When an auto accident happens unexpectedly, anyone can become a victim. One moment you're commuting back home after a long day at the office. The next, your car is totaled, and you're injured in the hospital due to another person's negligence. It's not fair, but it happens every day. Unlike the irresponsible party who caused the accident, personal injury victims often suffer the most in auto accidents. They have to worry about lost days at work, the long road to recovery, and the inability to provide for their family. Sadly, many people injured in car accidents don't have the luxury of worrying about bills because they're fighting for life in the emergency room.
And while modern cars come equipped with safety features like blind spot monitoring and cross-traffic alerts, motor vehicle accidents are still a huge problem in South Carolina. According to the South Carolina Department of Public Safety, in 2020, one person was injured every 11 minutes in a car collision. Even worse, one fatal collision was recorded every 9.1 hours.
Unfortunately, victims of auto accident negligence often don't know what to do when another driver hits them. They have questions like:
These same innocent people provide official statements to insurance agencies without knowing the consequences.
However, if you or your loved ones are victims in a car crash, there's good news. Laws in South Carolina mandate that guilty parties must compensate for pain and suffering. But in order to get the compensation you deserve, it's crucial to work with a personal injury attorney in Awendaw, SC. Experienced personal injury lawyers know how to bolster your case by securing witnesses for questioning, obtaining accident scene information, and documenting vehicle damage. If these tasks aren't completed quickly, you are far less likely to receive the compensation you and your family deserve.
Theos Law Firm exists to fight for your rights and to ensure negligent drivers are held responsible for the damage they do to your family. It's really that simple. We aren't afraid to trade blows with selfish insurance agencies. Because, unlike Theos Law Firm, they couldn't care less about your best interests.
Here are just a few reasons why so many hardworking people choose Theos Law Firm:
When you're involved in a car or truck accident, it can be a life-changing event. Having represented hundreds of personal injury victims, we understand that you may be confused and frightened. You know you need to speak with a lawyer, but you need a calm, cool presence to ease your anxiety. You need someone who understands what you're enduring, and we know how you feel. Unlike other auto accident attorneys, we believe that personal injury claims are more about the people involved and less about money and settlements. When you reach out to Theos Law Firm, you can rest easy knowing our team will treat you with dignity, compassion, and empathy.
With many years of combined personal injury experience, there's nothing that our team hasn't seen in terms of auto accidents. With that said, we understand that there is no "common" type of accident or scenario - no two accidents are the same. We have represented clients involved in DUI accidents, truck rollovers, reckless drivers, interstate pileups, rear-end collisions, and even Uber driver crashes. With such extensive experience, our team has the tools and talent to take care of you, regardless of how complicated your case might be.
The recovery process involved with automobile accidents changes with every person we represent. There are dozens of details to account for, from car repairs to insurance questions and everything in between. These small but necessary details aren't easy to accomplish for injured parties. That's why our team goes the extra mile to help cut through the red tape to ensure your medical bills are paid, and your car gets fixed. The less weight you have on your shoulders to worry about, the faster you can focus on recovering.
Unlike other personal injury law firms, our team is 100% committed to protecting your rights, and we're uniquely positioned to do so with decades of combined experience. We offer robust representation for many types of auto accidents, including:
If you have been the victim of an accident listed above, please understand that time is of the essence. There is limited time to seek compensation for your injuries, hospital bills, lost wages, and more. As such, there is only a short time to obtain experienced representation for your personal injury case.
Our team knows that finding the right attorney to represent you is an important choice. Therefore, we believe that an initial consultation is imperative to understand your needs and identify your goals fully. When we sit down with you to learn the nuances of your accident, we'll cover all aspects of South Carolina law pertaining to your case. That way, you're armed with information and have an idea of the next steps our firm will take to represent you.
