About Attorney JOSEPH P. GRIFFITH, JR.

Joe Griffith has 25 years of legal experience in federal and state court litigation. As a former federal prosecutor, Griffith has tried nearly 30 federal court cases, and his practice is devoted exclusively to litigation, with a concentrated focus on federal white collar criminal defense, as well as select personal injury and business injury claims.

In the white collar arena, Griffith has represented a number of public, private and non-profit companies and/or their employees in a wide variety of matters. In pre-indictment representation, Griffith works tirelessly to gather evidence and legal positions in an effort to persuade prosecutors to not indict a subject or target of an investigation. In the event of an indictment, Griffith has the experience and resources to aggressively defend the accused at trial.

In the civil arena, Griffith has both prosecuted and defended multi-million dollar personal injury and business injury claims. Joseph P. Griffith, Jr. has received Martindale-Hubbell's highest AV rating, is a member of the Bar Register of Pre-eminent Lawyers, and has been chosen one of the Best Lawyers in America.

Contact Information:

Joe Griffith Law Firm, LLC
7 State Street
Charleston, S.C. 29401
(843) 225-5563
(866) 386-6460 (Toll Free)
(843) 722-6254 (Fax)

Admitted to Practice:

• All South Carolina State Courts
• United States District Courts of South Carolina
• Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals
• United States Supreme Court

Professional Memberships:

• American Association for Justice (formerly American Trial Lawyers Association)
   
• American Bar Association
  • Antitrust Section
  • Criminal Justice Section
     
• National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
   
• South Carolina Trial Lawyers Association
   
• South Carolina Bar Association
  • Former Member of the House of Delegates
  • Criminal Law section
  • Environmental and Natural Resources section
  • Health Care section
  • Tort and Insurance Practices section
     
• Charleston County Bar Association
  • Former Executive Committee Member
     
• District of Columbia Bar Association

Licenses:

• South Carolina
• Washington, D.C. (inactive)

Education:

• University of South Carolina (J.D., 1982)
• University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (B.A.,1979)

Past and Present Community Activities:

• Medical University of South Carolina Children’s Hospital Board of Directors
• Roper St. Francis Hospital Foundation Board of Directors
• United Services Organization Board of Directors
• Charleston Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors
• Charleston Developers Council – Chairman, Board of Directors
• Charleston Private Industry Council – Chairman, Board of Directors
• Hibernian Society of Charleston Foundation – President, Board of Trustees
• Hibernian Society of Charleston – Treasurer, Chairman of Management Committee
• St. Thomas More Legal Society – President
• Leadership South Carolina Board of Regents
• Knights of Columbus
• South Carolina Irish Historical Society
• South Carolina Bar Foundation Fellow
• Ask-A-Lawyer Program Participant
• Cathedral of St. John the Baptist Finance Council

Past and Present Business Boards:

• Prestress Concrete, Inc. Board of Directors
• South Atlantic Dredge Company Board of Directors
• Southeastern Wildlife Exposition Board of Directors
• Republic Bank Board of Directors
• Bank of Charleston Founding Board of Directors
• Comsouth Bank Board of Directors
• Carolina First Bank Charleston Advisory Board

Instructor:

• Former Department of Justice National Advocacy Center Instructor
  • Criminal Trial Advocacy
  • Civil Trial Advocacy

Reported Cases:

