Personal Injury Attorneyin Bluffton, SC.

We at the Theos Law Firm know that finding the right attorney to represent you is a choice not to be taken lightly.

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 Bluffton, 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 Bluffton today.

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Latest News in Bluffton, SC

After Idalia in Beaufort, Jasper and Hampton: Rain totals, damage, power outage, more

Residents of South Carolina Lowcountry counties breathed a collective sigh of relief Thursday after Tropical Storm Idalia roared through on Wednesday, leaving flooded roads and some people without power.High winds and inches of rain from Idalia bombarded Beaufort, Jasper and Hampton counties Wednesday evening.The highest wind gust that w...

Residents of South Carolina Lowcountry counties breathed a collective sigh of relief Thursday after Tropical Storm Idalia roared through on Wednesday, leaving flooded roads and some people without power.

High winds and inches of rain from Idalia bombarded Beaufort, Jasper and Hampton counties Wednesday evening.

The highest wind gust that was seen in Beaufort County during the storm Wednesday was 66 mph, the National Weather Service reported, adding that wind speeds at Battery Point in the Beaufort area peaked at 57 mph, and the Beaufort Marine Corps Airspace reported wind gusts of 49 mph.

Rainfall in the Beaufort, Jasper, and Hampton County areas was measured at 2 to 8 inches, the NWS said.

As the inches of rain came down, nearby water sources swelled causing flooding in the Lowcountry.

Several roads and neighborhoods in Hampton County remained flooded Thursday, and Hampton County Emergency Management Director Susanne Peeples urged caution when traveling. The Savannah River area had a flood warning that extended into the afternoon.

Power outages in Beaufort, Jasper and Hampton counties

Tray Hunter, marketing director at Palmetto Electric, reported that around 9,531 Beaufort County customers lost power during Idalia. In Jasper County, 3,121 residents were without power and 1,628 were without power in Hampton County. Hunter said that Palmetto Electric employees were able to restore power to all customers just after midnight going into Thursday, Aug. 31.

As of 9:15 a.m., Peeples said that 319 Dominion customers around the county were still without power. Some of these are "major outages," said Peeples, and several roads need to be cleared in order to repair the outages, so it was likely to be midday or later before power could be restored to some areas.

At 7 a.m. Thursday, Dominion had more than 6,000 customers statewide without power, with 978 of those customers in Jasper County, Peeples said.

Jasper County shelter closes

Jasper County Emergency Services, in an email, said that it had closed the shelter early Thursday morning that had been opened as Hurricane Idalia bore down on the state.

"Jasper County Emergency Services is thankful for minimal impacts to our community," the release said.

The shelter had opened for those who needed a place to go during the hurricane. Volunteers worked Wednesday morning to close the shelter down with the help of several local agencies.

Schools and county office closings and reopenings

All Hampton County offices will reopen at 8 a.m. Friday. Hampton County School District (the public schools) were already scheduled to be closed for Friday and Monday due to the Labor Day holiday weekend, so they will reopen on Tuesday as scheduled.

Jasper County and Beaufort County schools will resume classes on Friday, Sept. 1.

When did Idalia make landfall?

Idalia made landfall at about 7:45 a.m. EDT Wednesday near Keaton Beach in Florida's Big Bend. The storm came ashore southeast of Tallahassee as a Category 3 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 125 mph.

Idalia remained a hurricane as moved north, northeast into Georgia before hitting the South Carolina Lowcountry as a tropical storm.

How big was Idalia?

The storm spanned nearly 350 miles across, an area about the size of Colorado, which measures 380 miles across.

Satellite imagery captured Aug. 30-31, by NASA GOES East satellites, shows Idalia breaking up as it moved into the Atlantic. Hurricane Franklin can also be seen in the same imagery as the storms draw closer together.

USA Today contributed to this report.

Okan officially opens for business in Bluffton

BLUFFTON, S.C. (WTOC) - The Lowcountry is home to many flavors of cuisine, from local Gullah Geechee cooking to modern fusion restaurants.Those flavors continue to expand as the area grows.Many of those who have tried Chef Bernards’s food say it will take you on a cultural journey. He started in a food truck to now owning a full-blown restaurant.“The whole journey started through the pandemic, I thought I had got my dream job in Chicago but the whole world shut down, it had me really contemplate what to do ne...

BLUFFTON, S.C. (WTOC) - The Lowcountry is home to many flavors of cuisine, from local Gullah Geechee cooking to modern fusion restaurants.

Those flavors continue to expand as the area grows.

Many of those who have tried Chef Bernards’s food say it will take you on a cultural journey. He started in a food truck to now owning a full-blown restaurant.

“The whole journey started through the pandemic, I thought I had got my dream job in Chicago but the whole world shut down, it had me really contemplate what to do next.”

And the decision led him to South Carolina to be with family.