Remember - the sooner we can dig into the details of your case, the sooner we can pursue your rightful compensation. As seasoned personal injury attorneys, our team specializes in several types of automobile accidents:
Car accidents are a serious problem in South Carolina. If you're an adult, you probably know someone involved in a bad car crash in our state. When you look at the stats, it seems like car accidents are always on the rise. One person was killed every 8.2 hours in a car collision. Even more sobering is that one teen driver is involved in a fatal or injury-causing collision every 1.6 hours. The unfortunate truth is that many people involved in car crashes were hurt due to the other driver's negligence.
Common car crash injuries in South Carolina include:
Car accident victims in South Carolina are often left to pay their medical bills but can't do so because they're too hurt to go to work or take their car in for repair. These life-changing scenarios can snowball into a series of scary events, leaving victims hopeless and unsure where to turn.
Fortunately, a car accident attorney in Awendaw, SC can help you avoid these pitfalls and obtain the money you need to survive. At Theos Law Firm, our team has a deep understanding of the rules that dictate fault in South Carolina. We know that thorough representation is needed to receive maximum compensation, and we're well-prepared to achieve that goal for you.
Our car accident lawyers in South Carolina can recover compensation for injuries and damages:
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.
Tractor-trailer and semi-truck crashes are often more complicated than two car crashing. Because these cases are more complex and nuanced, it's imperative that you contact a truck accident attorney in Awendaw, SC to help you through the recovery process and win the compensation you deserve.
After a semi-truck crash, you must take steps quickly to preserve evidence so that the crash may be recreated. In serious semi-truck accidents where people are injured or killed, trucking companies usually send a team of investigators to the accident site immediately. These investigators will do their best to obtain evidence that can hurt you in court or even attempt to hide or destroy evidence. The last thing a trucking company wants is for you to win a settlement against them.
That's especially true since various entities may be liable for your truck accident injury, not just the driver. The trucking company, the trucking manufacturer, and the team responsible for truck maintenance could also be responsible. Additionally, if dangerous or inadequate road conditions factor into your accident, you could actually sue some government departments. For those reasons, it's critical to retain quality representation ASAP after a truck accident in South Carolina.
At Theos Law Firm, our team has experience winning compensation in many types of truck accidents, such as:
As your truck accident lawyer in South Carolina, we work hard to fight for your rights and win your case. In order to do so, our team will:
We'll arrive on-scene to notate skid mark length and the locations of vehicles involved. We will also capture detailed pictures and measurements pertinent to your crash.
Obtaining the trucking company's records and discovering the info they have on the semi-truck driver involved is an important part of our process. We will also secure access to the trucker's driving log notes, which they must maintain according to law.
Like airplanes and helicopters, big rigs have a "black box" that records real-time truck data, like speeds, changes in direction, and brake application.
We'll arrive on-scene to notate skid mark length and the locations of vehicles involved. We will also capture detailed pictures and measurements pertinent to your crash.
Sometimes an expert is needed to digest all the evidence and provide an expert opinion on the cause of the semi-truck collision. When needed, our team will hire such an expert to ensure your case is robust and air-tight.
We will obtain the police's investigation report and any accident photos, measurements, or other documentation taken by officers while investigating your semi-truck crash.
It's imperative to find all the witnesses of your accident and interview them to get recorded statements in a timely manner. Doing otherwise may result in faded memories and inaccurate facts.
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.
To schedule an appointment for your free consultation, contact Theos Law Firm in Awendaw today.
AWENDAW — One of two controversial housing developments is moving forward after a public meeting in which several residents of this rural town made clear the construction is not welcome.Awendaw’s Planning Commission on April 18 approved the plats for a development by national homebuilder PulteGroup on a piece of land known as the White Tract. The development includes 204 homes at build-out on 148 acres near the intersection of Seewee and Bulls Island roads.All of the homes would use septic tanks to handle sewage....
AWENDAW — One of two controversial housing developments is moving forward after a public meeting in which several residents of this rural town made clear the construction is not welcome.