• Berkeley-Dorchester Counties Economic Development Corp. v. U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services, 395 F.Supp.2d 317 (D.S.C. 2005)
• United States v. Billabong II ANS M/V Starr Evita, 2003 WL 21663141 (F.R.)
• United States v. Corbett, 2003 WL 21086580 (F.R.)
• Mason v. Potter, 81 Fed.Appx. 767 (4th Cir. 2003)
• United States v. Todd, 2002 WL 31523465 (F.R.)
• Blair v. United States, 2002 WL 1173588 (4th Cir.(S.C.))
• Bryant v. Peters, 2002 WL 1485303 (4th Cir.(S.C.))
• United States v. Macalloy Corporation, 2001 WL 774319 (F.R.)
• Hayes v. Henderson, 2001 WL 912684 (4th Cir.(S.C.))
• Hayes v. Henderson, 2001 WL 193625 (4th Cir.(S.C.))
• Dumont v. United States, 80 F.Supp.2d 576 (D.S.C. 2000)
• United States v. Portrait Homes Construction Co., 2000 WL 1759390 (F.R.)
• Snell v. Rich, 173 F.3d 852, 1999 WL 144637 (4th Cir.(S.C.))
• Brown v. Geha-Werke GmbH, 69 F.Supp.2d 770 (D.S.C. 1999)
• Floyd v. United States Farm Service Agency, 139 F.3d 889, 1998 WL 130124
• Steinert v. Gober, 32 F.Supp.2d 842 (D.S.C. 1998)
• Knight v. Runyon, 133 F.3d 915, 1997 WL 796158 (4th Cir.(S.C.))
• Ojo v. George, 97 F.3d 1448, 1996 WL 558364 (4th Cir.(S.C.))
• Stone v. Andrews, 77 F.3d 471, 1996 WL 63003 (4th Cir.(S.C.))
• Mattison v. Hawks, 67 F.3d 295, 1995 WL 541736 (4th Cir.(S.C.))
• United States v. Prytz, 35 F.3d 557, 1994 WL 477831 (4th Cir.(S.C.))
• United States v. Brown, 21 F.3d 425, 1994 WL 89799 (4th Cir.(S.C.))
• United States v. Crews, 9 F.3d 1544 (4th Cir. 1993)
• United States v. Prytz, 822 F.Supp. 311 (D.S.C. 1993)

The Joe Griffith Law Firm, LLC is proud to serve the people of South Carolina and the United States in a wide variety of Personal Injury, White Collar Criminal Defense, and Business Litigation matters. When you retain the Joe Griffith Law Firm, LLC for legal representation, you will have a team of attorneys dedicated to protecting your rights while helping to ensure the results you deserve. We aim to make our clients feel like a special part of our litigation team.

 The Personal Injury lawyers of the Joe Griffith Law Firm, LLC have represented numerous individuals who have been seriously injured as well as the estates of those who have died as the result of someone else’s negligence. For many, just the thought of calling a Personal Injury law firm makes them nervous. Rest assured, whatever legal problem you have, our South Carolina Personal Injury attorneys are here to help you through them. Our law firm represents plaintiffs against insurance companies, trucking companies, discriminating employers, government agencies, hospitals, nursing homes, consumer product manufacturers, pharmaceutical companies and other negligent organizations and individuals. From SUV rollovers to aviation accidents, medical malpractice to automobile accidents, spine injuries to pharmacy negligence, workers compensation to defective products, our firm handles a broad array of Personal Injury and Wrongful Death cases. Joseph P. Griffith, Jr. has received designation as a South Carolina Super Lawyer for personal injury litigation, and is a Lifetime Member of both the Million Dollar Advocates Forum and the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum.  

Please Call 866-386-6460

Alleged White Collar Crimes are often complex in nature -- they usually involve a mass of documents and numerous complicated legal and factual issues. As a former federal prosecutor who has litigated nearly 30 federal court trials, top-rated attorney Joseph P. Griffith, Jr. focuses the great majority of his practice on federal White Collar Criminal defense. He has handled a wide range of White Collar Criminal cases, with particular emphasis on antitrust crimes, bank fraud, corporate fraud, environmental crimes, false claims act/government fraud, health care fraud, mail/wire fraud, securities/stock fraud and tax fraud crimes. Joseph P. Griffith, Jr. has received Martindale-Hubbell’s highest AV rating, is a member of the Bar Register of Pre-eminent Lawyers, and has been chosen one of the Best Lawyers in America. He has the experience to adroitly guide you or your company through the difficult process of a White Collar criminal investigation, and, if necessary, forcefully litigate your defense in the event of a prosecution.  Visit http://www.joegriffith.com/white-collar-criminal-defense.html.

