South Carolina Injury Law Journal - Anderson and Greenville Lawyer & Attorney Workers' Compensation Cases, Product Liability Lawsuits, and Accidents

I  am fortunate to be getting married soon and in doing so we are moving to another home in downtown Greenville which we are renovating. Having enjoyed this one for close to three years, it's time to move on to the next rehab project.  Real estate is my second professional passion after practicing law.

I bought this 3BR/2BA home from a Greenville County Master In Equity Foreclosure sale in early 2008 and before I left the courthouse that day was offered $20,000.00 more then I paid for it. I guess that was a good sign, I made a good buy.  (That particular bidder had gotten there after bidding on this home ended, lucky for me). However, I wanted this house for my primary, residential home to live and walk downtown. It was an investment but not purely an investment. I wanted to enjoy it, too.

My best friend and I from college, Christopher Smith, started Smith & Mills, Inc. out of college rehabbing and buying foreclosure homes in 2000 when there was a slight recession and credit was good because we had no cash. We have never really profited any substantial gains on these properties but we keep our fingers crossed that they will be just as good as an IRA.

When I moved to Greenville, I was lucky enough to meet Royce & Jackie Dessaure because they have been a blessing when it comes to dependable, trustworthy, and cost minded contractors. They helped me jump into 103 Arlington Avenue and remove all the carpet, white tile, counter tops, and start the whole interior over again. We ended up putting in all hardwoods, except in the kitchen and bathrooms where we used slate flooring to provide that earthy, warm look. Then went with custom lighting, granite counter tops in kitchen & baths, fenced the yard, repainted the whole home, scrapped the ceilings to have the smooth finish, made a walk in closet off the master, satin nickel plate hardware and switch plates, landscaping and created a "dry bar" out of nook in the hallway.

All this could be yours. I talk and negotiate money everyday with insurance companies so I am just giving this home away at $183,900.00. Now of course we can negotiate some but you got to remember what I got into it. Bought for $95,000.00 + Repairs, fence, appliances, landscaping $75,000.00, + mortgage interest for three years $12,000.00. Hence you have the price listed above. Make me an offer I can't refuse and if I do refuse it, just keep moving up with your offer.

103 Arlington Avenue, Greenville, South Carolina 29601

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As an attorney that meets with my clients face to face before taking their case, I make sure that my communication with them is clear and uniform as to what they can expect from my end. One of the biggest complaints I hear from clients, potential clients, or current clients of other attorneys shopping around is that they can not get in touch with or get updates from their attorney. To this I say simply, "the wheels of justice are slow."

First and foremost, if they have another attorney, I tell them I can't help them or talk with them, they need to discuss that with their attorney. On a side note, if they are complaining about their current attorney, they are going to complain about me 9 times out of 10. It doesn't matter who has their case, they are "high maintenance".

Granted there are some bad apples in any profession and there are people that will complain about a beautiful day being too hot or too cold. Nothing is ever good enough for them. Keep in mind the time line of your personal injury case is largely dependent upon your injuries improving or your reaching maximum medical improvement (MMI).  There are several other factors to consider as well but most cases take time and have no definitive value or ending point until you are as good as you are going to get from the trauma, or injury, you incurred.

The South Carolina Rules of Professional Conduct, Rule 1.4, states:

(a) A lawyer shall:
(1) promptly inform the client of any decision or circumstance with respect to which the client's informed consent, as defined in Rule 1.0(f), is required by these Rules;
(2) reasonably consult with the client about the means by which the client's objectives are to be accomplished;
(3) keep the client reasonably informed about the status of the matter;
(4) promptly comply with reasonable requests for information; and
(5) consult with the client about any relevant limitation on the lawyer's conduct when the lawyer knows that the client expects assistance not permitted by the Rules of Professional Conduct or other law.
(b) A lawyer shall explain a matter to the extent reasonably necessary to permit the client to make informed decisions regarding the representation. (emphasis added).

Notice the word "reasonable" mentioned several times and highlighted above. As one of my friends in sales stated one time, "I spend 90% of my time on 10% of my clients." I want you to be educated and informed about your case and the process it takes from the beginning. However,  if you call every week, sometimes there is nothing new to tell you. At the same time, if you haven't heard from my office or had any contact with my office in 8 months-- we may need to talk.

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Today several news outlets are reporting that the "ivory tower" defense firms are finally coming clean with their smoke and mirror marketing and admitting that their term "litigation firm" means-only litigating against everyday people for the all powerful insurance companies that pay them hundreds ($300's) of dollars an hour.

This fact is commonly known throughout the hard working, for the people, doing it for justice, workers against evil, otherwise known as Plaintiff's Attorneys, who strive to right the wrongs of the Evil Empire, aka insurance companies. A big move that has many lawyers scratching their heads as to why these firms made of gold, silver, and ivory off the sweat and torture of young associates for 7-10 year spans, all on the promise of a few gold coins more,  would come clean after all these centuries.

Ben Dover of Soma, Baughty, Goinia, Paye, LLC, said, "Well, it doesn't appear like the public is getting any smarter and they sure do forget things pretty quickly. We didn't think this would be any different. Stupid is as stupid does."  Mr. Dover has a point considering the inundated insurance jingles and coarse hands that consumers seem to believe over actually seeking out the advice of an attorney that works for them and educates them on how insurance companies make money.

Mary A. Richman and Robin Banks of Wie, Love, Monet, agreed that it was time. "Given the amount of money we spend on a yearly basis to take those fools to strip clubs in the Legislature, just to have them at our call and beckon, we knew no one could beat us in making laws, through legislators, " said Richman.

No comment could be found available through any of the following litigation firms: Smith More Leatherwood, LLP, Turner Padget Graham & Laney, P.A., Gallivan White & Boyd, P.A., McAngus Goudelock Courie, LLC, Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough, LLP, Nexsen Pruet, and  McNair Law Firm, P.A. .

If you see any of the above attorneys out and about please ask them about this most recent development on this, the 1st of April, commonly referred to as "April Fool's Day".

 (Last year on this same day, I was hired by Allstate to handle their claims.)

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