Personal Injury Attorneyin Augusta, SC.

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What Should You Do After a Car Accident in South Carolina?

The moments following the crash are often a blur when you're involved in a car accident. However, per South Carolina law, those on the scene must adhere to legal responsibilities and obligations.

First, try to stop your car and ensure it is positioned safely near the scene of the crash. Then, call 911 to report the accident. While most folks go into full-blown panic mode, you need to stay calm so you can process the situation. If you notice that there are injured people, give them "reasonable assistance." Per South Carolina Code of Laws, that could include transporting hurt people to a hospital or calling an ambulance for them.

If you're in a car crash, you need to be prepared to exchange contact information with other drivers at the accident scene. If the person who caused the collision is present, make sure to get their name, phone number, address, and insurance info. If witnesses are present, get their contact info, too, in case our team needs to obtain their account later.

Next, try to piece together how the car crash happened. This is an appropriate time to take photos of the cars, wreckage, and debris. Ask yourself if you think a vehicle failed to follow the rules of the road, like speeding or failing to stop at a stop sign.

Regardless of how minor your injuries may appear and who may be to blame for the accident, get legal advice from Theos Law Firm first before giving any recorded statements or refusing medical care.

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A Personal Injury Attorney in Augusta, SC You Can Trust

Time and again, auto accident victims agree to early settlements provided by insurance companies because the offer seems like a lot. But what if you return to work after recovering from an accident, only for your pain to return?

With adjusters, lawyers, and investigators at their disposal, insurance agencies will do everything in their power to minimize the compensation you deserve. Don't let them pick on you or silence your voice. If you or a loved are victims of a negligent car or truck accident in South Carolina, contact Theos Law Firm today. We have the team, tools, and experience to fight back on your behalf, no matter how complicated your case may seem.

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To schedule an appointment for your free consultation, contact Theos Law Firm in Augusta today.

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CSRA Events: Live Music, fairs and food

Listen to Charlotte artist Bryan Bielanski perform at the Highlander in North Augusta on Friday, Nov. 3, at 10 p.m.. Bielanski, who brings inspiration from Nirvana and the Beatles to his performances, leans into the indie and alternative genres. For more information, visit his Bands in Town event page.Head out to Riverview Park in North Augusta on Saturday, Nov. 4, from 10 a.m...

Listen to Charlotte artist Bryan Bielanski perform at the Highlander in North Augusta on Friday, Nov. 3, at 10 p.m.. Bielanski, who brings inspiration from Nirvana and the Beatles to his performances, leans into the indie and alternative genres. For more information, visit his Bands in Town event page.

Head out to Riverview Park in North Augusta on Saturday, Nov. 4, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. for Kids Jam. The event, hosted by CSRAKids.com features five packed gyms with exhibitors and interactive products for families and kids. Touch a truck, inflatables and more will be available. This is a free non-ticketed event. For more information, visit their website.

Experience rides and classic fair food at the Columbia County Fair which runs Thursday, Nov. 2, through Sunday, Nov. 12, in at 5462 Columbia Road in Grovetown. The fair features petting zoos, rides, live entertainment and fair rides. Gate admission costs $10 per person and unlimited rides cost $25 on weekdays and $30 on weekends. For more information, visit the Columbia County Fair website.

Feel spooky at the seventh annual October Spooktacular at Le Chat Noir through Friday, Nov. 3. The Halloween inspired gallery curated by Augusta artist Heather Rene Dunaway features a variety of visual art themes. To view the gallery and learn more about the theater, visit Le Chat Noir’s website.

Get a taste of Georgia’s food offerings at the Georgia Foodees Festival Friday, Nov. 3, through Sunday, Nov. 5, at the Freedom Bridge at 5th Street in downtown Augusta. The festival will feature over 50 food trucks, and will be the largest food truck festival in the region’s history. This event is free to attend. Friday kicks off at 1 p.m. and ends at 7 p.m. and weekend hours are from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. For more information, visit the Eventbrite page.

Step into a theatrical universe at Cirque Ma’Ceo Friday, Nov. 3, through Sunday, Nov. 5 at the Western Carolina State Fairgrounds in Aiken. The hour and a half long show features acrobatics, aerial dancing, horse and more. General admission tickets are $35 per adult and children’s tickets ages 3-12 are $20 per person. Parking is free. For more information, visit the event website.

Head out to the Silver Bluff Audobon Sanctuary on Saturday, Nov. 4, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. for a day on the equestrian trails. Hosted by the Aiken 40 Something Cowgirls group, the event allows people to ride the trails of the park. Ticketsare $35 per rider and include lunch. Water and food for your horse must be brought. For more information, visit the Eventbrite website.