The Business Litigation attorneys of the Joe Griffith Law Firm, LLC are problem solvers who encourage open communication and teamwork with our clients. When engaged to represent a client in business dispute litigation, our first task is to determine what goals and interests are truly vital to the client. We then diligently explore all factual and legal aspects of the case so we can confidently provide the client a realistic assessment of litigation risks, options and anticipated results in order to enable the client to make an informed business judgment on how best to proceed. We have successfully represented public and private companies, non-profit organizations and individual businessmen and entrepreneurs in a wide variety of litigated business controversies.  Visit http://www.joegriffith.com/business-litigation.html.

The Joe Griffith Law Firm, LLC maintains offices in Mount Pleasant and Charleston, South Carolina, and we represent clients from all over the state and nation. Our attorneys have more than 35 years of legal experience in federal and state courts, and we are here to assist you. Client satisfaction is our number one goal.

Please Call 866-386-6460

Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)

The physical brain damage resulting from sudden impact with an external force, such as the dashboard of a car or a bullet, is known as traumatic brain injury, or TBI. Most traumatic brain injury accidents are preventable and occur because of another party’s recklessness, carelessness, or negligence. If you or a loved one has suffered a traumatic brain injury as a result of another’s wrongdoing, you should consult an attorney who can help you receive the compensation you deserve.  Visit http://www.joegriffith.com/sc-traumatic-brain-injury.html.

Medical malpractice, commonly called “medmal” for short, generally occurs when a negligent, careless or reckless act, mistake, error, or omission by a doctor or other medical professional causes damage or harm to a patient. It has been estimated that almost 98,000 people die in hospitals in the United States each year, and that medication errors injure approximately 1.3 million people per year. Medical malpractice errors or negligence typically occur in the diagnosis or treatment of a patient, and may include, but are not limited to:

· Failure to treat
· Wrong treatment
· Delay in diagnosis
· Failure to diagnose
· Failure to rule out causes or conditions
· Misdiagnosis
· Failure to test
· Failure to obtain informed consent
· Surgical injury
· Wrong prescription of drugs
· Patient abandonment
· Use of defective medical products

A patient’s right to recover compensation for medical malpractice is generally governed by common law as well as statutes and regulations which have been promulgated to protect patients who have been subjected to medical malpractice or medical negligence. Medical malpractice suits are usually complex, time-consuming, expensive to litigate, dependent upon expert testimony, and vigorously defended by health care providers and their insurers. 

Prescription Drug and Pharmaceutical Negligence

Due to advances in science and medicine, it is possible today to live with, or even be cured of diseases and illnesses once considered life threatening. Although the United States provides some of the best health care in the world, an estimated 200,000 Americans die annually due to adverse reactions and harmful side-effects of prescription drugs. Thousands more are injured.

Each lawyer at the Joe Griffith Law Firm, LLC vigorously works to help victims who sought to improve their health, but instead were injured by the prescription drugs they relied on for relief. Manufacturers of drugs and supplements can be held responsible for sale of defective products, devices, and drugs. This responsibility is broad and includes the duty to exercise reasonable care in the design and manufacture of a product. The obligation of the manufacturer to make a safe product includes the duty to design, manufacture, inspect, and label a product appropriately. Proving that a manufacturer of a drug supplement is responsible for a defective product can be complicated and expensive.

Car Accidents

We understand that if you have been in a car accident, or are the family member of a victim, you may be overwhelmed by all that has happened – perhaps suffering from emotional, physical and financial injury and loss. While monetary compensation cannot change what happened, it can help with medical bills, employment, rehabilitation and your financially stability in your future. Even the most minor automobile accidents can produce injuries that seem disproportionate to the actual accident itself, and physical injuries may not arise until months after the original accident. We have the experience to thoroughly investigate and prosecute your car accident case to make sure you recover all of the compensation you are rightfully due.  