Awendaw’s Planning Commission on April 18 approved the plats for a development by national homebuilder PulteGroup on a piece of land known as the White Tract. The development includes 204 homes at build-out on 148 acres near the intersection of Seewee and Bulls Island roads.
All of the homes would use septic tanks to handle sewage.
The tanks are a major component to environmentalists’ objections of the project, contending the tanks could fail and send untreated sewage leaching into the pristine waters of nearby Cape Romain Wildlife Refuge. Neighbors are concerned by the construction for additional reasons, including added traffic and already minimal fire services for the area being stretched further.
The panel approved the development with several conditions attached. The vote was 5-1, with only Commissioner James Gardner voting against. Lewis White Jr., chair of the planning commission, was not present at the meeting and has not weighed in on the project because he owns the land where it will be built.
Will Waterhouse, a representative of Pulte, said during the meeting that developers had worked to meet with the community and address concerns first raised in a raucous March meeting where angry members of the public argued they had not been properly briefed on the plans.
“What was evident was that folks in this room had something to say about it, and in the time between the meetings we’ve been listening,” Waterhouse said to the commission.
Residents of the town argued the project should be thrown out entirely because of several changes in the proposal from the conceptual development plan, which was approved in 2006.
“This is dramatically different from what Pulte has proposed to you (16 years ago),” resident Susan Cox said.
She pointed out the original plan called for a new road that will no longer be built, more space between house lots and the edge of the development area, and more distance between homes and a saltwater impoundment that drains directly into the Intracoastal Waterway.
Some concerns that were first raised in the March meeting were addressed in the list of 17 conditions that commissioners added to the project. Among them is that covenants future homebuyers will agree to will include an easement for smoke. Smoke often drifts over the area from nearby prescribed burns by the U.S. Forest Service in Francis Marion National Forest, which are necessary to maintain the ecosystems there.
Waterhouse acknowledged that for some things, like an annual septic tank inspection Pulte will require, may not last.
Asked by Gardner how builders could ensure their conditions will hold after the project is done, Waterhouse said Pulte will retain control of the future homeowners association board only until all the houses are built.
Whether there is a way to ensure septic inspections stayed mandatory after that point, Waterhouse said, “I just don’t know (how) off the top of my head.”
After the meeting, Grace Gasper of conservation group Friends of Coastal SC, said she was “disappointed but not surprised” by the commission’s decision.
She said Pulte had made strides in talking to interest groups and neighbors about their plans, but there are still concerns about the effect on the Francis Marion forest and the nearby Cape Romain National Wildlife Refuge.
Developers will still have to get approval from several other public agencies before they start construction, including the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control, which will review plans for septic tanks.
The town will have another meeting next month on the second development proposal that stirred up animosity in March. That plan will eventually put 249 houses on 184 acres near the intersection of Doar Road and U.S. Highway 17.
Taken together, the two projects could eventually increase the population of the town, now at about 1,400, by 50 percent.
A potential new middle and high school in Awendaw has a chance to be a partial magnet school, and students from multiple parts of the district can be pulled toAWENDAW, S.C. (WCSC) - A potential new middle and high school in Awendaw has a chance to be a partial magnet school, and students from multiple parts of the district can be pulled to take part in a specialized curriculum.Charleston County School District Board Members and the people of Mount Pleasant got to hear new details about the potential schools on Wednesday. Distri...
A potential new middle and high school in Awendaw has a chance to be a partial magnet school, and students from multiple parts of the district can be pulled to
AWENDAW, S.C. (WCSC) - A potential new middle and high school in Awendaw has a chance to be a partial magnet school, and students from multiple parts of the district can be pulled to take part in a specialized curriculum.
Charleston County School District Board Members and the people of Mount Pleasant got to hear new details about the potential schools on Wednesday. District officials told people at the meeting, held at Laing Middle School, that a lot of the plans right now are just ideas with no specific timeline.
