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 Sumter, 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 Sumter, 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 Sumter, 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 Sumter today.
Playoff scores from high school football action around Columbia and South Carolina.——Nov. 22————Class 5A Division I——Upper StateDutch Fork 42, Boiling Springs 14River Bluff 34, Rock Hill 17 (Thursday)JL Mann 44, Clover 14Spartanburg 37, Byrnes 17Lower StateSummerville 36, Fort Dorchester 13Ridge View 22, Cane Bay 15James Island 31, Carolina Forest 21Sumter 55, Ash...
Playoff scores from high school football action around Columbia and South Carolina.
——Nov. 22——
——Class 5A Division I——
Upper State
Dutch Fork 42, Boiling Springs 14
River Bluff 34, Rock Hill 17 (Thursday)
JL Mann 44, Clover 14
Spartanburg 37, Byrnes 17
Lower State
Summerville 36, Fort Dorchester 13
Ridge View 22, Cane Bay 15
James Island 31, Carolina Forest 21
Sumter 55, Ashley Ridge 24
——Nov. 29——
Upper State
River Bluff at Dutch Fork
JL Mann at Spartanburg
Lower State
Ridge View at Summerville
James Island at Sumter
——Class 5A Division II——
Upper State
Northwestern 49, Indian Land 6
Greenwood 28, Hillcrest 21
TL Hanna 57, Catawba Ridge 34
Gaffney 41, Riverside 21
Lower State
Irmo 38, Chapin 7
West Florence 34, North Myrtle Beach 3
Berkeley 36, Westwood 0
White Knoll 39, Myrtle Beach 19
——Nov. 29——
Upper State
Greenwood at Northwestern
TL Hanna at Gaffney
Lower State
West Florence at Irmo
White Knoll at Berkeley
——Class 4A——
Upper State
Westside 49, AC Flora 9
Camden 43, Wren 42
South Pointe 56, Greer 17
Daniel 48, Richland Northeast 36
Lower State
Hartsville 49, Darlington 16
South Florence 56, Hilton Head Island 28
Gilbert 36, Bishop England 30
North Augusta 36, May River 6
——Nov. 29——
Upper State
Camden at Westside
South Pointe at Daniel
Lower State
South Florence at Hartsville
Gilbert at North Augusta
——Class 3A——
Upper State
Mountain View Prep 42, Walhalla 19
Crescent 42, Christ Church 6
Powdersville 21, Woodruff 14
Belton-Honea Path 42, Palmetto 14
Lower State
Loris 28, Hanahan 21
Keenan 38, Orangeburg-Wilkinson 7
Dillon 33, Newberry 28
Oceanside Collegiate 36, Waccamaw 6
——Nov. 29——
Upper State
Crescent at Mountain View Prep
Powdersville at Belton-Honea Path
Lower State
Keenan at Loris
Dillon at Oceanside Collegiate
——Class 2A——
Upper State
Clinton 48, Chester 20
Batesburg-Leesville 49, Andrew Jackson 14
Fairfield Central 41, Chesnee 6
Central 26, Saluda 15
Lower State
Barnwell 21, Timberland 0
Cheraw 35, East Clarendon 0
Manning 28, Hampton County 27
Philip Simmons 40, Kingstree 24
——Nov. 29——
Upper State
Batesburg-Leesville at Clinton
Central at Fairfield Central
Lower State
Cheraw at Barnwell
Philip Simmons at Manning
——Class A——
Upper State
Abbeville 41, Blackville-Hilda 13
Lamar 22, Lee Central 12
Hunter-Kinard Tyler 46, Dixie 13
Lewisville 46, Ridge Spring-Monetta 8
Lower State
Cross 56, Ridgeland 0
Hannah-Pamplico 40, Denmark-Olar 6
Lake View 21, Johnsonville 14
Bamberg-Ehrhardt 36, Baptist Hill 20
——Nov. 29——
Upper State
Lamar at Abbeville
Hunter-Kinard-Tyler at Lewisville
Lower State
Hannah-Pamplico at Cross
Bamberg-Ehrhardt at Lake View
——Championship Schedule——
Friday, Nov. 22
Class 4A: Hammond 28, Porter Gaud 21
8-Man: Richard Winn 43, Laurens Academy 6
Saturday, Nov. 23, all games at Charleston Southern
Class A: Thomas Heyward 23, Williamsburg Academy 8
Class 2A: Pee Dee Academy 52, Bethesda 14
Class 3A: Pinewood Prep 24, Wilson Hall 21
This story was originally published November 22, 2024, 6:45 PM.