“So you know I made up my mind to come down to Bluffton, then I knew that this was a project that I definitely gonna do.”

During that time, he says he felt the need to expand people’s taste buds, so he started a food truck.

“I’m using my vision of the origin of our foods in my opinion from West Africa through the Caribbean to America.”

But he soon realized he wanted to bring something bigger than a truck to the community.

“Nobody is doing this flavor palette; I want to be bold I want to tell a story I want to showcase the love I have for cuisine. We are very passionate about what we are doing in bringing in a level of complexity and love to what we do. I think that there needs to be more places like that in Bluffton.”

And that is why a new restaurant he co-owns and cooks for is open for business in downtown Bluffton.

“Okan means heart in soul in the language of Yoruba. Yoruba is the first language of West Africa so I thought while I am trying to represent our roots and pathways of the forced migration, we should use a language that was spoken then.”

But he says he hopes the food talks for itself once people get a taste.

”Jollof rice you can’t have west African representation without Jollof rice and many other things cashew curry. Cashew curry has been one of our biggest hits.”

”Everything is done through food, so I am definitely trying to teach people a little bit of a history lesson. Rice was the cash crop rice if it hadn’t been for forced migration maybe rice wouldn’t be in this country. Different things like that. Just showcasing those little nuggets is my goal. Now, if you learn fantastic, if you don’t you had a fantastic meal so it works either way.”

Chef Bernard says that the restaurant will be open Wednesday through Sunday.

For more information visit their website here.

Copyright 2023 WTOC. All rights reserved.

Condos for cars? Buyers in Bluffton development won’t live there, but their vehicles will

Developers are building condos off S.C. 170 in Bluffton, but people won’t live there. Their cars will.CarVillage USA, an “automotive enthusiasts’ club,” will have 31 car condos on a five-acre site between the Village at Verdier and S.C. 170 near Seagrass Station.Despite the use of the term condo, these aren’t going to be residences. A car condo is essentially a climate-controlled, indoor garage for multiple cars. Owners will b...

Developers are building condos off S.C. 170 in Bluffton, but people won’t live there. Their cars will.

CarVillage USA, an “automotive enthusiasts’ club,” will have 31 car condos on a five-acre site between the Village at Verdier and S.C. 170 near Seagrass Station.

Despite the use of the term condo, these aren’t going to be residences. A car condo is essentially a climate-controlled, indoor garage for multiple cars. Owners will be able to customize their condos as they see fit or, if they need more space, buy multiple condos and have them combined into one.

“Guys like to have their own space,” said Gary Brown, one of the people behind the unique development. “They have their fancy cars. They’re working on them. They have a new home, but it’s got a two-car garage. That’s not going to work.”

Each condo will start at 1,680 square feet, which is expected to be enough for six-cars.

The starting cost for a condo is $550,000. Brown said anyone who signs up before Monday at noon will get a $10,000 discount; community leaders will be at Hilton Head Island’s Concours d’Elegance and Motoring Festival over the weekend .

In terms of customization, the only limit will be the owner’s imagination.

“These units have mezzanines, and the mezzanines are designed in a way that you can do whatever you want to do,” Brown said. “Whatever makes you happy.”

That could mean office space or furniture.

There are a few places like this across the United States, Brown said. However, the social aspect of the Bluffton location makes it stand out.

CarVillage is being designed to be more than just a place to keep cars. Instead, it is meant to be a place for car collectors to gather and hang out.

A 20,000-square-foot clubhouse will include an F-1 racer simulator, a full bar, a pool hall, private offices, a cigar lounge, detailing services, a kitchen for catering, private wine bottle storage, and a lift for servicing and washing vehicles.

There are also plans for events like car shows that would be open to the public and “coffee and cars” meetups for car enthusiasts on the weekends.

“With all of these units and all of these owners, it’s natural for us to be sort of a clearinghouse for the members,” Brown said.

According to the CarVillage website, five condos already have been sold and six have been reserved.

Club membership at CarVillage will be limited to 250 members. Members will not have to be condo owners. The upper level of one of the buildings will include general storage members can rent to store their vehicles.

Brown’s team is expecting to break ground on the project in February and expects construction to take about a year.

Bluffton man turns heads on NBC’s singing competition ‘The Voice’, entering battle rounds

BLUFFTON, S.C. (WSAV) — Sterlin Colvin Jr., known by his stage name “Stee” turned heads with his audition on NBC’s The Voice. He cleared his first hurdle during the blind auditions and now he’s got a new challenge ahead of him, the battle rounds.“Music, it was just everywhere. It was kind of like you were going to do it,” Stee said. “If you didn’t want to do it or not because everybody did it. You were like, ‘Well, shoot if they’re doing it, I want to do it.’&rdqu...