This new middle and high school would be located on 107 acres at Highway 17 and Jenkins Hill Road. As part of this plan, district staff presented concept maps with multiple options for rezoning.
Jeff Borowy, the Chief Operating Officer for the district, says this plan will be a challenge.
“Most of the times we build a school, we just build a specific zone of attendance for that school, but in this case, we want to have a number of students to offer the right programs for those students,” Borowy said. “So, we have to look out of the box and look for something different beyond the zone.”
District staff says one of the main challenges is making sure that each school holds a maximum of 500 students. This would pull in kids from D1, the Awendaw-McClellanville area, and some from D2 in the northern Mount Pleasant area.
Staff also say they are continuing to research desirable education options for a partial magnet school to reach that target enrollment.
“It’s going to be very important to let’s build the school from up, but at the same time, let’s figure out what we’re going to be doing inside,” Thomas Colleton, D1 Constituent Board Chair, said. “The curriculum needs a lot.”
There is currently no timeline on construction for the schools because the district does not know if this magnet option will be included. The district says it is possible that the earliest we can start to see construction would be in four years.
Jonathan Mars, a parent of two children at Carolina Park Elementary, says this could be an option for his family when his kids get older.
“But it does sound like they’re going to have very specific programs at the school,” Mars said. “So, for example, if there’s a great art program and my daughter’s really into art that seems like a great option to have.”
As of now, this project is not fully funded and the district says they do not have a price estimate.
They say the next step is to charter a blue-ribbon committee in mid-October that will look at enrollment numbers and look at the best options to make this project successful.
Copyright 2022 WCSC. All rights reserved.
AWENDAW, S.C. (WCIV) — One Awendaw woman is launching a new company with the goal of bringing new services to her community.Awendaw is a small quiet rural city next to Mount Pleasant, but for people like Stacia McNeil Dawson it's better known as "home."“Being out in the country, born and raised, which I love and I s...
AWENDAW, S.C. (WCIV) — One Awendaw woman is launching a new company with the goal of bringing new services to her community.
Awendaw is a small quiet rural city next to Mount Pleasant, but for people like Stacia McNeil Dawson it's better known as "home."
“Being out in the country, born and raised, which I love and I see that everybody else is starting to love it as well,” McNeil Dawson said.
Awendaw woman starts trash service, looks to bring more resources to rural communities. (WCIV)
But the beauty of a small rural town comes at a cost.
“Growing [up], born and raised in Awendaw, I’ve noticed that we always lack,” McNeil Dawson said.
Cities like Awendaw don’t have county-sponsored resources when it comes to maintenance or sanitation like many other areas do. So for many basic necessities, residents are pushed towards private services which, according to residents, may be unreliable or have such a large service area that these rural cities may get over looked.
“We are the last to have anything available or otherwise any type of services funding or even programs,” McNeil Dawson said.
Read More: Modular unit with 8 classrooms at Lucy Beckham High, enrollment projection over capacity
One of those resources McNeil Dawson says the lack: trash services.
“Just to see when you go out and visit other relatives, and they have all these type of services come into their community, and you come back home and you see that we don't have it, it makes you feel like why don't we have it? It makes us feel like, well, maybe we're not worthy to have it or maybe they just don't want to cater to us," McNeil Dawson said.
Instead of accepting her fate, McNeil Dawson decided to get up and do something about it.
“In order to make a difference in the world, we must start [at] home first. Community is number one, " she said.
Read More: Unusual Carolinas: Rattlesnake spotted in the surf at Myrtle Beach State Park
McNeil Dawson decided to create her own sanitation service company specifically for Awendaw and the surrounding rural areas in the North Mount Pleasant area. It's called Awendaw Sanitation Services.
What started out as a vision five years ago turned into a full blow operation set to open next week. McNeil Dawson took the an unconventional route to get there.
“Typically, every day in both of my vehicles is full with anything on sanitation," she said.
