South Carolina Injury Lawyer Blog

In yesterday's Post and Courier, your Charleston personal injury attorneys came across a report detailing a tractor-trailer accident in North Charleston that killed a motorcyclist, and resulted in the arrest of the truck driver for reckless homicide. Police say the 47-year-old truck driver pulled out in front of the motorcyclist on Remount Road west of Virginia Avenue. The fatal accident was reported at about 7:30 a.m. Monday morning.

After the collision the 44-year-old motorcyclist was taken to Medical University Hospital in critical condition, but according to the Charleston County Deputy Coroner, the 44-year-old died at the hospital from the serious injuries sustained in the accident. According to reports, the motorcyclist was wearing a helmet at the time of the collision.

Under the South Carolina Code of Laws, if a driver "does any act forbidden by law in the driving of a motor vehicle, which proximately causes the death of another person," then that driver is "guilty of the misdemeanor offense of vehicular homicide." The truck driver in the accident appeared in bond court yesterday and his bond was set at $50,000 by a Charleston County magistrate. If convicted the truck driver faces a fine of up to $5,000, a 10-year prison sentence, and a five-year suspension of his driver's license.

Continue reading "Two Serious Motorcycle Accidents in South Carolina Within the Last Week" »

Your Charleston attorneys at Howell and Christmas, LLC were particularly upset to see a fairly large article in today's Post and Courier outlining a major auto accident in which four young people were killed near the University of South Carolina's famed Williams-Brice Stadium. According to the Richland County Coroner's Office, two of the victims were male (both 22 years of age) and two were female (ages 23 and 24). Also, three of the four victims were currently enrolled at the University of South Carolina; one male was a student last semester.

The fatal car crash occurred just before dawn last Wednesday morning when the car missed a sharp curve near the football stadium. The car proceeded to slam into the Farm Bureau Building on George Rodgers Blvd. Minutes later, the vehicle burst into flames. Returning to the scene Friday, investigators were combing through the wreckage to try and find answers as to the cause of this unfortunate car accident, more specifically, why the driver lost control of the vehicle and the speed at which the vehicle was travelling. Police do suspect that the male driver and front passenger were not wearing their seat belts when the crash occurred.

The Richland County Coroner also said that it was one of the young female's 23rd birthday and that the group had been seen together at several Columbia nightspots prior to the fatal car accident on George Rogers Blvd. From the autopsies it appeared that all four young people would have been killed by multiple trauma, not serious burn injuries, prior to the vehicle burst into flames, but it will take a couple of weeks to complete toxicology reports and determine if those results played a role in causing the accident.

As investigators from the Columbia Police Department, University of South Carolina Police, Richland County Coroner's Office, Columbia-Richland Fire Department, and the South Carolina Highway Patrol try to uncover unanswered questions surrounding the crash, University of South Carolina officials have offered their condolences to the victims' friends and family and have extended a helping hand in the form of counselors made available to grieving students and staff.

Continue reading "Tragedy Strikes University of South Carolina and Hit and Run Suspect in Police Custody in Lexington County" »

The last entry posted by your Charleston accident lawyers discussed the outcome of a three month long investigation into a fatal motorcycle accident in which a young woman fell off the back of the bike. It was determined by authorities that the male operator of the vehicle was at fault in the accident and now faces serious criminal charges. Sadly, today's post also concerns a fatal motorcycle accident on Interstate-26. The collision occurred at the beginning of this week in the Columbia area in the eastbound lanes between Interstate-126 and U.S. 378, according to the South Carolina Highway Patrol.

The South's oldest daily newspaper, the Post and Courier, reports that a 28-year-old man from Cayce (near West Columbia) struck a horse trailer being hauled by a Chevy sport utility vehicle (SUV). Fortunately, the 67-year-old driver of the SUV was wearing his seat belt at the time of the accident and was uninjured in the collision. The crash caused both the motorcycle and the trailer to catch fire. Reports note that the motorcyclist was killed in the accident, but does not mention whether the cause of death was due to burn injuries suffered in the blaze, nor does the Post and Courier's report disclose if the 28-year-old was wearing a helmet at the time of the crash.

