Sep 24, 2013 | Car Accidents, Criminal Defense, Personal Injury, Uncategorized
The Local Police Department has just released the details to a terrible tragedy where an 18-year-old girl lost her life in a single-car accident.
Accordingly, the young girl was driving her 1998 Honda Accord southbound on the highway, right before she reached the city’s limits. She was met by a sharp curve that she was not anticipating, and in an attempt to over-correct her vehicle, she lost control and went off the left side of the road, where she ultimately struck a tree.
As stated above, the wreck was just inside the city limits. Sadly, there was nothing the Medics could do when they arrived, and the young girl was pronounced dead on scene.
The next morning, hundreds of students from her high gathered together in memory of their beloved senior and friend.
There are no definite answers yet aside from the over-correcting of why the accident occurred. It may be assumed that if she was unprepared for the curve, then she was driving too fast under the conditions, and thus maybe though to of been recklessly driving. There are no details as to whether alcohol or any of substance was a factor.
In a situation as the aformentioned one, there is a possible claim for ” wrongful death.”
According to the South Carolina State Stautue 15-51-10, the civil action for a wrongful act that results in death is defined as ” whenever the death of a person shall be caused by the wrongful act, neglect or default of another and the act, neglect or default is such as would, if death had not ensued, have entitled the party injured to maintain an action and recover damages in respect thereof, the person who would have been liable, if death had not ensued, shall be liable to an action for damages, notwithstanding the death of the person injured, although the death shall have been caused under such circumstances as make the killing in law a felony.” S. C. Gen Stat. 15-51-10( 2012).
In other words, a person operating a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol may be held liable for a civil action under a ” wrongful death claim.” The intent of the defendant has no bearings on the result.
Moreover, wrongful death actions in South Carolina are successful, only if the victim would have won the case if he had not perished. Furthermore, if the defendant dies, the victim’s family is still entitled to bring a civil suit agaisnt the defendant’s personal representative or estate.
If you or someone you know has been involved in a serious car accident, or charged with reckless driving, contact the law offices of Reeves, Aiken, and Hightower, LLP toll-free at 877-374-5999 and talk to us about your situation. Call today or visit our homepage at www.rjrlaw.com.
Sep 17, 2013 | Car Accidents, Personal Injury, Uncategorized, Wrongful Death
The Charleston Police Department is still under investigating an incident as to how an SUV found its way off of Johns Island Creek Road, into Penny Creek, killing three people.
The SUV had a 50-year-old male, a 38-year-old female, and the 35-year-old female owner of the SUV. The police do not know how or why the car crashed into the Creek, but they are assuming that alcohol or a substance of some sort may have had a role.
Troopers were alerted to the scene when the police received a call by a fisherman saying he felt his “line snagon something heavy that he thought maybe a car.” According to family members, the trio of best friends had left from a local marina that morning and had been missing until the police called.
There are still not enough details to conclusively determine what the cause of the accident was.
Even the owner’s dog was found in the back seat and sadly, also drowned in the accident.
A memorial for the three was set up at the site today, in honor of their friends found last night. They are all still confused and deeply saddened.
Losing a love one is a terrible tragedy to handle. Furthermore, it is not one that should be handled alone. Contact the law offices of Reeves, Aiken, and Hightower, LLP toll-free at 877-377-5999 and speak to one of our experienced DUI or personal injury attorneys today.
Sep 11, 2013 | Car Accidents, Motorcycle Accidents, Personal Injury, Uncategorized
In the beginning of May, a motorcyclist was seriously injured when he was struck by a vehicle in Rock Hill, then left the man injured and ran after colliding with him.
Gathering from the police reports, the accident took place a little after 9:00 p.m., at the intersection of Mount Gallant and Celanese Road.
The victim was a 23-yer-old Rock Hill resident, and was struck by a sedan being driven by a 31-year-old from Charlotte. The circumstances of the collision are not completely clear, but we do know that the sedan hit the motorcyclist, and he and his 25-year-old passenger sped away.
The South Carolina Troopers later found what they believe to be the car of the hit-and-run accident hidden behind a nearby house in Rock hill.
The police were able to track down the driver of the vehicle for investigation. The passenger then voluntarily went to the police on his own accord for questioning about the incident.
Both men were both charged with the hit-and-run, and leaving the scene of an accident. The driver was additionally charged with driving with a suspended license and driving without insurance.
The bond for each of the defendants was $200,000, separately.
The motorcyclist was attended to by the medics on the scene, and then rushed to the hospital via helicopter, and is currently in critical condition.
