Accident Lawyer Charleston SC

We often take our safety for granted while we’re on the road. Yet a serious car accident can change our lives in an instant. In the aftermath of a crash, it’s important to have an advocate on your side who can assist with recovery and make sure you’ll be okay.

Attorney Joe Cunningham is here to help. His bipartisan work as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives was fueled by a deep commitment to the people of South Carolina. He brings the same level of care and personal attention to his legal practice here in Charleston County.

We are ready to listen to you and offer our help. If you or a loved one got seriously hurt in a motor vehicle accident, contact our Charleston, SC law office for a free consultation. You can also reach Joe Cunningham Law by phone at 843-800-2726.

How Common Are Vehicle Accidents in South Carolina?

According to data from the South Carolina Department of Public Safety, there were 143,426 total statewide collisions in 2022. This included 2,130 accidents that caused serious injuries and 1,018 fatal accidents.

Further breakdown of these numbers means that in 2022 there was:

• One traffic accident every 3.7 minutes
• One injury crash every 15.4 minutes
• One fatal collision every 8.6 hours

How Long Do I Have to File an Accident Lawsuit in South Carolina?

As noted in South Carolina Code § 15-3-530, you typically have three years from the date of the auto accident to file a personal injury or wrongful death claim. However, there are exceptions to that three-year statute of limitations, so it’s crucial that you consult a Charleston accident attorney as soon as possible.

The team at Joe Cunningham Law can review what happened to you and start the claims process, allowing us to negotiate a fair settlement so you can pay the medical bills and other expenses related to your collision.

What If I Am Partially at Fault for the Accident?

You may still be able to file a lawsuit even if you are partly to blame for a car crash.

Per S.C. Code § 15-38-15, a person may still collect damages after an accident if they were no more than 50% at fault. The total damages that person receives is reduced by their percentage of liability in the collision.

If you were partly responsible for a crash, do not admit this to the other party or your insurance company. Discuss what happened with Joe Cunningham Law instead. We can help determine how to proceed and weigh a settlement offer against the damages you’d get in a trial minus your percentage of fault.

Why Choose Joe Cunningham Law After a Serious Accident

As a Congressman, Joe Cunningham developed a people-first approach to solving problems. He brings a similar sensibility when working with accident survivors in Charleston and nearby communities here in South Carolina.

Experience Representing Defendants in Accident Cases

Joe represents injured plaintiffs today, but he started his career representing defendants in accident cases. He understands how the legal process works on both sides of the table. Joe can use this firsthand experience to craft sound arguments that bolster your case while anticipating the arguments and objections from the lawyers on the other side.

Experience Defending Insurance Companies in Legal Claims

Attorney Aaron Scheer started his legal career working for one of the largest insurance defense law firms in the Southeast. He knows the strategies insurance companies use to evaluate claims and minimize payouts. Now advocating for plaintiffs at Joe Cunningham Law, Aaron can spot those insurance company tactics and negotiate a better settlement for you.

Free Initial Consultations

Joe Cunningham Law charges nothing for a case review. We know that you have other financial worries after a serious auto accident, so we remove those initial obstacles that may keep you from speaking with an attorney. This allows us to help the working people of South Carolina who just want a level playing field when seeking compensation after a crash.

Contingency Fee Representation

Our accident lawyers are selective about the cases we choose to represent. If we take your case, we believe we can recover meaningful compensation for you. Because of this, Joe Cunningham Law works on a contingency fee basis. That means you do not pay us anything upfront. You only have to pay us if we can negotiate a settlement or recover damages in court. If we don’t win, you don’t owe us anything—we are fully on your side.

Hurt in an Accident? Contact Our Charleston Law Office

When collisions happen, you can count on Joe Cunningham Law for help. If you or a loved one were seriously injured in an auto accident, contact our Charleston law firm. We are ready to listen and to offer our help.

Car Accidents

Car, pickup, and SUV accidents can cause serious injuries. If someone runs a red light or ignores a stop sign, a t-bone crash may occur at an intersection. Commuting to and from Charleston, there’s a risk of sideswipes involving reckless drivers on the highway. Even a low-speed fender bender could aggravate a pre-existing injury and lead to lingering effects on your quality of life.

Our accident attorneys can help you hold the liable party accountable for their negligence and seek damages to address the collision.

Large Truck Accidents

Tractor-trailers are essential for interstate commerce and keeping our stores fully stocked. Without dedicated truck drivers on South Carolina’s roads, our economy wouldn’t be able function. Many people who drive 18-wheelers are responsible and attentive, yet there are times when fatigue, poor training, and lapses in judgement can cause a major semi-truck crash.

Our 18-wheeler accident lawyers in Charleston can investigate the cause or causes of your collision and make sure negligent truck drivers or trucking companies are held liable.

Motorcycle Accidents

Riding a motorcycle can be thrilling and liberating. Whether you’re on a touring motorcycle for the long haul or taking a cruiser bike out for a day trip, it’s important to stay alert and follow the rules of the road. When motorcyclists get into accidents, the injuries they experience can be severe simply given how exposed they are compared to other motorists.

Our motorcycle accident attorneys in Charleston can help you seek compensation if you were hit while riding a motorcycle or got hit by a negligent motorcyclist.

Uber and Lyft Accidents

Rideshare apps like Uber and Lyft make it easier to get around South Carolina. On a night out with friends, rideshare drivers help improve safety by preventing drunk driving accidents. Yet Uber and Lyft drivers are only human, and when they make mistakes, it puts passengers and other people sharing the road at risk.

