South Carolina Tow Truck Accident Attorneys

Experienced Charleston Injury Lawyers Help Our Clients Recover Compensation After a Tow Truck Injury

Tow trucks are common sights at South Carolina accident scenes. Most people think of the tow truck as part of the team that responds to the crash – not part of the vehicles involved in the crash. 

Yet, tow truck accidents are surprisingly common. Tow truck drivers face high risks of accident and injury on the job, and they also pose risks to other drivers on the roads. 

If you’ve been injured in a tow truck crash, talk to an experienced Charleston tow truck accident attorney today. The team at Steinberg Law Firm is here to help. 

How Do Tow Truck Crashes Occur?

Tow trucks frequently visit accident scenes, where traffic is already moving in unexpected ways. In addition, tow trucks are often large, heavy vehicles with reduced visibility for drivers – especially when they’re towing another vehicle. 

Hard Hat Training, a training company for prospective tow truck drivers, identifies four challenges that can increase the risk of a tow truck crash:

• Environmental Conditions. Tow truck drivers often work in areas that are unfamiliar to them, that are isolated, or that offer little to no protection from oncoming traffic and other hazards. These conditions may increase the risk of a tow truck crash. 
• Need for Speed. Tow truck drivers often have little time to pause or assess a situation before jumping in. The need to get to a scene quickly and to move a disabled vehicle promptly creates pressure to move fast, which can increase the risk of accidents. 
• Fatigue. Tow truck drivers work long hours, often at night. Their work imposes a constant demand to be alert while on the road – which means fatigue can trigger a crash. 
• Stress. Fatigue, long hours, and the pressure to work quickly in unfamiliar conditions all raise stress levels for tow truck drivers. High stress is linked to poorer decision-making, acting on impulse, and other behaviors that can increase the risk of an accident. 

At an accident scene, a tow truck crash may occur if:

• Drivers don’t slow down or move over for the tow truck. 
• Tow truck drivers cannot see or do not look for oncoming traffic before moving in or out of traffic lanes.
• Tow trucks’ size and weight cause significant damage in a collision with another vehicle.
• The equipment on the tow truck contains hidden defects that cause failure, resulting in a crash or other serious injuries.

Other factors can also cause or contribute to a tow truck accident. When a crash occurs, multiple injuries or deaths may result.  

Recent Tow Truck Accidents and Injuries in South Carolina

The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that 1,280 tow truck drivers suffer on-the-job injuries yearly. Statistics from the American Automobile Association (AAA) reveal that, on average, one tow truck driver dies on the job every six days in the US. 

Recent tow truck crashes in South Carolina include:

• A Taylors, SC resident died while loading a vehicle onto a tow truck on the side of I-85 near Spartanburg. 
• A Lowcountry tow truck driver died when he was hit by a speeding driver on the James Island Connector in 2022.
• A tractor-trailer driver died after colliding with a tow truck in Lexington County.

Even tow truck crashes that don’t cause death may leave one or more people with serious injuries. These crash survivors deserve the support and advice of a dedicated South Carolina tow truck crash lawyer.

Seeking Compensation in a South Carolina Tow Truck Crash

After a crash, both tow truck drivers and other motorists may suffer severe injuries. Back and neck injuries, musculoskeletal injuries, traumatic brain injuries, crush injuries, and internal injuries are all common results of a tow truck crash. 

Compensation after a tow truck crash is tailored to the losses suffered in the accident. Common types of compensation awarded in tow truck crash cases include:

• Medical bills, including hospital stays, surgery, prescription medications, and other medical needs,
• Lost wages if your injuries prevent you from working, 
• Other losses, like repair or replacement of a damaged vehicle,
• Compensation for pain and suffering, loss of enjoyment of life, and mental and emotional anguish. 

Recovering compensation in a tow truck crash can be complex. Often, these cases involve not only the tow truck driver and another party involved in the crash itself but also the towing company and multiple insurance companies. Fighting for compensation can be daunting when you’re already struggling to recover from severe injuries. 

Speak to an Experienced Charleston Tow Truck Accident Lawyer Today

If you’ve been injured in a collision with a tow truck, you’re not alone. Talk to the experienced Charleston tow truck crash attorneys at the Steinberg Law Firm today. We’re here to help you understand your options and fight for the compensation you need.