If you, or someone you know has been injured in a serious motorcycle accident, contact the law offices of Reeves, Aiken, and Hightower, LLP toll-free at 877-374-5999 for more information on your options.
Aug 26, 2013 | Car Accidents, DUI & DWI, Personal Injury, Uncategorized, Wrongful Death
A teen from Chester died early this morning in a single-car collision off of Hinnant Road in Chester County
The Chester County Coroner stated that the cause of death was severe head and chest trauma.
It was about 12:05 a.m., when the 19-year-old was driving his vehicle northbound on S.C. 901, when he swerved off the side of the road, entering into a sharp curve, and rammed his vehicle head on into a tree.
The young man was still attending the Chester County Schools as the time of the accident, trying to get his educational life on track.
He was reported to of NOT of been wearing his seatbelt at the time, and dies immediately on the scene, according to the EMTs who rushed to the scene.
The weather was reported to of been clear and dry that night; however, the victim was believed to of been speeding recklessly on the way to his home
The posted speed limit in the area is a mere 35 m.p.h, whereas the victim was driving nearly double that at 65 m.p.h., much too fast for the curve he embarked into.
There is still an investigation pending, including toxicology tests that may reveal if alcohol or drugs were in the young man’s system at the time of the accident.
Losing a love one is a terrible tragedy to handle. Furthermore, it is not one that should be handled alone. Contact the law offices of Reeves, Aiken, and Hightower, LLP toll-free at 877-377-5999 and speak to one of our experienced DUI or personal injury attorneys today.
Aug 13, 2013 | Car Accidents, Personal Injury, Trucking/Tractor-Trailer Accidents, Uncategorized
A man from Winnsboro was injured in a vehicle collision Monday afternoon when his Dodge Ram rear-ended a tractor-trailer.
The accident report states that the crash occurred a little before 1:30 p.m. on Interstate-77, near mile marker 82 in Rock Hill.
The 42-year-old was wearing his seatbelt at the time of the incident, yet still suffered serious injuries. Moreover, the passengers in his vehicle suffered minor injuries, and all reported to of been wearing their seatbelts as well.
Apparently, he rear-ended the tractor-trailer that was stalled out on the highway due to mechanical issues, causing the accident under dangerous driving conditions. On that particular afternoon, there was a downpour of rain, which made the roads slick and it was difficult to see the next car in front of you.
The man had five passengers in his truck, one being an adult female, and the other four were her minor children. They were all transported to Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte via ambulance. The driver however, had to be airlifted from the scene, and reports on his current condition are not yet available.
Traffic was subsequently stalled for almost two hours while clean-up crews worked around the clock to make way for the current drivers.
The man, once released from the hospital, will be charged with ” driving under dangerous conditions.”
If you have been injured in a serious car or tractor-trailer accident in South Carolina, contact the law offices of Reeves, Aiken, and Hightower, LLP toll-free at 877-374-5999 for assistance with your case.
Aug 12, 2013 | Personal Injury, Trucking/Tractor-Trailer Accidents, Uncategorized, Wrongful Death
A tractor-trailer accident in Rock Hill resulted in the death of two individuals a few days ago.
Channel 9 reported on this case, and stated that the tractor-trailer was in route from New Jersey when the driver slid off Interstate-77 and hit an embankment, just on the south side of Rock Hill, SC.
The male driver, and his female passenger, ages 48 and 42 respectively, were both killed upon impact. According to the reports, the tractor began to drift off the highway, and cont
inued to do so until hitting the bank and then almost 250 feet into the woods thereafter.
Crews reported that it was nearly impossible to see the tractor-trailer from the highway after the accident. It took fire-fighters almost an hour to cut down the surrounding woods to reach the people in the cab, and by the time they did, it was too late.
The cab where the man and woman were found it was barely recognizable as well, flipped over on its side, and spilling the imported crab legs back into the woods.
After all day clean-up and an investigation, it was concurred that the driver of the tractor-trailer began to drift off the side of the highway, and eventually hit an embankment on the side of the road before the 18-wheeler went racing through the Carolina Pines.
Moreover, there were no reported signs that the man ever applied his brakes at the time of the accident. In fact, it seems as though he simply drifted off the side of the road, and did not even realize that he was doing so. There were no reported drugs or alcohol in either of the victims bodies at the time of the accident. There is still no solidified answer as to what caused this particular accident, yet one can only imagine.
This is sadly a common scenario for truck drivers who have been on the road for hours without the proper amount of sleep.
For more information on serious tractor-trailer accidents and injuries, contact the law offices of Reeves, Aiken, and Hightower, LLP toll-free at 877-374-5999