Visit Langley Pond Park on Sunday, Nov. 5, for Feel the Music. The event located at the Aiken County park will feature live music by The Dubber and Mike Fourroux. Music kicks off at 3 p.m. and goes until 5 p.m. Attendees are encouraged to bring their own lawn chairs. For more information, visit the Discover Aiken County website.

N. Augusta, Thurmond go head-to-head in Game of the Week

NORTH AUGUSTA, S.C. (WRDW/WAGT) - For more reasons than just one, there’s been a lot of chirping going on between the North Augusta Yellowjackets and the Strom Thurmond Rebels in prep for Friday night.It seems like it was just yesterday that we were kicking off Under the Lights, and since then, both teams have learned a lot about themselves.Part of that comes from both squads facing tough non-region schedules.Friday is one of those. Strom Thurmond is hoping to go for win number three in a row, while the Yellowjacke...

NORTH AUGUSTA, S.C. (WRDW/WAGT) - For more reasons than just one, there’s been a lot of chirping going on between the North Augusta Yellowjackets and the Strom Thurmond Rebels in prep for Friday night.

It seems like it was just yesterday that we were kicking off Under the Lights, and since then, both teams have learned a lot about themselves.

Part of that comes from both squads facing tough non-region schedules.

Friday is one of those. Strom Thurmond is hoping to go for win number three in a row, while the Yellowjackets are looking to rebound after last week’s loss against Dutch Fork.

Last year, the Yellowjackets lost to the Rebels 13 to 7. The Rebels 13 coming only in the third quarter, while the Yellowjackets put on 7 in the fourth.

While the Yellowjackets are focusing on hushing the outside noise, the Rebels are dialing in on what they already have.

“We got to keep our team quiet, can’t have any personal files and other non-disciplinary issues. So just keep us if we do that straight, it can be really going through,” said Corey Tillman, North Augusta junior quarterback.

Andrew Webb, head coach for Strom Thurmond, said: “You can’t focus on just this week you can’t start looking ahead. You got to go get better today and if you can stack those good days on good days on good days, you got a chance to be special.”

While both teams are impressive in their own right, Tillman knows this game is going to be won based on how their offense manages the Rebels defense.

Tillman has been trying to keep his guys from entertaining the noise of social media surrounding this game.

He knows there’s a lot of hype surrounding this match-up. They’ve been working towards it since week one by dialing it in in the weight room, getting ready for what Tillman calls the ‘revenge game.’

The last time they played, it was a low-scoring affair- just 20 on the board between the two. It was a defensive battle.

This year, they’re prepared for it to be just the same.

“Their defenses are really good, give their cornerbacks a lot, a lot of talent, and a lot of great things they have they’re coming in, they have run a lot of men so take advantage of that,” said Tillman.

Darius Simpkins, senior defensive line for Strom Thurmond, said: “On Friday, when there’s a guy in front of you getting after it, we’ve already seen this all week. It’s nothing new to us, we are going to get after him, just like they’re getting after us.”

HD Yonce, senior lineman for Strom Thurmond, said: “It was very valuable for the defense like it felt kind of secure. But we’ve all the competition during practice. We’re always trying to get each other better. So, we’re not really paying attention to which side is really better. We’re always trying to beat each other.”

North Augusta won against Strom Thurmond 23 to 11.

Copyright 2023 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.

What to expect as detour along I-20 begins, and who’ll be impacted

NORTH AUGUSTA, S.C. (WRDW/WAGT) - As the new detour on the South Carolina side starts Thursday night, learn about what to expect and who will be mostly impacted on the road.MORE | Roadwork shuts down part of 13th Street for rest of the yearDriving over the state line may get messy once more for about two months, as crews work to build more lanes from exit one, right across the Savannah River bridge on I-...

NORTH AUGUSTA, S.C. (WRDW/WAGT) - As the new detour on the South Carolina side starts Thursday night, learn about what to expect and who will be mostly impacted on the road.

MORE | Roadwork shuts down part of 13th Street for rest of the year

Driving over the state line may get messy once more for about two months, as crews work to build more lanes from exit one, right across the Savannah River bridge on I-20.

The I-20 construction project at the state line is nearing its fourth full year.

The Georgia Department of Transportation is warning you to slow down as you’re approaching Exit 1.

Although the detour will only apply to people visiting the welcome center, it could cause delays for anyone exiting eastbound I-20 at Martintown Road in North Augusta.

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The detour will start overnight Thursday and is planned to last around two months as part of the I-20 and Savannah River bridge improvements.

As weather allows, crews will close the auxiliary lane to continue work on the roadway.

