South Carolina Injury Lawyer Blog

A fiery wreck in South Carolina occurred along Interstate 585 when a logging truck was driving towards Spartanburg and part of its load hit the California Avenue overpass, leaving a large log hanging from the bridge. According to Spartanburg County Emergency Management Coordinator, Doug Bryson, the negligent truck driver kept going, leaving the log behind.

Soon, a dump truck pulled up to the scene to try to help clear out the debris, but before the driver could get out of the car, a gasoline tanker, driven by 25-year-old Degrant Stevenson, crashed into the back of him at full speed. The two trucks slid under the California Avenue Bridge and the gas tanker caught on fire. The injured dump truck driver and a witness to the scene worked together to rescue the driver of the gasoline tanker from the burning wreckage, according to Highway Patrol.

The dump truck driver, Joseph Tonkovic, 38, only suffered minor injuries and was taken to Spartanburg Regional Medical Center to be checked out. Tonkovic is a volunteer with the Spartanburg County Community Emergency Response Team. Stevenson sustained more serious burn injuries and was flown to the Joseph M. Still Burn Center in Augusta, Georgia.

Continue reading " Truck Collision Causes Fire on Spartanburg Road " »

As the trucking industry continues to grow, South Carolina trucking accidents are increasingly common. In tractor trailer accidents, individuals in the passenger vehicles account for 98% of deaths. Because trucking companies usually have experienced legal teams and are experienced in negotiating settlements with victims, they will often give you less than you deserve, and leave you with high medical bills and lost wages that are not appropriately covered in the settlement. At Howell and Christmas, LLC our experienced tractor trailer accident lawyers can help you determine what you are entitled to, and represent your rights against large trucking corporations.

By way of example, in March of 2007, George Rogers, 51, ran his lumber truck through a stoplight and killed two young children. The children were in a minivan driven by one of their mothers, who survived the South Carolina automobile accident. The crash took place on SC-9 near Lewisville High School. According to investigators, in addition to running the red light, Rogers’ truck had serious brake problems.

After more than two years, the trial is under way for George Rogers. If Rogers is convicted on both counts, he could get up to 20 years in prison.

Rogers’ attorney, Carl Grant is expected to try to prove that the light was still yellow when Rogers approached and that he was unable to stop in time.

Continue reading " South Carolina Truck Accident Damages " »

The Orthopedic and Traumatology department at Al Ahli Hospital in Qatar is considering providing services to the victims of road traffic accidents and worksite injuries. These are both two significant sources of bone fractures .

Currently, victims of road traffic accidents and worksite injuries can only get treatment at Hamad Medical Corporation. According to a recent statement by consultant orthopedic and spine surgeon Dr. Emmanuel Tolessa, the department is looking into expanding its treatment services to include the treatment for trauma, such as dislocated joints and fractured bones.

The department has recently purchased the newest equipment for trauma and folllow-up surgery. They also have successfully treated isolated trauma cases. The orthopedic and traumatology department at Al Ahli was established about a year ago and currently receives about 600 cases a month, with patients ranging in age from 28 to 45. They expect to get close to 1,000 cases a month by November.

Continue reading " Hospital Expanding Services to Victims of Road Traffic Accidents and Worksite Injuries " »

Charleston accident lawyers know the hazards of pools and ponds to young children. Just recently, a 2-year-old South Carolina boy died in a drowning accident in a pond in northwestern Pennsylvania. A coroner says the boy’s death was an accident, however South Carolina police are still investigating the incident. According to Deputy Erie County Coroner Dennis Suschek, the toddler, Ryan Highfill of Columbia, South Carolina wandered into the pond during a family party.

The tragic event that ended in the loss of one child’s life took place in Conneaut Township, about 100 miles north of Pittsburgh. The family was in Pennsylvania visiting relatives.

The young boy was found in the pond by his family just before 9 p.m. but they were unable to revive him. He was later pronounced dead at Hamot Medical Center in Erie, Pennsylvania. Authorities are investigating the amount of time the boy was alone in the pond.

Continue reading " South Carolina Toddler Drowns in PA Pond " »

Any time a workplace accident results in serious injury or death, the worker or their family should conduct a thorough investigation in order to be compensated for their loss. Accidents on the job account for 6,000 annual deaths in the United States. Because construction workers normally work under dangerous conditions, accidents on construction sites are common and often devastating for the worker or their families.

Just recently, a Carolina Marine worker was crushed by a crane and killed in a work-related death while working on a public boat landing in Georgetown. Tommy Grainger, 43, of Bucksport, South Carolina was working on the arm of the crane when the accident occurred. The boom was not properly secured and as the workers disassembled it, part of it fell on Grainger causing serious bodily injury and death. Grainger was the father of five children. The last job-related death in Georgetown county took place in late May 2009, when a man working on renovations at Wal-mart was electrocuted and killed.

Unsafe conditions can be a sign of negligence and certain conditions, such as unsafe ladders, holes in floors, or dangerous electric lines can entitle injured workers to compensation. Working with a lawyer from the beginning can ensure that a proper investigation is conducted. By filing a South Carolina worker’s compensation claim against the company, the family might be able to the begin the recovery process after their tragic loss.

Source: Live 5 News-“One killed in Georgetown public boat landing accident”- Sept. 3, 2009

Two separate Charleston South Carolina auto accidents end in deaths according to local authorities. The first serious wreck happened on Interstate 26 just outside of downtown Charleston near the North Meeting Street exit on the interstate. The fatal car crash took place on Sunday afternoon when a sports utility vehicle left the road and crashed into a highway divider. Five other passengers were taken to The Medical University of South Carolina and were treated for their injuries. At the time of this report, there was no information available as to the extent of their injuries.

The second Charleston car accident involved a 76 year old male driver who was driving on Hwy 17 just outside of Mount Pleasant. Emergency medical services transported the man to MUSC. He was pronounced dead sometime after eleven o'clock on Saturday night.

Both accidents are being investigated by the South Carolina Highway Patrol and The Charleston County Sheriff’s Office respectively.

Source: Authorities investigate two fatal accidents in Charleston County, WCBD, September 6, 2009.