South Carolina Injury Lawyer Blog

A fourth person has died after two seperate boat crashes on Lake Murray near Columbia. The first crash occured between 10 pm and 11pm on Saturday.While everyone enjoys a nice day out on the water, maybe cruising around, doing some fishing or just spending time with friends, South Carolina Wrongful Death Attorneys remind you that it is important to remember the potential hazards that come with operation of watercraft.

The first crash occured while boaters were operating at night and killed two women. The second crash occured approximately 30 minutes later, and involved a collision between a 14- foot fishing boat and a 23- foot craft. The collision killed the 23 year old driver of the fishing boat. A second man on the boat died Monday at Palmetto Health Richland.

While South Carolina boating accidents are common, the operation of watercraft after sunset greatly increases the chances of a potential incident. A United States Coast Guard report states that boat on boat collisions are the largest cause of injury on the water. The Coast Guard advocates the proper use of safety devices and reminds all boaters to never operate a watercraft while under the influence of alcohol.

Sources: The Post and Courier, "Boat crashes claim fourth victim", May 4th, 2010

The United States Coast Guard, Boating Safety Division

Claiming unfair and potentially illegal treatment from their employers, the surviving members of the Transocean Drilling Platform that exploded April 20th, appeared before Congress to urge the members to hold British Petroleum and its subsidiary, Transocean accountable for their actions. The workers claim that many necessary safety issues had been overlooked and that repeated attempts on their part to notify the company of the issues-were ignored. Charleston Worker's Compensation Attorneys would like to make the public aware of this particular issue of the Oil Rig disaster.

The oil rig exploded April 20th after a suffering mechanical complications involving the main drill. A fire broke out that spread quickly through the platform, killing 11 workers. The survivors were rescued after a 28 hour ordeal, but clain the company moved immiediatly to absolve themselves of blame. Employee Steven Stone stated "Transocean asked him to a sign a document -- without his attorney present -- saying he was not injured in the blast in exchange for $5,000 for the loss of his personal possessions, he said. He refused to sign the portion saying he was uninjured, he said, because even though he did not require medical treatment at the time, he must see a doctor for effects of smoke inhalation and is also dealing with mental and emotional aftereffects."

Two men coming from Myrtle Beach to Charleston for a day trip were stopped in traffic on Highway 17 near Anna Knapp Boulevard when an SUV behind them failed to stop. The SUV hit the motorcyles, pushed both men into another vehicle and then the SUV was forced into another car. Though two helmets were found at the scene, the responding officer was unsure if the men were wearing them at the time of the impact. In light of this, Charleston Accident Lawyers want to remind all drivers and motorcyclists to exercise caution when in close proximity to each other on the road and for motorcyclists especially to always use proper safety precautions when operating their vehicles.

The men were taken by EMS to Medical University Hospital, where they died from their injuries. The driver was not identified and responding officers said their was not immediate indication that the driver was under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Charges are pending, awaiting the results of an investigation.

A 2004 study conducted by the National Highway Traffic Administration showed that from 1998 to 2003, there were approximately 49,000 people injured and 2,284 people killed in motorcycle related incidents on America's roads. Of those, 46% fatally injured were not wearing a helmet at the time of their accidents. NHTA estimates that motorcycle helmets reduce the likelihood of a fatal injury occuring by 29% in a crash.

Source: The Charleston Post and Courier, "Motorcycle Riders Die in Wreck" May 31st, 2010

The National Highway Transportation Administration