more. The law firm’s efforts have secured more than $50 million for injured people.

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Injury Cases We Handle Across Spartanburg County

Our personal injury attorneys in Spartanburg represent people in a wide range of accident cases, including:

  • Car accidents: Crashes on I-26, I-85, and busy local roads and streets can cause serious injuries. We can pursue the at-fault driver’s insurer and any other applicable coverage.
  • Truck accidents: Trucking companies typically have their own insurers and lawyers working the case from day one. We can move quickly to preserve driver logs and other records after a commercial motor vehicle accident.
  • Motorcycle accidents: Riders often face insurers who try to blame them for the collision. We can push back with evidence that shows what really happened.
  • Pedestrian accidents: People on foot have no protection when a driver fails to yield at a crosswalk or in a parking lot, for example. We stand up for injured pedestrians’ rights.
  • Bicycle accidents: Cyclists have the same right to the road as motorists, but many drivers fail to respect that fact. A motorist who passes too closely, turns across a cyclist’s path, or otherwise acts negligently can be held responsible.
  • Slip-and-fall accidents: Stores, restaurants, and other businesses and property owners must fix or warn about hazards like wet floors and broken steps. When they ignore dangerous conditions, they may be liable for the resulting injuries.
  • Wrongful death: When someone loses their life because of someone else’s carelessness, surviving family members may bring a wrongful death claim. We can guide the family through the estate and court-approval steps required in South Carolina.

Where and When a Spartanburg County Injury Case Gets Filed

Most personal injury cases settle without a trial. Still, it helps to know where a lawsuit would go and how long you have to file one. You can learn more about how to file a personal injury claim in South Carolina on our blog.

Larger cases go to the Court of Common Pleas (the civil branch of the circuit court) at the Spartanburg County Courthouse on Magnolia Street. If the case does not settle, a jury hears it there.

Smaller claims can go to magistrate court instead. Under S.C. Code § 22-3-10, magistrates can hear civil cases worth up to $7,500. Magistrate court moves faster. However, it rarely makes sense for anyone with significant medical bills, since a magistrate cannot award more than that limit.

Deadlines are just as important as location:

  • Most injury claims: Under S.C. Code § 15-3-530, you generally have three years from the date of the injury to file a lawsuit.
  • Claims against a city, county, or state agency: The South Carolina Tort Claims Act, S.C. Code § 15-78-110, generally allows only two years. That deadline can extend to three years if you file a proper written claim with the agency within the first year.

If you miss the deadline, the court will likely dismiss your case, regardless of its merits. Talking with our experienced personal injury attorneys early can help your Spartanburg County injury claim avoid that outcome.

What Compensation Can You Recover After an Accident in Spartanburg?

A successful claim can help cover the full cost of an injury, both now and in the future. Depending on the circumstances, you may recover money for:

  • Medical expenses, including emergency care, surgery, therapy, and medication
  • Future medical care
  • Lost wages
  • Reduced earning capacity
  • Pain and suffering
  • Emotional distress
  • Scarring and disfigurement
  • Loss of enjoyment of life
  • Property damage

Can You Recover Pain and Suffering Compensation?

Yes. South Carolina allows injured people to recover money for physical pain, emotional distress, and the ways an injury limits the enjoyment of daily life.

The state does not cap pain and suffering in most car, truck, and premises liability cases. However, a few types of claims carry limits:

  • Medical malpractice: S.C. Code § 15-32-220 limits pain and suffering awards against health care providers. The limits do not apply in cases of gross negligence, recklessness, or altered medical records.
  • Claims against government agencies: The Tort Claims Act caps the total amount a person can recover from a city, county, or state agency, including limits on pain-and-suffering compensation.

Your own share of the blame can also affect your recovery. Under the rule of modified comparative negligence in South Carolina, you are eligible to receive compensation as long as you were not more than 50 percent at fault. The court will reduce your award by the percentage of fault attributed to you. If you were 51 percent or more at fault, you cannot recover anything.

Why Injured People in Spartanburg Choose The Melonakos Law Firm

Injured people in the Upstate and across South Carolina choose to work with our firm for reasons such as our track record, our rate of client satisfaction, and our ability to offer high-quality legal services at no upfront cost.

Our Case Results

Our injury lawyers in Spartanburg County have secured meaningful results for clients throughout the Upstate, including:

  • $2,000,000 policy-limits settlement for a client rear-ended by a tractor-trailer
  • $1,140,000 for a client who needed neck surgery after a commercial vehicle crash in Anderson County
  • $1,000,000 policy-limits settlement after a truck driver failed to yield while turning left

See more on our case results page. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome in future cases.

What Our Clients Say

Our top priority is to treat our clients with dignity and respect. Here is just some of what our former clients had to say about working with us:

“Had such a great experience with Melonakos Law Firm! I got the settlement I deserved and would definitely recommend them to anyone else looking for representation!”

Kiandra

“I was very impressed with their service. Very courteous and very helpful with answering questions and settled the case very quickly. I will use them again.”

Courtney

How Our Fees Work

We handle personal injury cases on a contingency-fee basis. You will pay us nothing up front, and you will owe no attorney’s fee unless we recover money for you. Our fees are calculated as a percentage of the settlement or verdict. We will explain the exact terms before you sign anything.

Talk to a Spartanburg Personal Injury Lawyer About Your Case

You should not have to figure out an injury claim on your own while you heal. Contact The Melonakos Law Firm today for a free consultation. Our Spartanburg personal injury attorneys will review what happened and tell you honestly how we can help.