Our well-established law firm works closely with expert witnesses and accident investigators, applying sophisticated technologies to our fact-finding process. When eyewitnesses are not reliable, science can often provide an irrefutable account of a collision. Data collected with the help of computer simulations, accident reconstructions, and on-board computers allow our attorneys to present juries with factually sound, understandable accounts of almost any auto accident and other vehicle accident including:

· Serious car wrecks
· vehicle rollovers
· drunk or drug-impaired driver injuries
· rear end collisions
· Commercial trucking accidents
· Motorcycle collisions
· Semi truck crashes
· Railroad crossing accidents
· Vehicle manufacturer's negligence

Please Call 866-386-6460

Motorcycle Accidents

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), motorcyclists are about 18 times more likely than passenger car occupants to die in a motorcycle accident and about three times more likely to be injured. Because they lack the physical protection of a car and are often difficult to see in the rearview mirror of a car or truck, motorcyclists are more susceptible to injuries from other vehicles on the road, debris from road construction and potholes, inclement weather and manufacturer defects. South Carolina does have a helmet law, so riders under 21 must wear an approved helmet at all times when riding or driving a motorcycle. The South Carolina Department of Public Safety states that the number of people over the age of 35 killed on a motorcycle is trending upward and is overwhelmingly male. In South Carolina, auto accidents are the most common cause of serious personal injuries, and alcohol is the most frequent cause of auto accidents. In 2003, 6 percent of alcohol-related crash fatalities were motorcyclists; 79 percent of those motorcyclists were not wearing a helmet.

While bike wrecks have occurred all over the state, some South Carolina highways are more dangerous than others. Interstate 85 is the most traveled and has more accidents, but some of the most dangerous roads in the state are two-lane undivided highways, including Highway 76, Highway 178, Highway 187 and Highway 8.

The lawyer of Joe Griffith Law Firm take extreme care to examine all the facts of your case. We help clients determine how the crash happened, where fault lies and hold the negligent party responsible for the motorcycle accident that occurred. Utilizing a network of resources, we are able to gain a clear picture of the accident and the actions of the motorist that lead to the bike crash. Many different types of injuries can result from a motorcycle accident, including broken bones, severe brain damage and head injuries, back, neck, and spinal cord injuries (including paralysis). 

Admiralty & Maritime Injuries / Boating Maritime Accidents

Boating, maritime, skiing, sailing and waterfront accidents often involve serious injuries which can affect your ability to work and perform everyday tasks. Motorboats, sailboats, jet skis, tugboats, cruise ships, and tour boats can all be involved in accidents on the water. There are special laws and rules that apply to accidents on the water. At the Joe Griffith Law Firm, LLC, located in Charleston, South Carolina, our attorneys and staff work closely with clients in order to evaluate the full impact of an injury and assess appropriate legal damages of a boat accident.

Construction Accidents

The Joe Griffith Law Firm, LLC is committed to helping South Carolina’s construction workers who have been injured on the job. While our goal is to help clients proactively avoid disputes, we are vigorous litigators when a fight is in the best interest of our clients. Client satisfaction is our number one goal.

The rapidly changing construction industry is a high-risk business in terms of worker safety, accidents and injuries. Construction workers are frequently exposed to dangerous equipment, machinery and work environments. In 2003, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the largest number of fatal work injuries was in the construction sector with a total of 1,126 deaths. Likewise, the Bureau of Labor Statistics has also reported that the highest level of nonfatal worker injuries, as measured on a lost-workday basis, is again in the construction industry with a rate of 5.7 days per 100 workers. 

Highway Defects

Defects in the design or construction of a highway can create hazardous conditions and lead to accidents. The Joe Griffith Law Firm, LLC , located in Charleston, South Carolina, represents people injured in accidents due to highway defects. Using engineering and survey experts, as well as computer technology, we identify defects in grading, slope, curvature, as well as incline that can lead to improper drainage and buckling. Typically, when a design or construction flaw is present, problems associated with hydroplaning, skidding, poor visibility, and other kinds of impairment often are the result.

Train and Railroad Accidents

Millions of people ride trains every day in the United States. However, when trains are not maintained, or when reckless drivers try to beat the train across the tracks, a serious accident may occur.

