Stewart Law Offices launches injury claim value review for wreck victims

Stewart Law Offices says medical bills are only the starting point for South Carolina car wreck claims, not the full value. Founder Brent Stewart outlined the firm’s Injury Claim Value Review in a podcast interview and pointed to insurance limits, lost income and quality-of-life losses as key parts of a settlement analysis.

Why it matters: - The review is meant to show wreck victims that a settlement can be worth more than the total of their medical bills. - South Carolina minimum auto coverage can leave injured drivers underinsured even when medical costs are relatively modest. - The framework matters for people deciding whether to accept a settlement offer or keep pursuing a claim.

What happened: - Stewart Law Offices unveiled the Injury Claim Value Review, a process the firm uses to measure car wreck claim value beyond medical bills. - Brent Stewart, the firm’s founder and a car accident attorney, discussed the review in a podcast interview released Oct. 21, 2026. - Stewart discussed the process on SharkPreneur with host Seth Greene. - Stewart Law Offices serves injured people from offices across South Carolina and in Charlotte, North Carolina. - Stewart founded the firm’s first office in Rock Hill, South Carolina, in 1995.

The details: - Stewart said the claim analysis starts with medical bills, which set the baseline for recovery. - South Carolina requires at least $25,000 in bodily injury liability coverage per person and $50,000 per accident. - Stewart said a person with $26,000 in medical bills is already beyond the minimum per-person policy limit and may need to look to underinsured motorist coverage. - The review then examines the injured person’s own underinsured motorist coverage when available. - Stewart said that step can change the dynamics of the claim because the injured person’s own insurer may defend against payment. - The review also accounts for lost wages, loss of enjoyment of life and consortium claims for married clients. - Stewart said timing is part of the value analysis because a case can change day by day. - Stewart said waiting for a higher offer only makes sense if the delay and added cost do not leave the client worse off. - Stewart described a scooter crash case involving a tractor-trailer, where a witness found through scene photos said the driver made an illegal pass. - Stewart said the injured woman was ticketed for DUI at the hospital after beer she was carrying broke open in the crash. - Stewart said blood records later showed no alcohol. - Stewart said the woman later lost her leg.

Between the lines: - The review pushes clients to look at claims as a combination of insurance coverage, economic losses and personal harm, not just medical invoices. - Stewart’s example case underscores how an early version of the facts can be wrong without a full investigation. - The firm is positioning its process as a way to slow down rushed settlement decisions after a crash. - Stewart said most clients are not trying to get rich from a claim and mainly want to get back on their feet.

What’s next: - Stewart is writing a book on when injured people need a personal injury lawyer. - Stewart Law Offices says people weighing a settlement offer after a wreck in the Carolinas can request a free consultation at the firm’s website. - The firm also says it handles car accident, tractor-trailer, motorcycle, workers’ compensation, wrongful death and medical malpractice claims on a contingency fee basis.

The bottom line: - Stewart Law Offices wants accident victims to treat medical bills as the floor, not the finish line, when evaluating a claim.