While your experienced personal injury lawyers at Howell and Christmas, LLC have posted blog posts in the past involving dog bite injuries, it is a first for the South Carolina Injury Lawyer Blog to note an accident involving horses. Although the driver of the SUV hauling the horse trailer was able to escape the serious accident unscathed, the horses in the trailer were lost in the fire.

Continue reading "Motorcyclist Killed Near Columbia After Collision with Trailer" »

Back in May your Charleston spinal cord injury lawyers made mention of a fatal accident in which a young woman fell off the back of 2008 Honda motorcycle. When commenting on the accident it was noted that the attorneys at Howell and Christmas, LLC presumed the wrongful death was ruled an accident because State Troopers did not file any charges against the 34-year-old man operating the motorcycle. However, it was reported yesterday that after a three month investigation into the fatal motorcycle accident by the South Carolina Highway Patrol has charged the 34-year-old man from Hollywood, South Carolina who was driving the motorcycle at the time of the accident with reckless homicide and operating an uninsured vehicle.

As a refresher, the accident occurred on the evening of Sunday, May 15, 2011 in the westbound lanes of Interstate-26, about a mile before the Jedburg Exit. After falling off the back of the bike the 33-year-old female rider was airlifted by helicopter to Medical University Hospital. She died the next day. Initial reports noted that the woman was not wearing a helmet at the time of the fatal fall. The initial, as well as yesterday's, report fails to mention the specific injury that killed the young woman, and it is impossible to say for certain whether or not a helmet would have saved her life. But, it can always be said that wearing a helmet while riding, or operating, a motorcycle is a good idea and a means to prevent serious head injuries in the event of a fall or accident.

According to the Post and Courier, the three month investigation conducted by the South Carolina Highway Patrol revealed that the motorcycle's operator was handling the bike in a reckless manner right before the woman fell off the back and onto the interstate. However, both the Post and Courier's initial and most recent report does not mention the specifics concerning the motorcyclist's reckless behavior. It could have been excessive speed and/or unlawful and unsafe lane changes. But considering the woman fell off the back of the motorcycle it is not too unreasonable to think the bike's operator was attempting to perform some sort of stunt. An unannounced wheelie would certainly make it difficult for a passenger to stay aboard, but that is just a theory.

Continue reading "Three Month Investigation Returns Charges Against Operator Involved in a Fatal Motorcycle Accident" »

Over the past week your brain trauma attorneys in Charleston have noticed a lot of vehicle crashes, wrecks, and collisions in the Lowcountry. Since last Thursday there have been four serious motor vehicle accidents, and sadly, all four have been fatal.

In chronological order, the first occurred last Tuesday night (June 21) around 10 p.m. when a man struck a light pole head on in Dorchester County. According to authorities, the man was driving southbound on South Carolina Highway 61 when he hit the traffic light pole at the intersection of United States Highway 17A. The man, who was 32-years-old died as a result of the impact with pole, according to the Dorchester County Coroner's Office. It was also noted in the Post and Courier's coverage of the fatal crash that the man was not wearing his seat belt when his car collided with the pole. It is unfortunate, in the eyes of your South Carolina lawyers at Howell and Christmas, LLC that so many of the accidents and crashes discussed in this blog involve a victim, or victims, not taking the simple safety measure buckling their seat belt.

Later that same night, around 1:00 a.m. Wednesday (June 22), a man was killed after running his motorcycle into a retaining wall as he approached the Ravel Bridge from Downtown Charleston. According to authorities, the 22-year-old Mt. Pleasant man was unable to negotiate a curve in U.S. Highway 17 near Huger St., causing him to the hit the wall, which then ejected him from his motorcycle; he landed over the wall below the overpass. The man was taken to Medical University Hospital, but died later Wednesday Morning. Again, much like the previous incident, the victim in this motorcycle accident neglected a simple safety measure, the motorcycle helmet. While South Carolina Law does not require it, wearing a helmet while on your hog is an effective means to prevent serious injury and death.

