Sep 6, 2012 | Car Accidents, Child Accidents, Personal Injury, Uncategorized, Wrongful Death
A 17-month-old boy walked into the path of a car traveling on Loraine Lane in Lancaster County and was killed, according to the S.C. Highway Patrol.
The incident occurred Thursday evening around 5:45 p.m. in a residential community north of S.C. 9, situated approximately two miles west of Buford, S.C.
Troopers say the child was struck by the woman’s 2004 Kia van and was later pronounced dead. No charges have yet been filed in this case.
Lancaster Accident Attorneys
If you or a loved one have been involved in an accident that resulted in personal injury ir death, please contact the experienced accident attorneys of Reeves, Aiken & Hightower LLP. Our seasoned trial lawyers are able to help those individual injured in South Carolina and North Carolina. With over 75 years combined legal experience, former insurance defense backgrounds, and a former Registered Nurse (RN), our team is standing by to help get you and your family through this difficult time. For more information, please visit our website at www.rjrlaw.com. Compare our attorneys’ credentials. Then, call us for a private consultation about your particular situation and let us get you the jelp you and your family deserve!
Sep 6, 2012 | Car Accidents, Personal Injury, Uncategorized, Wrongful Death
The South Carolina Court of Appeals ruled in favor of Wal-Mart Stores East, L.P., and a security firm in a case arising out of the death of a woman who attempted to steal two pairs of jeans but then died in a crash when store security continued to pursue her after leaving the store parking lot.
In June of 2006, Alice Hancock drove to a Lancaster Wal-Mart with her sister in the passenger seat. The two women went into the store, put two pairs of jeans into their bags, and left the store “undetected,” as they so thought. Apparently, the store security manager, Mr. Jones, was told to do whatever was necessary to obtain the license plate number of the suspected thieves, even after they left the parking lot.
The issue was that the instructions given to Jones were in violation of Wal-Mart’s store personnel policy for addressing shoplifters. According to court records, employees are prohibited from pursuing fleeing shoplifters that are in a moving vehicle. This did not stop Jones, however, as he then pursued the two shoplifters by vehicle. The chase lasted about two miles when Hancock crashed her car and was subsequently pronounced dead on scene.
Concluding the case, and despite the policy violation, the court decided 2-1 in favor of Wal-Mart and the security firm.
Lancaster Accident Attorneys
If the unthinkable happens in your life, call the experienced wrongful death attorneys of Reeves, Aiken & Hightower LLP. Our seasoned litigators have over 75 years combined trial experience. Our team of personal injury attorneys include former insurance defense lawyers, a former Registered Nurse (RN), and former criminal prosecutor. We can investigate all aspects of a serious accident and hold all parties accountable for your loss. Call us today and speak directly with one of our lawyers at 704-499-9000 or 877-374-5999 toll free. We have offices in Charlotte and throughout South Carolina. We would be honored to have an opportunity to help you and your family get through this most difficult time in your lives.
Sep 2, 2012 | Car Accidents, Personal Injury, Uncategorized, Wrongful Death
A settlement between the Richland County Sheriff’s Department and the Estate of a man killed in a collision with a Deputy in June 2011 was approved by a judge on Wednesday.
Phillip Hawkins, 67, was killed when Deputy George Mickens, traveling at approximately 79 miles per hour, lost control of his cruiser when he ran a red light and collided with Hawkin’s car. Both the investigations of the South Carolina Highway Patrol and the Richland Sheriff’s Department concluded that a medical condition, likely a seizure caused Mickens to lose the ability to drive. The State Solicitor further concluded that the evidence was insufficient to find that the accident was the result of any wrongdoing.
Hawkins’ family, however, disagreed with those conclusions and filed a wrongful death suit, citing Mickens’ driving record. Mickens’ prior record reveals six crashes in the last ten years, four of which were caused by Mickens. Since 1993 Mickens has been stopped 12 times for offenses ranging from running a stop sign to speeding.