She's a true self starter who built this business using her own money- raising almost a quarter of a million dollars in total- her own time and her own resources to put together trucks and commercial vehicles.
From rolling trash cans down the street to now just being days away from the rollout of her business– it’s been a long journey.
Read More: Southeastern hike trekking through South Carolina in effort to combat childhood cancer
But for McNeil Dawson, her purpose is much larger than just trash clean-up.
“I believe Awendaw Sanitation Services will be the door to start opening up new opportunities, to bring out more resources and just to give more to the rural areas," she said.
She hopes the road she took to get to this point will inspire others to do the same.
“It's going to take us if we see the need, it's going to take us to make that change," she said.
Awendaw sanitation company will provide household trash cleanup services to Awendaw, McClellanville, Huger, North Santee, Buck Hall and North Mount Pleasant starting on August 2.
McNeil Dawson said they are currently running a promotion for signups before their start date next week and are also looking for more employees– specifically for anyone with a CDL license.
CHARLESTON COUNTY, S.C. (WCBD) – A recent land purchase by the Charleston County School District (CCSD) could be the home of a joint middle and high school that would cater to students in Awendaw, McClellanville, and, possibly, Mt. Pleasant.The $3.5 million, 107-acre property is located about 17 miles north of Wando High School off Highway 17 near Jenkins Hill Road.It was purchased with the idea of building a school, but that process is just beginning.“We’re investing in the future and also creating a s...
CHARLESTON COUNTY, S.C. (WCBD) – A recent land purchase by the Charleston County School District (CCSD) could be the home of a joint middle and high school that would cater to students in Awendaw, McClellanville, and, possibly, Mt. Pleasant.
The $3.5 million, 107-acre property is located about 17 miles north of Wando High School off Highway 17 near Jenkins Hill Road.
It was purchased with the idea of building a school, but that process is just beginning.
“We’re investing in the future and also creating a situation where we hope to have a community school for that area,” said Jeff Borowy, the Chief Operating Officer for CCSD.
On Wednesday, District 2 Constituent Board members, parents, and community members will learn more details about what programs the school could provide, attendance numbers needed to make it come to life, and more.
“We’re going to get a little more definition about some of the programs that it potentially could offer. What we do know, at least what we’ve been told before, is that the school will probably have a population of 1,000 children and it will be a middle school/high school,” said Pamela Jouan-Goldman, the chair of the District 2 Constituent Board.
Many parents in the area say this school is a long time coming.
In 2016, CCSD permanently closed Lincoln Middle-High School due to low attendance numbers. Since then, elementary and middle school students attend St. James-Santee Elementary-Middle School, and high school students attend Mt. Pleasant high schools including Wando High and Oceanside Collegiate Academy (OCA).
“I’d say its about 25 to 30 miles each way,” said Nida Singleton.
Singleton lives in McClellanville and takes care of her nephew who attends OCA. Fortunately, his schedule is adjusted to begin the school day at 11:30 a.m., but when he attended Laing Middle School last year, the early mornings and long drives took their toll.
Singleton still drives to drop him off and pick him up each day.
“Getting up early, getting home late, still having activities and homework and all that, and it’s just a lot coming from McClellanville.”
She works two jobs and had to adjust her schedule to accommodate for travel to and from school. She says she’s hopeful the proposed school will come to fruition.
“I wish my nephew of my future kids could go to something closer.”
One concern with the feasibility of the school is attendance. In order to make it happen, around 1,000 students would need to be enrolled. Borowy says the target is 500 each for both the middle and high schools.
As it stands now, the likelihood of just the Awendaw and McClellanville areas meeting those requirements is slim due to the population in those areas. However, there’s a possibility that some students could come from Mt. Pleasant.
“It will be extremely difficult to create a zoning situation where we’ll be able to capture 500 students in either of the school schools without progressing very far south into Mt. Pleasant,” said Borowy.
