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 Johns Island, 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 Johns Island, 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 Johns Island, 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 Johns Island today.
JOHNS ISLAND, S.C. (WCSC) - Those who live on or travel through Johns Island say they have mixed feelings about a new road designed to connect Maybank Highway to two other roadways.Work is continuing on what is called the Northern Pitchfork, which will connect Maybank Highway to Fenwick Hall Allee and River Road. That work will require lane closures from 9 a.m. ...
JOHNS ISLAND, S.C. (WCSC) - Those who live on or travel through Johns Island say they have mixed feelings about a new road designed to connect Maybank Highway to two other roadways.
Work is continuing on what is called the Northern Pitchfork, which will connect Maybank Highway to Fenwick Hall Allee and River Road. That work will require lane closures from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Friday on Maybank Highway at River Road.
Some residents are hopeful it can be part of a solution for what they say is horrendous traffic but others say it’s just a Band-Aid on a bullet wound.
There is also frustration surrounding the daytime lane closures for Friday, as residents believe it will be a nightmare, and the work should be done overnight instead.
Charleston County Construction Project Manager Sheila Parker said this has to get done in a specific window of time and they don’t want project delays. The new road is something the city and county have been working on bringing to life for years, with the goal of alleviating congestion and moving traffic along on the island.
“People coming off of James Island onto Johns Island using the Maybank Highway corridor will be able to take the Northern Pitchfork road and kind of bypass the Maybank Highway and River Road traffic light,” Parker explained
Byhira Thorn, who frequents the island often, said she thinks the new road will cause confusion for drivers, and it’s not addressing the root issue.
“I think another lane in general needs to be added,” Thorn said. “I mean, they did it with the bridge which was awesome, but they need to do it with the island. The island itself all around, roads need to be doubled for sure.”
Johns Island resident Kristin Nolan said she hopes this will help, but wishes it was done sooner.
“First of all, I think they should have thought about this before all of the building that went on and the extra light that was put here,” Nolan said. “I feel bad for people that go to James Island in the morning if Maybank and River are backed up for miles.”
Earlier this month, Charleston leaders said they are working on a $30-million project to improve traffic on Johns Island, part of which includes widening Maybank Highway to four lanes from River Road to the Stono River Bridge. But funding for that has yet to be nailed down and those plans are years away.
The construction on Friday is weather-dependent and drivers are asked to use caution while driving through the area.
Copyright 2023 WCSC. All rights reserved.
Trident Medical Center has submitted a Certificate of Need to the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control to build a $277 million hospital on Johns Island. The application is for a 50-bed acute care hospital between Maybank Highway and Cane Slash Road, across from the Live Oak Square development.Projections for Johns Island Hospital show that within the first three years it will create nearly 300 jobs, contribute $10 million in non-income taxes to support the community and pay $70 million in salaries, wages and b...
Trident Medical Center has submitted a Certificate of Need to the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control to build a $277 million hospital on Johns Island. The application is for a 50-bed acute care hospital between Maybank Highway and Cane Slash Road, across from the Live Oak Square development.
Projections for Johns Island Hospital show that within the first three years it will create nearly 300 jobs, contribute $10 million in non-income taxes to support the community and pay $70 million in salaries, wages and benefits, the organization said in a release.
“We are excited to continue making medical care more accessible to residents in our historically underserved communities,” Trident Health President and CEO Christina Oh said in the news release. “Currently on Johns Island and neighboring communities, it can take residents 30 to 45 minutes to drive to their nearest hospital, and often longer in heavy traffic and inclement weather. Our goal is to increase access to timely, high quality and affordable health care services.”
Trident Medical Center’s chief of the medical staff and medical director of emergency services, Dr. Scott Hayes, said he sees firsthand the results of delayed care.
“For residents who live far from emergency medical care and who may be experiencing a medical emergency like a heart attack or a stroke, minutes can mean the difference between life and death,” he said in the news release. “Access to care close to home is critical, especially in areas like Johns Island and the surrounding communities, that have frequent traffic delays.”
Trident Health surgeon Dr. Thomas Litton, who lived on Johns Island for 20 years and recently moved from there largely due to increasing traffic congestion and limited access routes off the island, said, “The rapid population growth and development of Johns Island, as well as its role as the sole gateway to Kiawah, Seabrook and Wadmalaw Islands, has created a strong need for a full-service hospital in the area. Residents on those islands have never had a full-service hospital. Trident’s hospital on Johns Island and their freestanding ER on James Island will greatly improve residents’ access to much-needed medical care.”