Our Charleston Uber/Lyft accident attorneys can recover compensation for collision victims. It doesn’t matter if you were a rideshare passenger, motorists, or pedestrian—Joe Cunningham Law can help.

Bus and Coach Accidents

Buses and coaches help people reach their destination comfortably and, in many cases, affordably. Most of the people who drive buses are well aware of the blindspots around the vehicle and the challenges of maneuvering on streets. When bus and coach drivers fail to exercise caution, it puts countless others in danger.

Our bus accident attorneys can help passengers, drivers, pedestrians, and bicyclists hold the negligent party or parties accountable for a collision.

Bicycle Accidents

Riding bikes around town can be fun. The same can be said for riding a Lime e-bike or e-scooter. However, it’s important for cyclists to be cautious around traffic. If bicyclists aren’t careful, they could get doored, run off the road, or struck by an inattentive driver. These dangers are heightened around parks and school zones where children are present.

Our bicycle accident lawyers will look into what caused the collision. We can review your injuries and then seek compensation to address the hardships caused by the accident.

Pedestrian Accidents

Charleston has plenty of walkable areas downtown. Our historical neighborhoods are pedestrian friendly as well. That said, it’s important to look both ways before crossing the street and to be alert—that goes for native Sandlappers and people from out of town.

When negligent drivers aren’t paying attention, they need to be held accountable for the harm they cause. Our pedestrian accident lawyers will be here to help if you were seriously hurt by a reckless driver.

Accidents Caused by Drunk Drivers

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), one American is killed by a drunk driver every 39 minutes. If you were seriously injured or lost a loved one because of an intoxicated driver, our Charleston accident attorneys can help.

Joe Cunningham Law can make sure the drunk driver is held accountable for their irresponsibility and seek damages to address the harm they’ve done.

Accidents Caused by Vehicle or Part Defects

We expect automakers to have our safety and well-being in mind when they put out vehicles. Sadly, these corporations don’t always hold up their end of the deal. Unsafe designs, defective parts, and poor manufacturing standards can all increase the risk of an auto wreck and catastrophic injuries.

In addition to holding bad drivers accountable, our accident lawyers in Charleston can take automotive companies and auto part manufacturers to task when their products harm ordinary South Carolinians just trying to get from point A to point B.

Speak with a Trusted Accident Lawyer in Charleston

After a serious accident, you can rely on Joe Cunningham Law. Our personal injury attorneys will provide rock solid representation to get you a fair settlement or fight for damages in court. You don’t pay us a cent unless we can win for you. For a free consultation with our caring and experienced accident lawyers, reach out to our Charleston law office.

Injuries Sustained in a Serious Vehicle Accident

Some crashes result in catastrophic injuries that lead to long-term issues with mobility as well as permanent disfigurement or disability. Potential injuries in a serious auto accident include:

• Back and Neck Injuries – Whiplash, slipped discs, and fractured vertebrae can affect bodily movement and cause chronic pain.
• Broken Bones – The impact in a crash could cause broken limbs, fractured ribs, and even dislocations of various joints.
• Burn Injuries – If the gas tank leaks or an EV battery is damaged, there’s a risk of second-degree or third-degree burns for occupants in a vehicle.
• Ear and Eye Injuries – The force of impact and shards of glass could cause harm to the eyes and ears, potentially resulting in vision or hearing loss.
• Head and Facial Injuries – Lacerations to the face and trauma to the nose, orbital bone, and cheekbones could seriously alter your appearance.
• Internal Injures – Trauma from a major impact can cause all kinds of serious damage to your internal organs.
• Loss of Limbs – Sometimes the trauma to a limb is so severe that it cannot be saved and necessitates amputation.
• Spinal Cord Injuries – Injury to the spinal cord can result in partial paralysis, paraplegia, or quadriplegia.
• Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI) – A severe blow to the head can cause a concussion, brain hemorrhaging, or other kinds of brain damage.

Legal Options After a Fatal Accident

If you lose a loved one in a catastrophic accident, our attorneys can discuss filing a wrongful death claim. In a wrongful death action, the surviving family members of the deceased can recover damages related to the loss of a loved one, including emotional pain and suffering, funeral expenses, loss of income, and loss of companionship.

Accepting a Settlement vs. Going to Trial

The vast majority of auto accident cases are settled before they go to trial. A settlement offers the certainty of compensation and avoids a potentially drawn-out and unsuccessful legal battle. However, some cases are worth taking to trial in spite of the risk of an unfavorable verdict.

Joe and Aaron understand the civil process from both sides. They can use their combined knowledge to help you weigh the risks and benefits and ultimately make the right choice about your case.

If a settlement offer accounts for the true value of your accident claim, we will let you know. If we feel that the settlement does not accurately reflect the hardships caused by the accident, we will take your case to court. Joe Cunningham Law will support you every step of the way.

Contact Our Charleston SC Accident Lawyer

Joe Cunningham Law can level the legal playing field for the people of South Carolina. We know the strategies insurance companies use when they make settlement offers, and we can anticipate the tactics the defendant’s attorney may use when disputing your case in court. We will be staunch advocates for you, your household, and your long-term best interests.

For a free case review of your auto accident claim, contact our law firm in Charleston, SC. You can also set up a free consultation by phone at 843-800-2726.