People leaving the welcome center will need to use Exit 1 at Martintown Road, make a slight left onto Martintown and continue right onto I-20.

The roadwork will only affect trucks and cars stopping at the welcome center. So if you aren’t stopping, one lane will still be open.

But if you are trying to get off I-20 at Exit 1, Martintown Road, there will be a backup, so it’s important to slow down, officials say.

The welcome center will remain open and accessible during this time, according to officials.

DETOUR PLAN:

We talked to some who say this roadwork will be messy.

“They’re doing road work and bridge work. And so, the exit for this location is very narrow and has the potential for accidents. It’s hard to see. And it’s very easy to miss,” said Skip Playford.

Exit 1 is known lately for its narrow cement barriers and large supply of orange barrels. With constant construction, Playford says it’s a route he tries to avoid.

“They changed it, and they’re fixing to change it again. So, the memory thing doesn’t always work unless you travel it a lot. And I think at this point, I’ve decided to try to avoid that area, you know, just altogether,” said Playford. “I wish there was another way they could do it. But I understand roads need repairing, replacing, because we complain about the roads enough. And we want people that we want to do something about it. But they also need to do it in a safe manner.”

MORE | Gas-tronomy: Gourmet convenience stores gain cult followings in CSRA

Georgia Department of Transportation say within the next two months they are grading for new roadway, asphalt and concrete paving and putting up barrier wall replacements.

The change will cut off the ability to merge back onto I-20 from the rest stop, diverting drivers to Exit 1 to get back on I-20. It’s something Playford says if drivers from this area don’t pay attention to, there will be issues.

“Somebody’s not paying attention, going too fast for conditions. If they hit one of those barriers, they are designed to bounce the car back over, so you don’t go over them. They work very well. But they almost work too well, because you’ll end up pinballing back and forth. And if other cars are involved, it’s just a mess,” he said.

Drivers can expect issues in downtown Augusta, too.

Officials say 13th Street between Telfair and Walker streets is closed to thru traffic due to repair work on the bridge over the Augusta Canal that started over the weekend.

All traffic will be detoured using 12th Street for the rest of the year.

Try to find alternate routes and expect heavy traffic delays.

Also downtown, CSX will close the railroad crossing between Twiggs and Fifth streets from 9 a.m. Aug. to 5 p.m. Aug. 18. The railroad will install a new switch near the crossing.

There are also a few ongoing and upcoming lane closures in Columbia County:

Copyright 2023 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.

N. Augusta convenience stores becoming lucky lottery spots

NORTH AUGUSTA, S.C. (WRDW/WAGT) - A chain of convenience stores in North Augusta is proving to be a lucky spot to play the Lottery after two of its stores sold winning tickets worth five figures.A less than five-minute drive separates the two Sprint stores where the winners played their numbers only days apart.In Monday night’s Powerball drawing, a ticket sold at the Sprint 737 at 107 Edgefield Road won $50,000. The ticket matched all but one number in the drawing (2, 11, 48, 58, 65 and PB 13).On Friday, a customer...

NORTH AUGUSTA, S.C. (WRDW/WAGT) - A chain of convenience stores in North Augusta is proving to be a lucky spot to play the Lottery after two of its stores sold winning tickets worth five figures.

A less than five-minute drive separates the two Sprint stores where the winners played their numbers only days apart.

In Monday night’s Powerball drawing, a ticket sold at the Sprint 737 at 107 Edgefield Road won $50,000. The ticket matched all but one number in the drawing (2, 11, 48, 58, 65 and PB 13).

On Friday, a customer at the Sprint 744 at 525 E. Martintown Road came up one number short of winning a $940 million Mega Millions jackpot (5, 10, 28, 52, 63 and MB 18). That winning ticket is worth $10,000.

The Mega Millions jackpot is now more than $1 billion. Tuesday’s jackpot is an estimated $1.05 billion with a cash payout of $527 million.

This is the fifth time the jackpot has exceeded $1 billion. The first was back in October 2018, when a record Mega Millions jackpot of $1.5 billion was won in Simpsonville, S.C. The most recent billion-dollar jackpot was in January of this year.

The massive prizes are due in part to chance, but it’s not all happenstance. Rising interest rates coupled with changes to the odds of winning are also big reasons the prizes grow so large.

Nearly all jackpot winners opt for a lump sum payout, which for Tuesday night’s drawing would be an estimated $527.9 million. The lump sum is the cash that a winner has actually won. The highlighted $1.05 billion prize is for a sole winner who is paid through an annuity, which is funded by that lump sum and will be doled out annually over 30 years.