Johns Island Hospital will be located seven miles from James Island Emergency, Trident’s new freestanding ER at 945 Folly Road, Charleston, that will open in the next few weeks.
Plans call for Johns Island Hospital to have 50 beds with space to expand to 150 beds, 40 medical/surgical/stepdown beds, 10 ICU beds, 20 ER rooms, four operating rooms, two endoscopy suites and a cardiac catheterization lab. The hospital also would have two CT scanners, an MRI, two diagnostic radiology suites and a fluoroscopy room.
In addition to the hospital, services would include medical offices for primary care and specialists as well as outpatient imaging and support such as breast imaging, rehabilitation and other outpatient therapy services.
“From our first discussions about building a hospital on Johns Island, we have been committed to creating a thoughtful plan that preserves the natural beauty of Johns Island,” Oh said in the release. “We will honor the strong Gullah Geechee cultures of the community; we will partner with the areas’ community and businesses; and will promote the important and unique contributions of Johns Island’s agricultural community.”
The proposed Johns Island Hospital is in addition to nearly $140M in capital investments currently underway at Trident Health’s hospitals, Trident Medical Center and Summerville
JOHNS ISLAND — In a CVS parking lot next to what is perhaps the most dreaded intersection on Johns Island, a pickup truck pulled up next to Charleston Mayor John Tecklenburg, prompting a woman to yell “fix the roads!”That’s what Tecklenburg and several city and county officials had come to talk about the morning of Nov. 2. Rapid growth and development have created notorious traffic snarls, largely because there are only two ways on and off the island, which is partly in the city limits and otherwise governed by...
JOHNS ISLAND — In a CVS parking lot next to what is perhaps the most dreaded intersection on Johns Island, a pickup truck pulled up next to Charleston Mayor John Tecklenburg, prompting a woman to yell “fix the roads!”
That’s what Tecklenburg and several city and county officials had come to talk about the morning of Nov. 2. Rapid growth and development have created notorious traffic snarls, largely because there are only two ways on and off the island, which is partly in the city limits and otherwise governed by the county.
At Maybank Highway at River Road, Charleston’s mayor and two County Council members said the governments agree on plans for significant traffic relief getting on and off the island. Short-term plans call for realigning that intersection to improve traffic flow.
Much larger plans — the long-discussed “southern pitchfork” and adding a second lane on Maybank Highway between River Road and the Stono River — would need to be designed, permitted and funded. And that would take years.
“We’ll be dead by the time it happens,” said Gary Worth, a local resident who was among a small crowd of onlookers at the press conference. County Council members Joe Boykin and Jenny Honeycutt joined Tecklenburg to announce the road plans.
“Until now there wasn’t a firm commitment by both governments to do this,” said Tecklenburg. “That’s what’s new.”
He said city and county officials have been meeting since June to work on conceptual plans, cooperating “like I’ve never seen before,” he said.
Boykin said one of the largest plans calls for shifting the end of Cane Slash Road a bit closer to Maybank Highway so that it would align with the proposed “southern pitchfork” that would run from River Road to Maybank Highway, near the bridge.
There’s also a northern pitchfork, and that road is nearly complete. It will allow traffic coming onto the island on Maybank Highway, which would have turned right on River Road at the intersection, to instead take the new road from Maybank to River and avoid the intersection. The southern pitchfork would do the same, but on the opposite side of Maybank Highway.
Jimmy Kerr, who owns the large property the southern pitchfork would cut through, agreed to the plan years ago. At the event Nov. 2, he said he’s been talking with the city for years about the plan.
“There’s no question that we are playing catch-up,” said Tecklenburg.
“The city and the county together are committed to four lanes between here and the bridge — four lanes,” he said. “We are committed to the southern pitchfork as well.”
The plan to have two lanes running from River Road down Maybank Highway to the bridge now calls for routing those lanes around some of the grand Live Oak trees that line the road. The much-beloved trees that line many roads on Johns Island have complicated many road plans because residents and officials are loathe to cut them down.
At least one man in the small crowd watching the announcement found the timing, five days before the election, a bit suspect.
“It feels a little like political grandstanding,” said Tommy Moles, who said he moved to Johns Island from the Charleston peninsula two years ago. “We hear about plan after plan, but nothing seems to happen.”
Moles said he isn’t affiliated with any of the mayoral candidates’ campaigns.
Tecklenburg said plans to unveil the road proposals had been in the works since September and had just become finalized.
“This was not a campaign event,” he said.
The realignment of the River Road and Maybank Highway intersection should be complete in the first several months of 2024, officials said. The new lanes and the southern pitchfork are untold years away, but now the city and county agree on those road plans.
