South Carolina Auto Accidents

 

There were more than 140,000 South Carolina auto accidents in 2022. Many of these crashes resulted in serious injuries and even the loss of life.

While serving in the U.S. House of Representatives, Joe Cunningham put the needs of his constituents first. Now that he’s practicing personal injury law, Joe wants to make sure the people of South Carolina have someone they trust to be an advocate and a fighter after a major collision.

To request a free case evaluation with our experienced South Carolina auto accidents lawyer, contact our law office in Charleston, SC.

How Common Are South Carolina Auto Accidents?

According to numbers from the South Carolina Department of Public Safety (SCDPS), there were 143,426 statewide auto accidents in 2022. This included 2,130 serious injury crashes and 1,018 fatal collisions.

Putting These Numbers Into Perspective

The SCDPS provided a further breakdown of these numbers that really highlight how frequent auto accidents happen in South Carolina. In 2022:

• There was one auto accident every 3.7 minutes
• There was one injury auto accident every 15.4 minutes
• There was one fatal auto accident every 8.6 hours

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

Per South Carolina Code § 15-3-530, people usually have three years from the date of an auto accident to file a personal injury or wrongful death claim. After that three-year statute of limitations has expired, you can’t take legal action for a crash.

Keep in mind that there are exceptions to that three-year deadline, which is why it’s in your best interests to speak with a lawyer about your South Carolina auto accident as soon as possible.

Can I Still File an Auto Accident Lawsuit If I Am Partially at Fault?

Yes, you can file an auto accident lawsuit even if you were partly responsible for what happened. That’s because South Carolina is a modified comparative negligence state.

Per S.C. Code § 15-38-15, you can still file a lawsuit and receive damages if you were no more than 50% at fault for what happened. Your percentage of fault in the crash will be deducted from the total damages awarded by the jury. For example, if you were 25% at fault in an auto accident and the jury awarded you $100,000, you would then receive $75,000 in damages.

As we work on your case, we can let you know if it’s better to accept a settlement offer rather than going to trial to seek damages. Depending on what happened in the accident, you may stand to earn more from the settlement.

Car and Passenger Vehicle Accidents

According to the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), there were over 3.9 million licensed drivers in the state of South Carolina as of 2020. With so many people on the road in the state, our law firm wants to be there to help everyday folks hurt in car and passenger vehicle accidents.

Speeding

Excessive speed is a major cause of passenger vehicle collisions and all types of auto accidents. If another driver exceeded the speed limit when they hit your car, our team can hold them liable for your injuries as well as damage to your vehicle.

Reckless Driving

Reckless driving covers all kinds of irresponsible actions while operating a motor vehicle. In addition to speeding, other reckless behaviors include running stop lights or stop signs, tailgating, cutting other people off, refusing to yield the right of way, and aggressively weaving between lanes.

Distracted Driving

When drivers are distracted, their attention is diverted from the road and they may also have one hand or both hands off the wheel. Examples of driver distraction include texting while driving, looking up directions, checking something on the phone, eating while driving, and rubbernecking.

Drunk Drinking Auto Accidents

Drinking and driving is never permitted, and yet people still get behind the wheel when they are under the influence of drugs or alcohol. When drunk driving/DUI accidents happen, the team at Joe Cunningham Law will make sure the driver is held accountable for putting the lives of other South Carolinians in danger.

Tractor-Trailer and Semi-Truck Accidents

South Carolina relies on big rigs to keep the economy moving. Yet when truckers avoid taking mandatory breaks or trucking companies don’t do thorough background checks, this can lead to serious large truck accidents.

Blind Spots Around a Semi

Semi-trucks have major blind spots all around the vehicle. If you’re off to the side of a tractor-trailer or directly behind or in front of the vehicle, you may not be seen. In such cases, you could be seriously hurt in a rear end collision or underride crash.

Truck Driver Fatigue

According to Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) driver fatigue statistics, 13% of commercial vehicle drivers experienced some level of fatigue at the time of their crash. If a trucker violated hours of service rules, our law firm can make sure the truck driver or the company they work for are held liable.

Poorly Loaded Cargo

Large trucks haul everything from produce and perishable goods to building supplies and heavy equipment. Many times the trailers are hitched correctly or the items are carefully secured on the back of a flatbed trailer. When cargo is not properly held down, it can lead to catastrophic accidents across multiple lanes.

Jackknife Trucking Accidents

A jackknife accident is when the trailer of a large truck folds in toward the cab. This can be caused by abruptly braking, taking a turn wrong, or mechanical failure on the big rig. These kinds of accidents can affect drivers in multiple lanes of traffic and result in multi-vehicle pileups.

Truck Driver DUI

When truck drivers operate a semi under the influence, they tend to be using stimulants or uppers to stay awake rather than alcohol. These kinds of drugs can affect decision making and cause people to act erratically. As with commuter DUI crashes, our law firm can hold intoxicated truckers accountable for their actions.

Trucking Company Negligence

Trucking companies can be held liable for contributing to auto accidents. In these situations, the company may not have screened a truck driver properly during the hiring process, or they may not be maintaining their fleet of vehicles. Whatever the case, Joe Cunningham Law can make sure the negligent company is held accountable.

