North Charleston, SC Personal Injury Lawyers

Attorneys For Car, Motorcycle, and Truck Accidents in South Carolina

From car accidents to workplace injuries, accidents occur every day in North Charleston – and may result in serious injuries or even death. Injured people and their families are left wondering how they’ll pay the bills or move on after their lives are upended by an injury. 

Many accidents and injuries are preventable. When they occur, another’s negligence, recklessness, or intentional misbehavior may be to blame. If you’ve been injured, talk to the dedicated North Charleston injury attorneys at the Steinberg Law Firm for help. 

Common Accidents and Injuries in North Charleston

Accidents and injuries come in many forms. Car accidents are a common news headline in North Charleston and throughout the state, for example. Employees in any workplace may risk injury on the job. Even those who seek help from a trusted professional, such as a physician or a nursing home’s staff, may find that they or a loved one suffer injuries from malpractice, abuse, or neglect. 

There are several common accident and injury types in North Charleston. The team at the Steinberg Law Firm offers the knowledge and experience to help you navigate these situations. 

Brain Injuries

Brain injuries range from mild concussions to severe trauma that results in paralysis or other lifelong disabilities. Brain injuries are typically classified as “open” or “closed.”

• Open brain injuries occur when an object pierces the skull and enters the brain. 
• Closed brain injuries occur when the head strikes or is struck by an object or force, which injures the brain but does not pierce the skull. 

Brain injuries can also be caused by a lack of oxygen to the brain and other sources. Along with spinal cord injuries, brain injuries are among the most expensive and difficult injuries to treat. 

Car Accidents

The South Carolina Department of Public Safety (SCDPS) estimates that in 2022, a traffic crash occurred every 3.7 minutes. On average, one person was injured in a car accident every 10.5 minutes, and one person died in a crash every eight hours. 

Car accidents also claimed the lives of motorcyclists, bicyclists, and pedestrians in South Carolina. In 2022:

• 1,018 fatal car crashes occurred, killing 1,093 people.
• 2,130 car crashes caused at least one serious injury.
• 31,951 accidents resulted in mild or moderate injuries.

Drunk Driving Accidents

The SCDPS estimates that one person in South Carolina died in a drunk driving crash every 18.5 hours in 2022. These included several deaths in North Charleston and surrounding counties:

• Berkeley County: 18 deaths
• Charleston County: 33 deaths
• Dorchester County: 9 deaths. 

Only Horry and Richland Counties recorded more drunk driving deaths than Charleston County in 2022. 

Drunk driving is preventable, and so are the deaths and serious injuries it causes. If you’ve been injured by a drunk driver, an experienced North Charleston injury lawyer can help. 

Fatal Car Accidents

In 2022, 1,018 accidents claimed 1,093 lives in South Carolina, according to SCDPS. While this number represents a decrease of 8.5 percent from 2021, it also demonstrates that there is work to be done to protect lives on South Carolina roads. 

Common types of fatal car accidents in 2022 included:

• 528 automobile crashes,
• 294 pickup truck crashes,
• 81 tractor-trailer crashes,
• 357 SUV crashes,
• 147 motorcycle crashes,
• 25 bicycle crashes, and
• 173 pedestrian crashes.

Motorcycle Accidents

According to the SCDPS, in 2022, 147 motorcyclists were killed in roadway crashes in South Carolina. Of these, 97 collisions involved the motorcyclist and another driver. Investigators determined that over half of these multi-vehicle collisions (55) occurred without the motorcyclist doing anything to cause or contribute to the crash. 

Pedestrian Accidents

In 2022, 173 pedestrians died in accidents in South Carolina. 868 collisions caused injuries to pedestrians, with 217 pedestrians suffering serious injuries. Pedestrian accidents were most common on “secondary” roads, such as side streets. However, pedestrians were injured or killed on all types of South Carolina roadways in 2022, including interstate highway ramps. 

North Charleston is particularly prone to pedestrian versus vehicle accidents due to the number of busy main roads with few crosswalks, forcing walkers to cross in the middle of the street. These busy roads have two to 4 lanes of racing traffic in each direction. 

Truck Accidents

In 2022, tractor-trailers were involved in 88 fatal collisions and 1,298 injury collisions in South Carolina. Other trucks, including box trucks used for deliveries, were involved in 32 deadly accidents and 650 injury-causing accidents. 

Causes of truck accidents include driver inattention or error, shifting or falling cargo, equipment failures, rollovers, and running off the road.

North Charleston is home to many industries that rely on trucking to flourish. This includes the Charleston airport, aerospace, manufacturing, automotive, transportation, and warehouse industries. 

Lyft and Uber Accidents

Lyft and Uber are popular ridesharing options in North Charleston, which is home to many locations and venues. From the North Charleston Performing Arts Center and the Coliseum to the Charleston International Airport, visitors and locals alike rely on rideshare companies to get safely to and from their destinations. 

Rideshare companies offer insurance coverage in addition to a driver’s personal car insurance. When the added coverage applies depends on several factors. With multiple insurance companies in the mix, compensation for injured people can be delayed and the cases very complex.

Premises Liability Cases

When an injury occurs on the property of another, whether it is a business or private property, there is a potential for a premises liability claim. Property owners owe visitors a duty of care.. If that duty is breached for example, but poor maintenance or security and without warning about the risk, an injury victim may seek compensation with the help of an experienced personal injury attorney. 