He says that possibility will be discussed over the coming months with District 1 and District 2 constituent boards.
Another option being looked at is offering a magnet program at the school. That would allow students from all over to attend the school to supplement attendance numbers.
For now, basic details are being presented and more information, as well as public feedback meetings, will be offered in the future.
AWENDAW — Town Council gave a green light to plans for an ambitious, 300-acre park that could feature overnight camping, space for RVs, disc golf and an amphitheater.But it’s unclear how the town will pay for it.When asked how much it will cost, Town Project Manager Bill Wallace said “nobody knows.” The town hasn’t designed the amphitheater and activity center, among other things, he said.“We have no idea how much it’s going to cost. But it will be in the millions of dollars, tha...
AWENDAW — Town Council gave a green light to plans for an ambitious, 300-acre park that could feature overnight camping, space for RVs, disc golf and an amphitheater.
But it’s unclear how the town will pay for it.
When asked how much it will cost, Town Project Manager Bill Wallace said “nobody knows.” The town hasn’t designed the amphitheater and activity center, among other things, he said.
“We have no idea how much it’s going to cost. But it will be in the millions of dollars, that’s for sure.” He said the town likely will need grants or a loan to make it all happen.
Representatives with SGA|NW, JHLA Design and Brandstetter Carroll Inc. presented plans for the park at a public hearing May 5. Tom O’Rourke, a recreation consultant with Brandstetter Carroll, said the plans were designed in a way that could easily be changed.
O’Rourke, former executive director of Charleston County Parks and Recreation, said residents often mentioned not wanting a recreation space that resembled James Island County Park, but instead favored a “passive park” that was natural for Awendaw.
At the public hearing, some residents expressed concerns about noise from the amphitheater, traffic and overnight camping.
Resident Karen Claussen said there has to be rules for when the music can be played in the amphitheater. She also wondered about policing the site when camping is allowed.
Ronald Ravenel, another resident who spoke at the hearing, said the park would provide recreation and social activities for residents in Awendaw so they wouldn’t have to travel to North Charleston, Mount Pleasant or Georgetown.
“I think this would be a detriment to our community if we do not accept and embrace this park,” Ravenel said. “And if we do this strategically, if we do this together, it will equal a great opportunity for our community.”
Awendaw Mayor Miriam C. Green said the St. James-Santee Elementary School has asked the town to do more for local children. Groups like scouts can use the park for camping, she said, and other groups have expressed interest.
“We’ve got to accommodate our town’s people,” Green said. “Everybody is not going to say ‘yes.’ Everybody is not going to say ‘no.’ But let’s compromise together and make it work.”
Town Council did not respond to questions or concerns from residents at the public hearing. The design consultants weren’t allowed to respond to the concerns during the hearing, either.
The council passed a resolution to approve plans for the park at a meeting that followed the public hearing. Councilman Frank Frazier voted against approval of the resolution. Councilwoman Sheila Powell and Councilman Rodney Porcher were absent.
Awendaw’s move represents a new chapter in a saga that began in 2009. That’s when Awendaw used $5.17 million in county Greenbelt funds to buy 290 acres off Doar Road.
Awendaw is home to 1,400 people and didn’t have the money to build a park. But there was interest in the region, including from Elliott Summey, owner of a sand mining company and son of longtime North Charleston mayor Keith Summey.
As a council member in 2009, Elliott Summey had voted to use Greenbelt funds to buy the property. About five years later, Summey’s company, Jackson Development, struck a deal with the town to excavate sand from the property and create a lake.
The deal called for Summey to spend $500,000 on the park’s construction and send the town royalties based on the sand and dirt Summey’s company sold. Awendaw hoped that royalty money would fund the construction of the new park.
But the town received far less money than it expected, just $150,000. Today, millions of dollars in sand and dirt are gone, and the town still has no solid plan to pay for what comes next.
Tony Bartelme contributed to this report from Charleston.