Motorcycle Accidents

Speed, reckless driving, and drunk driving can all contribute to motorcycle accidents as well. Our South Carolina auto accident lawyers can help injured motorcyclists throughout the state seek compensation.

Inattentive Motorists

When drivers of passenger vehicles or 18-wheelers aren’t paying attention, they could miss a motorcyclist who’s abiding by the rules of the road. There’s a danger of serious sideswipe crashes, which could lead to catastrophic injuries.

Failure to Yield to Motorcyclists

In addition to inattention, many drivers of passenger vehicles fail to yield to motorcyclists as they merge or change lanes. These drivers may assume that the motorcyclist can just ride between lanes, but lane splitting is illegal in South Carolina. This failure to yield can cause severe injuries.

Getting Lost in a Driver’s Blind Spot

It’s easy for a motorcycle to get lost in a vehicle’s blind spots, especially when it comes to SUVs, vans, and tractor-trailers. Yet drivers need to be alert as other people sharing the road approach or are nearby, whether it’s a motorcyclist, a bicyclist, or a pedestrian.

Other Kinds of Motor Vehicle Accidents

Joe Cunningham Law can help with other kinds of collisions throughout the state. Our South Carolina auto accident attorneys are ready to advocate for you.

Uber/Lyft Auto Accidents

We rely on Uber and Lyft drivers to get us to our destinations safely, but rideshare vehicle accidents can happen. Our lawyers are ready to help whether you were hit by a rideshare driver or got injured in a crash while you were a passenger in an Uber or Lyft.

Delivery Vehicle Accidents

There are plenty of Amazon, FedEx, UPS, USPS, and DHL vehicles on the road getting us our orders and parcels. When delivery drivers are reckless or negligent, they can cause major auto accidents that result in serious injuries.

Bus Accidents

We often see public transit buses and coach buses on the road and think little of them. Yet when bus and coach accidents happen, they can lead to serious injuries for people on the road as well as the passengers riding within.

Crashes Caused by Vehicle and Part Defects

Sometimes driver error isn’t the cause of a crash. Some vehicles may be poorly designed or not properly assembled. Parts may malfunction, tires could fail, and brake systems could simply stop working. In these situations, our law firm can hold the automakers and the makers of auto parts accountable for putting the people of South Carolina in danger.

Poor Road and Weather Conditions

Ice, snow, and rain can make auto accidents more likely. The same is true for potholes, debris in the road, and bad maintenance of streets and highways. In some collision cases, local municipalities could be held liable for failing to plow the road or fix long-standing issues that affect safety.

Compensation in an Auto Accident Claim

A serious auto accident in South Carolina can leave you with plenty of medical bills and quotes from body shops. Joe Cunningham Law can consider all of your collision-related expenses and help you seek compensation to address these financial losses. We’ll consider these expenses as we evaluate your case:

• Immediate Medical Treatment – We can seek compensation to cover the cost of the ambulance after an auto accident, emergency medical care, surgery, and follow-up care with doctors.
• Future Health Needs – We can seek compensation to cover physical rehabilitation, occupational therapy, and any necessary assistive devices required after an auto accident.
• Damage to Your Vehicle – Any repairs to your vehicle in an auto accident can be covered by compensation. The same goes for the cash value or the replacement of a totaled vehicle and the use of other transportation following the crash.
• Damage to Other Belongings – Any property damaged in the auto accident can be covered by compensation, including damaged laptops, phones, jewelry, watches, or other valuables.
• Lost Wages from Injuries – Auto accident compensation can cover lost pay if you needed to take extended leave from work to fully heal from your injuries.
• Loss of Future Earnings – If the auto accident caused a long-term injury or permanent disability, compensation can also address the effects of your injuries on your career and potential future income.

Why Choose Joe Cunningham Law for Your South Carolina Auto Accident Case

Joe Cunningham Law has a lot to offer clients throughout South Carolina after a serious auto accident. Joe proudly served the people of South Carolina as a member of Congress, and he’s ready to advocate for you after a major collision.

• People-First Approach to Personal Injury Law – In politics, Joe developed a people-first approach to solving problems. He applies that to his personal injury practice, making sure that clients are prioritized and their needs are always respected.
• Experience Representing Defendants in Accident Cases – Joe started his legal career representing defendants in accident cases. By working on the other side of the table, he learned how opposing attorneys craft their arguments and analyze evidence. He can use this knowledge to build a stronger case for you.
• Knowledge of How the Insurance Industry Operates – The team Joe Cunningham Law knows how insurance companies lowball settlements and minimize payouts. We can use our understanding of these strategies and to help accident survivors negotiate better counteroffers.
• Free Legal Consultations – You’ve got medical bills and other out-of-pocket expenses to worry about after an auto accident. At Joe Cunningham Law, you don’t have to pay anything to speak to an experienced accident attorney.
• Contingency Fee Representation – Our law firm operates on a contingency fee basis. That means clients only pay us if we can negotiate a settlement or recover damages in a jury trial. If our law firm doesn’t win, you don’t have to pay.

Request a Free Consultation at Joe Cunningham Law

After a major crash, you don’t have to face the insurance company alone. The team at Joe Cunningham Law is ready to listen and to fight for you and your loved ones. If you live in South Carolina and need our South Carolina auto accidents law firm who is committed to fighting for the people, contact our Charleston law office today.