Bars, restaurants, hotels, stores and shopping malls, movie theaters, airports, concert and sporting venues, parking garages, and a myriad of other locations in North Charleston are examples of places where an injury accident can occur. 

Slip and Fall Accidents

Slip and fall accidents are a major cause of premises liability and workplace injuries. They can also occur at stores, in restaurants, on sidewalks, and in the home. Those who are injured in a slip and fall may be able to seek compensation, especially if they could not have known about the fall risk before their injury occurred. Scenarios such as water on the floor, broken stairs, and dark stairways may be reasons an injury occurred, and the owner can be held accountable by an experienced lawyer.

Dog Bites

Any dog may bite, and any person may suffer dog bite injuries. While most dog bites are not fatal, many can cause permanent scarring and other medical issues. 

South Carolina allows injured people to seek compensation from a dog’s owner if they suffered a bite that required medical care. Speak to an experienced attorney to learn more.

Workers’ Compensation

Workers’ compensation helps meet the expenses of a work-related injury for employees of South Carolina’s many businesses. Workers’ compensation covers medical expenses and contributes toward the cost of lost wages for some workers. Death benefits are also available if a work-related injury or occupational illness claims a life. 

Construction Injuries

The construction industry recorded 24 workplace deaths in 2022 – the highest of any South Carolina industry. Contact with objects or equipment, exposure to harmful substances, electrical currents, or extreme temperatures, and fall injuries were among the most common causes of construction injuries.

Delivery Driver Injuries

Delivery drivers face a number of risks at work. They can develop sudden or repetitive stress injuries from lifting and carrying deliveries. They also face the risk of a car accident with another driver. 

When another driver causes a collision, a delivery driver may be able to seek compensation from both workers’ compensation and from the driver who caused the crash through a personal injury claim. Speak to a North Charleston workplace injury lawyer to learn more. 

Warehouse Worker Injuries

Warehouse and transportation employees also saw high instances of fatal workplace injuries in 2022, posting 20 deaths. Serious injuries were also common in this field.

Warehouse employees also see frequent rates of repetitive stress injuries. Unlike a one-time accident-related injury, repetitive stress injuries build up over time. Demonstrating that they are connected to your work can be challenging. An experienced workers’ compensation attorney can help. 

Mechanic Injuries

Mechanics face a higher risk of serious injuries at work. These can include electrocution, degloving and other soft tissue injuries, crush injuries and amputations, and permanent muscle, nerve, or bone damage. As a result, mechanics who suffer work-related injuries may need assistance to navigate permanent partial disability or permanent total disability benefits from workers’ compensation. 

Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect

Nursing home abuse occurs when staff physically, emotionally, sexually, or financially mistreat patients or when one patient, a visitor, or another person inflicts such mistreatment on another. Neglect occurs when those responsible for caring for residents fail to meet their basic obligations to keep patients fed, hydrated, clean, or receive the right dose of the right medications on the right schedule. 

Nursing home residents often struggle to articulate what’s happening to them or to seek help on their own. It’s important for families to speak up – and to talk to an experienced North Charleston nursing home abuse and neglect lawyer for help. 

Wrongful Death

A wrongful death case can be filed by the family or estate of the person who passed away.

These cases are very complex and require the legal guidance of a top-rated North Charleston attorney experienced in death cases caused by the negligence of another.

When a worker dies, there is also the potential option to pursue a workers’ compensation claim in South Carolina. Families should be careful to not accept offers from the employer and seek the counsel of an experienced workers’ compensation attorney if their loved one dies on the job. 

What To Do If You’ve Suffered Injuries in North Charleston

If you’ve been injured in North Charleston, keep these steps in mind. 

• First: Safety is essential. In the moments following an injury, take steps to preserve your safety and the safety of others. In a car accident, this may mean moving disabled vehicles out of traffic or warning oncoming drivers with vehicle lights or flares. In the workplace, safety may require turning off electricity or moving others away from a dangerous condition. 
• Second: Contact emergency help. Call 911 or have someone else at the scene do so. Emergency first responders can treat injuries and create a record of the accident scene if needed. In a vehicle accident, police can also help preserve safety by warning and directing traffic. 
• Third: Get medical attention. For severe injuries, emergency first responders may transport you to a hospital emergency department. If you don’t receive emergency care, schedule an appointment with a doctor as soon as possible. For workplace injuries, ask your employer for a list of approved doctors. Attend all follow-up doctor’s and specialist’s appointments. 
• Fourth: Keep track of your paperwork. Collect all your paperwork related to your injury or the accident, and keep it in a safe place. For example, keep copies of medical bills and receipts, police or accident reports, and doctor’s paperwork related to your injury.
• Fifth: Speak to a knowledgeable injury lawyer in North Charleston. An experienced North Charleston personal injury attorney can answer your questions and help you protect your legal rights as you seek compensation. 

Talk To An Experienced North Charleston Injury Attorney Today

Clients hire the Steinberg Law Firm because we have been a trusted member of this community for nearly 100 years. We apply the same level of care and conviction to every client we serve. Whether we are handling a workers’ compensation claim, auto accident claim, personal injury claim, or other matters, we treat every case as professionally and carefully as we possibly can. We are here to serve you, and our experienced attorneys work hard to get the justice and compensation you deserve under the law.