That’s where the higher interest rate becomes a factor, because the higher the interest rate, the larger the annuity can grow over three decades. The U.S. is in the midst of a remarkable run of interest rate increases, with the Federal Reserve raising a key rate 11 times in 17 months, and that higher rate enables a roughly $500 million lump sum prize to be advertised as a jackpot of about twice that size.

A winner who chooses the annuity option would receive an initial payment and then 29 annual payments that rise by 5% each year. Opting for an annuity has some tax advantages, as less of the winnings would be taxed at the top federal income tax rate of 37%. It also could be an option for winners who don’t trust themselves to manage so much money all at once.

If lottery winners die before 30 years, the future payments would go to their beneficiaries.

The annuities pay out big money, but not nearly as big as taking the lump sum.

For example, a sole winner of Tuesday night’s Mega Millions could choose a lump sum of an estimated $527.9 million or an initial annuity payment of about $15.8 million. Of course, those annuity payments would continue for decades and gradually increase until the final check paid about $65.1 million, according to lottery officials.

In both cases, the winnings would be subject to federal taxes, and many states also tax lottery winnings.

Given all that, nearly all jackpot winners think they could make more money by investing the money themselves, or they simply want the biggest initial payout possible.

That’s another factor that has created so many huge prizes for those who match all six numbers.

In 2015, the Powerball odds were changed from 1 in 175.2 million to 1 in 292.2 million. Mega Millions took a similar action in 2019 by lengthening the game’s odds from 1 in 258.9 million to 1 in 302.6 million.

For lottery officials, the hope was that by making it harder to win jackpots, the prizes would roll over for weeks and create truly massive pots of money that would in turn generate higher sales.

The result is that all of the billion dollar jackpots have come after the changes in the odds.

Luck remains a big factor, as the odds of any ticket being a winner never changes. However, the more people who play Mega Millions, the more of the potential 302.6 million number combinations are covered.

For the last Mega Millions drawing on Friday night, 20.1% of possible number combinations were purchased. Typically, the larger the jackpot grows, the more people buy tickets and the more potential combinations are covered.

Tuesday night’s drawing will be the 30th since the last jackpot winner. That is inching closer to the longest Mega Millions jackpot drought, which reached 37 drawings from Sept. 18, 2020, to Jan. 22, 2021.

The longest jackpot run was for a Powerball prize that stretched over 41 drawings and ended with a record $2.04 billion prize on Nov. 7, 2022.

Copyright 2023 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.

More homes, more issues? North Augusta development looks to move forward, neighbors upset

More than 170 acres of North Augusta property are looking to be turned into new homes and businesses. But while the city looks to grow, many neighbors are only growing in worry.On Monday, North Augusta gave its initial approval to The Hive, a mixed-use development in an area southeast of West Martintown Road and I-20. While there are homes and a few businesses in this area, this would really fill up the space.The residential portion of the plan is a mix of detached single-family residences, townhomes and apartmen...

More than 170 acres of North Augusta property are looking to be turned into new homes and businesses. But while the city looks to grow, many neighbors are only growing in worry.

On Monday, North Augusta gave its initial approval to The Hive, a mixed-use development in an area southeast of West Martintown Road and I-20. While there are homes and a few businesses in this area, this would really fill up the space.

The residential portion of the plan is a mix of detached single-family residences, townhomes and apartments. In total, it would create more than 600 homes. About 27 acres has been designated for commercial use, and while the list of new businesses is still being nailed down, one of the developers, Bobby Bagwell, said Lowes Foods has expressed interest. If built, it would be the only nearby grocery store for many residents.

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However, several people who live near the proposed development expressed how upset they were over their quiet neighborhoods seeing huge boosts in traffic because of the project. Part of the plan is to use Pinion Road as a connector for ease of access to first responders, and residents like Jean Norris found this particularly frustrating.

"The safety overall, the appeal of our neighborhood, it's just not going to be there anymore," Norris said. "Those that have moved away from other neighborhoods into Pinion to have that quiet atmosphere, we're not going to have that anymore."

The Pinion Road residents also cited a neighborhood covenant established more than 50 years ago which potentially gives them certain protections in these matters. North Augusta's City Attorney Kelly Zier could not definitively comment on this without investigating further. The developers explained that there are currently no other options to replace the connector and it was already part of the masterplan, but they spoke with the residents following the meeting and said they would look over the covenant and discuss it further.

Another resident that lives on Wellington Road expressed concern over many natural backyards disappearing and residents losing that privacy with all of the new buildings. He requested some kind of natural buffer be included, which the developers and North Augusta City Council agreed to.

These were some of the highlights of an ongoing debate between city council, residents, and the developers, and it's likely not to be the last. The council will review and give a final vote on the plan's latest details during their next meeting at 6 p.m. June 19.

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