Not all motor vehicle accidents are equivalent. In particular, accidents involving a large truck like a tractor-trailer (aka a big rig, semi, or 18-wheeler) can be especially devastating and difficult.
But what makes them so different? Here are three main ways truck accidents are different from car accidents – and what that can mean when pursuing a claim for compensation afterwards.
South Carolina is a “modified comparative negligence” state. This means if someone is injured in an accident in South Carolina,..
If you’re bitten by a dog in South Carolina, what are your rights as a victim?
The good news is that South Carolina’s dog bite laws generally favor victims. South Carolina does not have a so-called “one-bite” rule, like many other states do, that essentially gives a dog and its owner a “pass” on the first bite. Instead, South Carolina follows a strict liability standard where the dog’s owner is responsible for the dog’s actions even if the dog had never previously exhibited aggressive behavior.
Here’s what South Carolina law says about victims’ rights after a dog bite, plus the circumstances in which you are not protected under the law.
Since large trucks are so much bigger and heavier than regular passenger cars and motorcycles, accidents involving large trucks are disproportionately more damaging than accidents involving just passenger cars. Nearly 3,000 people died in traffic accidents involving tractor-trailers and other large trucks in 2020, and many thousands more were injured.
We help many people who are injured in a big truck accident here in South Carolina get the compensation they need to cover medical bills, lost wages, and other economic and noneconomic damages. It’s gratifying to help people at a very difficult time in their life and to see justice done. But in an ideal world, there would be no such accidents at all.
You can’t control what other drivers do on the road. However, you can practice safe driving habits when sharing the road with big rigs and other large trucks to reduce the likelihood of being involved in a truck accident.
Pedestrian safety is an ongoing concern across the nation. Tragically, 7,388 pedestrians were killed in traffic crashes in the U.S. in 2021, the most recent year for which stats are available, according to the NHTSA* That’s the highest number since 1981 (when 7,837 pedestrians were killed), and a 12.5% increase from 2020. A further 60,577 people were injured.
Why are our roads so dangerous for pedestrians? More importantly, what can we do about it?
We can all help make our streets safer for ourselves and our families, both as pedestrians and drivers. Cities and municipalities can make a difference, too. Here’s how to improve pedestrian safety.
If you’ve been charged with a drug- or alcohol-related offense, you might be wondering how long the offense will stay on your record. Will a drug-related charge or alcohol-related charge stay on your criminal record forever? Or can you look forward to a time when your record will be clear?
The answer is that it depends on the state and on the specific charge. Here’s what to know about how long alcohol- and drug-related offenses stay on your record in South Carolina.
A non-violent drug offense is a drug offense that does not involve violence or the threat of violence. Examples of non-violent drug offenses include simple possession of a controlled substance, drug possession with intent to distribute, or drug trafficking.
Although “non-violent drug offense” sounds less serious than a “violent drug offense,” and it often is, a conviction can still carry serious penalties in South Carolina including hefty fines and prison time.
Here’s what you need to know about non-violent drug offenses in South Carolina.
The spinal cord is a bundle of nerves that runs between the brain and the lower back. A healthy spinal cord is extremely important for normal, healthy functioning, as it is the main pathway for the brain and the body to communicate with each other. Although the soft spinal cord is protected by the bones of the spinal column (aka the backbone), it can still be damaged, and that damage can lead to physical consequences including loss of function, loss of sensation, and pain.
The effects of a spinal cord injury on the body vary greatly depending on the severity and location of the injury, as well as whether it’s a complete or incomplete spinal cord injury. Read more about incomplete spinal cord injuries here on our blog.