BLUFFTON, S.C. (WSAV) — Sterlin Colvin Jr., known by his stage name “Stee” turned heads with his audition on NBC’s The Voice. He cleared his first hurdle during the blind auditions and now he’s got a new challenge ahead of him, the battle rounds.

“Music, it was just everywhere. It was kind of like you were going to do it,” Stee said. “If you didn’t want to do it or not because everybody did it. You were like, ‘Well, shoot if they’re doing it, I want to do it.’”

That love for music was ingrained in Stee as a kid.

“My cousin, you know, she’s like a sibling to us, I mean she’s a classically trained pianist and my dad’s oldest sister is a classical singer, you know, and my dad’s older brother, he could sing too,” Stee said. “My mom is an incredible singer who could sing everything, every genre. I think that’s where I get the multiple genre thing from.”

His parents are musical legends on Hilton Head Island. The Colvin family started coming to the island when Stee was seven years old so his dad could play gigs. Stee was born in the D.C. area but calls both Bluffton and D.C. Home.

In 2014, Stee, his sister Brooke, and childhood friend Malcolm started their band ‘Ear Candy.’

“In the beginning, it was rough. Oh, my goodness, it was rough. Not musically, it was rough business,” Stee said. “It was where, you know, we had no clout, we didn’t have anything up under our belt. We had no buzz. 2016, we were really going. We were really going and our peak year was 2019. That’s when we were like, you know, just at it, you know, and making money finally.”

But that flame was put out by the pandemic when the world was put on hold, especially for entertainers. Flash forward to 2023, they’re now back in the spotlight.

Stee is making a name for himself on the biggest stage. He said when he walked out on The Voice’s stage, he knew all he had to do was do what he does best — sing.

“Get your nerves in check, because there’s no way in the world that you’re going to get on The Voice stage, anybody, and not have nerves,” Stee said. “You just got to get them in check and do what you are naturally able to do.”

Now, he’s moving on to the battle rounds stage, where he’ll collaborate with another singer but they will also battle with each other for a spot to move on. Collaborating is something Stee has done his whole life and he’s excited to put it on display for the world.

“I never really did anything by myself because it was always me and my sister doing everything musically. Just to see me do something with a totally different artist that you’ve never even seen me with. You know, I’ve been doing music in this area for almost a decade, so you always see me with the same people. I just can’t wait for people to see that aspect,” Stee said with a smile.

In the meantime, you can catch Stee and Ear Candy performing at venues around the Bluffton and Hilton Head areas. Especially at his family’s restaurant and music venue, Kind Of Blue.

Bluffton Mayor Lisa Sulka on Hurricane Idalia: 'Control what you can and be proactive'

The National Weather Service forecasts that Idalia will be at hurricane strength as it reaches southeast Georgia late Wednesday afternoon, then becoming a tropical storm as it tracks along the South Carolina coast. NWS also stated a flood watch in southeast South Carolina will be in effect through Wednesday.South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster declared a state of emergency Tuesday ahead of po...

The National Weather Service forecasts that Idalia will be at hurricane strength as it reaches southeast Georgia late Wednesday afternoon, then becoming a tropical storm as it tracks along the South Carolina coast. NWS also stated a flood watch in southeast South Carolina will be in effect through Wednesday.

South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster declared a state of emergency Tuesday ahead of potential impacts caused by Idalia. McMaster warned residents should take precautions despite the state likely missing the "worst of Hurricane Idalia’s impacts."

Track the storm here:How will Hurricane Idalia impact SC?

Hurricane Idalia:Gov. McMaster declares State of Emergency for South Carolina

Bluffton Mayor Lisa Sulka shares letter to residents

Bluffton Mayor Lisa Sulka shared a letter to residents of her city.

Dear neighbors,

Thank you for preparing for Hurricane/Tropical Storm Idalia.

Historically, the busiest time for storm activity happens in this area from late August through mid-October. Unfortunately, this storm activity is following its normal pattern and timeline.

As Mayor, I hope to give you the information you need to feel informed and keep you safe. Storm preparation is a group activity, and we need you to be mindful and take some actions for the best possible outcome.

Let me assure you that Town leaders and staff are on regular calls throughout each day to keep our communities as safe as possible. As we say each year, “We may be able to put a person on the moon, however, we cannot predict a hurricane with precision.” Nature has the final word about hurricanes, their path, and timing. Information is constantly changing – the antidote to a lack of control is to control what you can and be proactive.

This storm is most likely to bring standing water, power failures and downed trees.

Hurricane Idalia: List of things to do before storm hits

Hurricane Idalia: Town of Bluffton offices closed

Hurricane Idalia: Utility Contacts

Please keep posted to the Town’s social media platforms and we will be communicating new information as we receive it. Stay safe, Bluffton!

Warmly,

Mayor Lisa Sulka

USA Today contributed to this story.

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