JOHNS ISLAND, S.C. (WCIV) — It started as an island paradise, but residents at a Johns Island apartment complex say their home now resembles the woods.The residents of Sea Island Apartments, which houses about 48 people off Maybank Highway, are speaking out against what they describe as "deplorable" conditions.Read more: ...
JOHNS ISLAND, S.C. (WCIV) — It started as an island paradise, but residents at a Johns Island apartment complex say their home now resembles the woods.
The residents of Sea Island Apartments, which houses about 48 people off Maybank Highway, are speaking out against what they describe as "deplorable" conditions.
Read more: One80 Place launches eviction prevention line to support Charleston renters
"We have seen grass grow almost knee and chest high," said Farley, a disabled military veteran who has been living in the complex for six years. "You see fallen trees in the area, people not receiving maintenance, and overloaded trash bin."
In addition to the overgrown vegetation, the residents are concerned about random visits from wildlife. They say it seems management has slacked off and there's been little to no communication.
"You're forced to pay rent on time, but still, your issues are going unaddressed," Farley said. "We'll reach out to management and they haven't meet with us. Every time, they change management or owners. Nobody has contact to it."
It started as an island paradise, but residents at a Johns Island apartment complex say their home now resembles the woods. (WCIV)
There is also only one trashcan in the entire community and a small number of parking spaces.
"You have disabled people having to walk all the way down to one trash bin," Farley said. "There are not enough handicap parking spots. (Management) told us we'd have to park on the side of the road if there are no parking spaces."
"It's time we be up to date, as we were before," said Charlotte Turner, who has been living in the complex for 10 years. "Management needs to show a serious concern about resident complaints, at least be willing to meet or communicate."
Read more: Mayor Tecklenburg to host ribbon cutting for six new affordable housing properties in Charleston
A councilman was reached for comment on this area, but he was unable to conduct an interview due to prior commitments. A representative from the Charleston Development Group was also reached for comment.
For years, we have urged local and state transportation planners to become more aggressive in pursuing smaller-scale traffic solutions for Johns Island, where congestion, particularly during regular commuting hours, has become the island’s No. 1 challenge.So it was encouraging last week when Charleston Mayor John Teckl...
For years, we have urged local and state transportation planners to become more aggressive in pursuing smaller-scale traffic solutions for Johns Island, where congestion, particularly during regular commuting hours, has become the island’s No. 1 challenge.
So it was encouraging last week when Charleston Mayor John Tecklenburg and Charleston County Council members Joe Boykin and Jenny Honeycutt met with the media to discuss their plans for advancing these solutions, which include adding lanes to Maybank Highway between the Stono River and River Road, reviving plans for a southern pitchfork that would create a new road off Maybank between the Stono River bridge and River Road and realigning Cane Slash Road to meet up better with that new southern pitchfork. “Until now there wasn’t a firm commitment by both governments to do this,” Mr. Tecklenburg said. “That’s what’s new.”
All those projects hold the promise of easing congestion significantly on that part of the island. Now that local support for them seems stronger than ever, the challenge is to expedite them and find the money needed to build them. We have an idea there.
Instead of County Council committing $75 million of its 2016 transportation sales tax referendum proceeds to further planning work for extending Interstate 526 across Johns and James islands, it should divert at least half of that toward funding these smaller, less costly and far less controversial projects, which can be built far more quickly and provide relief much sooner.
Diverting that money should not harm I-526, which remains in limbo until County Council comes up with a financing plan to cover most of its $2.2 billion cost (the state has capped its contribution at $425 million). While there’s talk of asking voters to approve yet another half-cent sales tax to raise that money in November 2024, we’re skeptical that it will pan out.
While the State Infrastructure Bank has agreed to match the county’s $75 million for 526 by releasing $75 million more of its $425 million commitment, we urge the state’s Joint Bond Review Committee to reject that contribution at least until the county has a firm plan to finish the project, not simply a notion to hold another referendum.
Johns Island has seen worsening congestion not only because of its growth but also because the specter of 526′s extension has seemed to slow any meaningful progress on the smaller but still significant improvements that would ease congestion.
We’re not referring only to the projects officials discussed last week. The planned flyover at Main Road and U.S. Highway 17 is an equally critical and popular project to improve traffic flow at the other end of the island. We’re dismayed construction work on it hasn’t begun yet, even though that was one of the projects promised in the 2016 sales tax referendum.
And that’s too bad, because those projects are very much worth completing even if I-526 ultimately gets extended. If that project ultimately dies, as we hope it does, the need for these smaller improvements will be even greater.
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