According to the Federal Highway Administration, there is a train accident about every three hours in the U.S. Also, train accidents tend to be more dangerous, especially when you consider the weight and high speeds trains can reach.  The most common causes of train accidents:

· Collision with another train
· Derailment
· Collision with a car or bus
· Mechanical failure that leads to an accident
· Inadequate security on the train
· Dated and unsuitably maintained tracks
· Conductor Negligence

Workers' Compensation and On the Job Injuries

Every South Carolina employer and employee, with certain notable exceptions, is presumed to be covered by the state’s Workers’ Compensation Act. Exceptions to this provision include railroad and railway express companies and employees, certain casual employees, Federal employees in South Carolina, businesses with less than four employees, agricultural employees, and certain real estate salespersons, and, by election, corporate officers.

Employers covered by the provisions of the Act are required to maintain insurance sufficient for the payment of compensation to an injured worker, or must furnish the Commission satisfactory proof of their ability to pay the compensation in the amount and manner due to an injured employee.

Insurance Bad Faith

Insurance companies routinely fail to promptly and fairly pay their insured’s claim. At the Charleston, South Carolina Law Office of Joe Griffith Law Firm, LLC, our attorneys are prepared to question claims adjusters, investigate insurance company practices, and challenge the insurance company's bad faith denials of coverage. We use experts to help defeat the methods and tactics used by insurers to avoid paying claims. That’s why our attorneys are successful in obtaining recoveries for our clients with respect to unscrupulous insurance practices.  Visit http://www.joegriffith.com/insurance-coverage-claims.html.

Premises Liability

Entering a business, home, or parking lot shouldn’t put people at risk of serious injury. When home or business owners fail to ensure the safety of those who enter onto their property, they’re liable for any harm suffered as a result. At the Charleston Office of Joe Griffith Law Firm, LLC, our attorneys have represented thousands of clients over the past 36 years in personal injury cases in South Carolina. Premises liability cases are investigated using accident reconstructionists, architects, structural engineers, and medical expects. Collecting evidence and building a case with demonstrable, verifiable facts, our attorneys work closely with clients to build the strongest case. 

Child Sex Abuse and Sexual Molestation

The number of victims of childhood sexual abuse and molestation has grown each year in tandem with the growth of pornography on the Internet. Government statistics show that 90 percent of the predators who molest children have had some type of involvement with pornography. About 33% of girls and 14% of boys are molested before the age of 18, according to the U.S. Justice Department, and nearly 2/3s of all sexual assaults reported involved minors and roughly 1/3 involved children under the age of 12. It is estimated that 65% of child molestation cases go unreported because children are too frightened or embarrassed to do so. Pastors, priests, counselors, family members, teachers, and coaches -- many of the people children rely upon for guidance -- are often the perpetrators of these horrific acts. The statutes of limitation are often extended in these type cases. The attorneys at Joe Griffith Law Firm will do everything we can to hold perpetrators of child abuse accountable to the fullest extent of the law. We believe in fair and just compensation for the injuries inflicted upon the innocent victims of child molestation.

Dog and Animal Attacks

South Carolina law strongly protects the innocent victims of dog bites or dangerous animal attacks. These injuries are often extremely traumatic and disfiguring, resulting in serious psychological and physical injury. These types of injuries often occur with children as the victims.

The State of South Carolina’s liability statute, Code Section 47-3-110, provides that whenever a person is bitten or otherwise attacked by a dog while the person is in a public place or is lawfully in a private place, including the dog owner’s property or the property of a person having the dog in his care or keeping, the owner or keeper is liable for damages suffered by the person bitten or otherwise attacked.

Securities and stock fraud
· Antitrust / price fixing
· Business fraud
· Unfair trade practices / unfair competition
· Bank / lender liability
· Trade secrets / intellectual property
· Employee compensation / non-compete covenants
· Business succession matters
· Real estate transactions

Our attorneys understand how federal and state laws regulate business and corporate legal disputes. We have access to a wide range of highly qualified experts and consultants to assist in evaluating and presenting your case. At every stage of litigation, from evaluation of claims, staffing and initial strategy development, to document and information management, trial preparation and settlement or verdict, we are focused on obtaining quick and favorable results for the client. Capable support staff, state-of-the-art document scanning and search capabilities, and computer-driven trial presentation programs keep our attorneys uniquely positioned to serve clients

Charleston SC Personal Injury Lawyer