Continue reading "Laundry List of Summertime Accidents Catch the Eyes of Charleston Lawyers" »

Your South Carolina truck accident attorneys came across an article in Monday's Post and Courier concerning a single tractor-trailer wreck that ultimately took the driver's life. The fatal accident occurred late Saturday afternoon around 6:00 p.m. in Jasper County. According to reports, the 1995 Freightliner went up into flames after the truck crossed the life side of the Interstate-95 median, colliding with several trees.

As of today, investigators are still looking into the incident to determine exactly what happened leading up to the truck's going off the interstate. Also, due to the intense blaze, the driver's body was burned beyond recognition and the Jasper County Coroner's Office is working to identify the driver. More than likely the coroner will cross-reference the driver's teeth with dental records to determine his or her ID.

The article did not mention, and it may yet to be determined, as to the exact cause of death in this accident. Investigators and officials from the coroner's office will probably be looking to see if colliding with the roadside trees caused some form of lethal head injury or body trauma, or if the subsequent fire caused fatal burn injuries, or it could be the case that a combination of collision and burn was the cause.

Continue reading "Weekend Tractor Trailer Wreck and General Considerations if You're Ever Involved in an Accident" »

Your Charleston real estate transaction lawyers read a frightening article in today's Post and Courier this afternoon that describes a slew of motor vehicle accidents that happened this past weekend in the Charleston area. According to the article, a bicyclist, a moped operator, and two motorcyclists suffered fatal injuries in 4 separate accidents that occurred between this past Friday and Sunday (May 20-22).

Friday evening, around 10:40 p.m. a 25-year-old man was involved in a bicycle accident when he was struck by a motor vehicle in West Ashley. After the hit and run accident, the cyclist was transported to the Medical University Hospital, where he later died. The Charleston Police Department later found the driver responsible for striking the cyclist on Folly Road, the driver was charged with felony driving under the influence (DUI).

The same evening, closer to 10 p.m., a 32-year-old woman on a moped was merging onto the Ravel Bridge from Coleman Boulevard in Mt. Pleasant when she was struck from the rear by a car. The collision sent the woman off of her moped. Sadly, she died Sunday at Medical University Hospital. Similar to the first incident, this also involved a drunk driver. According to the Mt. Pleasant Police Department, a 25-year-old Ridgeville man was arrested and charged with felony DUI.

Continue reading "Traffic Accidents Involving Two-Wheeled Vehicles Leave Four Dead in Charleston Area " »

In yesterday's Post and Courier there were two reports of single-vehicle accidents, both of which claimed a life. Our Charleston motorcycle accident attorneys would like to report on the incident that happened around 7:15 p.m. Sunday evening, first.

A 33-year-old woman was riding as a passenger on a 2008 Honda Motorcycle heading westbound on I-26 when she fell off the back of the bike a mile before the Jedburg Exit, according the South Carolina Highway Patrol. After the fall she was airlifted to Medical University Hospital, where she, sadly, died Monday.

In regards to the fall, it can be assumed authorities ruled it an accident, as no charges will be filed against the motorcycle's operator, a man from Hollywood, South Carolina.

The second fatal accident on I-26 happened Monday afternoon around 2:30 p.m., and also occurred near the Jedburg Exit. A 20-year-old man, traveling eastbound on the interstate, struck a tree in the median and was pronounced dead at the scene, according to the Berkeley County Coroner's Office.

According to the S.C. Highway Patrol, alcohol, marijuana, and cocaine were all found in the car. Their investigation is ongoing.

Continue reading "Two Single-Vehicle Wrecks Claim Two Lives on Interstate 26" »