The Estate of Phillip Hawkins will receive $193,933.79 after legal fees. Mickens is no longer employed with the Richland County Sheriff’s Department. The settlement protects the Department from further suits.
Columbia Car Accident Attorneys
If you or a loved one have been injured or killed in any type of car accident in the Columbia area, you need an experienced accident attorney like those at Reeves, Aiken & Hightower to help you get the justice you deserve. Call us at 877-374-5999, or
use this form, to speak with an attorney who can help you evaluate your claim and get you the best possible recovery.
Aug 20, 2012 | Car Accidents, Personal Injury, Uncategorized, Wrongful Death
Saturday night in Lexington, SC ( near Columbia, SC) was disruptive for two people in particular, as the The Lexington County Coroner has identified two people who were unfortunately, fatally wounded on the night in question.
The South Carolina Highway Patrol has reported that the location of the accident was near Pelion, whereas the driver was headed west on Neely Wingard Rd., and failed to stop at a stop sign at Fairview Rd., colliding with another vehicle. The time of car accident has been reported to be at or about 9:50 p.m.
Oddly enough, the driver of the truck walked away without an injury. The driver of the first vehicle, sadly can not say the same, as he was pronounced dead on scene. The passenger of the first driver’s vehicle was taken immediately to Palmetto Health, but then also perished after arriving at the Hospital.
South Carolina Attorneys Reeves, Aiken, and Hightower, LLP
If you have been involved in a serious car accident in the Lexington/Columbia area, carefully compare our attorneys’ credentials to any other firm. Then call us for a private consultation about your case. For more information about our firm, please visit www.rjrlaw.com or call us directly at 803-548-4444.
Aug 19, 2012 | Car Accidents, Uncategorized, Wrongful Death
After 23 years of practicing personal injury law in York County, I am amazed how people survive serious car accidents these days. I have several head-on collision cases in the Rock Hill and Fort Mill area in which everyone in the vehicles should have died. However, thanks to good engineering and angels, all survived with relatively minor injuries. One case involved a very kind elderly couple who did not even break a bone. Nevertheless, I read recently that a new crash test involving luxury cars showing these vehicles may not be able to provide protection from serious injuries in a common accident. More specifically, cars including BMW, Mercedes and Lexus all earned “poor” ratings in a test that simulated what happens when the front corner of a sedan hits another vehicle or an object such as a tree or pole, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. In fact, just three out of 11 luxury cars from the 2012 model year passed the new crash test which evaluated front-corner impacts.
In the actual test, 25% of a car’s front end on the driver’s side is rammed into a 5-foot-high rigid barrier at 40 mph. In my experience, this type of impact is fairly common. Most impacts are at an angle and at significant speed. Airbags deploy, and seatbelts are engaged, if being used. According to recent studies, there are more than 10,000 deaths in frontal crashes each year. And this figure is far higher for resulting serious injuries requiring extensive surgery and months of rehabilitation. The study I read showed the Acura TL and Volvo S60 earned “good” ratings, while the Infiniti G was rated “acceptable.” The Acura TSX, BMW 3 Series, Lincoln MKZ and Volkswagen CC all received “marginal” ratings. And, finally, the Audi A4, Lexus ES 350, Lexus IS 250/350 and Mercedes-Benz C-Class were rated “poor.” Given their high prices and highly touted safety reputations, it is quite surprising that these manufacturers did so poorly. I would note that these particular cars are the smaller models in the fleet. Guess you cannot alter basic laws of physics. In these tests, the crash forces in such accidents are transferred to the front wheel, suspension system and firewall. In many instances, the front wheel pushes into the cabin, causing serious leg and foot injuries.
If you have been involved in a serious car accident in the Rock Hill / Fort Mill area, carefully compare our attorneys’ credentials to any other firm. Then call us for a private consultation about your case. For more information about our firm, please visit www.rjrlaw.com or call us directly at 803-548-4444.
