On behalf of Philpot Law Firm, PA posted in Pedestrian Accidents on Thursday, May 17, 2012
For some people, being hit by a motor vehicle is an occupational hazard. For school crossing guards, this danger is faced in the name of protecting children. This hazard became a reality for one South Carolina woman who was hit while serving as a school crossing guard in Sangaree, South Carolina.
According to witnesses and local police, the woman was struck in the early morning by a 16-year-old female driver in a pickup truck. The driver apparently accelerated through an intersection where the woman was helping children cross the street. According to those who live in the area, this turn of events was awful, but not entirely unexpected. They say that the intersection is often packed with cars and many drivers appear to ignore the posted traffic laws and fail to be aware of their surroundings. To them, a pedestrian accident was almost inevitable.
On behalf of Philpot Law Firm, PA posted in Pedestrian Accidents on Friday, May 11, 2012
South Carolina police have some reason to be optimistic: the amount of traffic-related fatalities has headed downward with nearly 200 fewer deaths last year compared to the year before. Yet there is also more work to be done because the incidents of pedestrian and bicyclist fatalities as a result of being hit by a car are now on the rise. To combat this growing trend, the police are introducing the SEE program, which stands for Stop, Educate and Enforce.
This program is aimed at ensuring pedestrians and cyclists are following proper rules of the road and to help promote overall better safe behaviors for everyone involved. If police officers come across pedestrians or cyclists who are engaging in less-than-safe behavior, the officers will stop and talk to them as well as give them places to go for more safety information. There is good reason to take this information seriously because serious injuries such as broken bones or spinal cord damage are a strong possibility when getting involved in a pedestrian accident or a bicycle accident with a motor vehicle.
On behalf of Philpot Law Firm, PA posted in Drunk Driving Accidents on Thursday, May 3, 2012
In South Carolina, the victims of drunk driving accidents and their families are pushing the state legislature to enact stronger laws against drunk drivers. In both the South Carolina House and Senate, bills are under consideration that would implement ignition interlock systems on the cars of any person convicted of a DUI. While some may think that the action sounds drastic, supporters say the action is justified to save lives and to prevent others from injuries caused by drunk drivers.
Currently, interlock ignition systems are installed on the cars of people with at least two DUI convictions. The supporters of the stricter law say that the likelihood of repeat offenders is good reason to implement the system of first time offenders as well. For those who were affected, it's a small step that could have prevented some of the deadly drunk driving crashes their families suffered through. Their hope is that the bills can prevent others from having to deal with the same tragedy.
On behalf of Philpot Law Firm, PA posted in Pedestrian Accidents on Saturday, April 28, 2012
An accident in York County, South Carolina, has resulted in the death of a 75-year-old pedestrian. According to initial reports, the man parked his pickup truck on S.C. 5 near the intersection of Reservation Road and Bowater and got out of the vehicle. Officials did not make statements regarding why the man exited the pickup. Tragically, a Mack truck then struck the smaller vehicle from behind, which caused it to collide with the pedestrian.
As is often the case in pedestrian accidents, the individual unfortunately died from his injuries.
On behalf of Philpot Law Firm, PA posted in Drunk Driving Accidents on Wednesday, April 18, 2012
A drunk driving crash in Laurens County, South Carolina, has left one person dead and two others injured. The accident occurred late in the afternoon on U.S. 66. According to the South Carolina Highway Patrol, a pickup truck driven by a drunk driver crashed into another vehicle.
The 36-year-old female passenger of the vehicle struck by the pickup truck was killed in the accident, while the driver of the vehicle was taken by helicopter to a local hospital. The driver of the pickup truck was also transported to a hospital to receive treatment. Information on the condition of either of the drivers involved was not immediately known. The driver of the pickup truck has been charged with a felony DUI.
On behalf of Philpot Law Firm, PA posted in Pedestrian Accidents on Monday, April 9, 2012
A pedestrian hit by a car on Laurens Road in Greenville, South Carolina, earlier this month at the Interstate 85 interchange suffered serious injuries. He was transported to a local hospital and is listed in critical condition. According to the Greenville Police Department, the 26-year-old man was walking in the eastbound traffic late at around 3:30 a.m. when an eastbound vehicle hit him. An accident reconstruction team was dispatched to the site to investigate.
Authorities arrested the driver in connection with assault charges from a case unrelated to the car crash. It is also a possibility that the injured pedestrian could take legal action against the driver to receive financial compensation for medical costs and for pain and suffering.
On behalf of Philpot Law Firm, PA posted in Drunk Driving Accidents on Tuesday, April 3, 2012
In what could be the continuation of an unfortunate trend, another alleged drunk driving crash has occurred on the Ravenel Bridge in Charleston, South Carolina. A vehicle driven by an intoxicated woman crashed into another car last week while attempting to change lanes. The woman's vehicle then hit a guard rail, which flipped the vehicle and trapped her inside. The driver was freed by officers who arrived on the scene.
While helping the woman out from the vehicle the officers made two observations: there were empty bottles of beer evident inside the vehicle and the driver had a distinct smell of alcohol on her breath. The driver admitted to having several drinks before driving, and submitted to a blood-alcohol test.
On behalf of Philpot Law Firm, PA posted in Car Accidents on Wednesday, March 28, 2012
A four-car accident near the South Carolina coast has left two men dead and six others injured. The accident, which occurred at the intersection of Folly Road and Bowens Island Road on the only road leading to and from Folly Beach, is currently under investigation by the Charleston County Sheriff's Office.
Little information was immediately available about those injured in the car crash, but it is known that children were among the injured and several people were sent to local hospitals to receive medical treatment.
On behalf of Philpot Law Firm, PA posted in Pedestrian Accidents on Thursday, March 22, 2012
In what serves as a stark reminder of the inherent danger of the roadways, a pedestrian was fatally hit by a car earlier this month in Piedmont, South Carolina. According to local police officers investigating the incident, the pedestrian was crossing the road and stepped in front of a Toyota truck heading eastbound.
The pedestrian was transported to a nearby hospital with severe injuries that resulted in his death. The driver involved in the accident was reportedly unharmed, and the crash was under investigation by the South Carolina Highway Patrol.
On behalf of Philpot Law Firm, PA posted in Drunk Driving Accidents on Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Late last year, a young man lost his life when his car was hit by an alleged drunk driver near Charleston, South Carolina. The man responsible for this accident was an employee of a local restaurant, and was suspected to have been allowed to drink alcohol at this location after the legal closing time. While driving home after his alleged late night of drinking, he hit another car from behind; the other vehicle quickly caught fire and its driver was killed. The police report from the accident indicated that the restaurant employee was driving while intoxicated well above the legal limit.
Now, the family of the victim is pressing charges against the restaurant, claiming that it is partially responsible for the death. The charges include a wrongful death claim and bring into play the issue of dram shop liability. Dram shop liability is the legal responsibility of any person or institution that serves alcoholic beverages to be accountable for any distribution of alcohol to a person who is clearly intoxicated.