You can understand why Sumter officials don’t want to talk about their fancy-schmancy “welcome center” next door to Shaw Air Force Base, which locks out the public and welcomes only a select few.Well, make that “our” welcome center, since South Carolina taxpayers have kicked in at least $1.5 million for the $3.4 million lodge-like complex and are in the process of distributing another $4.3 million to “revitalize” a barn into an even larger meeting space. With no public plans to open it to the ...
You can understand why Sumter officials don’t want to talk about their fancy-schmancy “welcome center” next door to Shaw Air Force Base, which locks out the public and welcomes only a select few.
Well, make that “our” welcome center, since South Carolina taxpayers have kicked in at least $1.5 million for the $3.4 million lodge-like complex and are in the process of distributing another $4.3 million to “revitalize” a barn into an even larger meeting space. With no public plans to open it to the public.
As The Post and Courier’s Tony Bartelme and Seth Taylor report in the latest installment of our Uncovered investigative series, the lodge is set on 900 acres of mostly undeveloped forests, ponds and fields and hosts private hunts for specially invited VIPs under circumstances that are not entirely clear. Also not entirely clear is who is allowed to use the lodge, which has accommodations for overnight guests and features a $10,301 conference table made of ancient cypress and a $14,218 security camera system at the gate to keep out the great unwashed.
Mr. Bartelme and Mr. Taylor tried to get more information about who can access the gated property and who can't, how much it costs to operate, where the money to operate it comes from and its use as what is essentially a private hunt club. They tried to get a site tour. They finally published what they know after being put off for three weeks by officials who say they really want to explain things but are just too busy.
It already had taken five months just to pry basic public information out of the city, and that came with a hefty price tag, even though most governments provide basic public information at no charge and in a matter of days, as state law encourages them to do for matters of public interest. But if you’re trying to hide your secretive hunt club, it probably doesn’t feel to you like it's in the public interest to answer questions about it.
Even after receiving $1,098 to hand over public records, Sumter is still refusing to release some records that state law very clearly makes public, including the personnel records of a caretaker who previously worked at a private hunt club, is paid $81,000 a year by the city and is allowed to live rent-free in a three-bedroom house on the property.
Certainly, this posh welcome center isn’t the only example of public property that’s off-limits to the general public. We can’t just barge into the governor’s mansion whenever we want, for instance. For that matter, we can’t push past the welcome desk into the governor’s office, or the offices of the directors of state agencies or state legislative leaders, or most state employees.
But most people would agree that we should provide a nice house for the governor to live in and that we should provide office space for the governor and other public officials to work in. More to the point, most people know that we provide a nice house for the governor, and office space for public officials.
Most people do not know that taxpayers have been forced to spend millions on a private “welcome center” in Sumter that operates like an exclusive hunt club to entertain selected state and local officials and military personnel. Or that we’re being forced to spend millions more to expand it for reasons that nobody is willing to explain.
The whole mess serves as yet another reminder that the Legislature needs to put some teeth into the S.C. Freedom of Information Act to force officials to comply with it and to make it more difficult to delay and price the public out of getting some accountability and transparency from their government. No, the taxpayers shouldn’t have to subsidize fishing expeditions, but neither should government be able to run the clock and use inflated costs to deter people from finding out how government is spending their money.
It’s also a useful reminder of the problems with the Legislature’s habit of distributing small and large pots of money to favored legislators. Although lawmakers have finally made budget earmarks public, the process of approving them is still far from transparent, or contested.
Where were the legislators asking how the state of South Carolina benefits from helping build a private hunt club? Or expanding it? Of course, even under the best system, it would have been tricky to get anybody to ask such questions about a couple of $750,000 earmarks requested by House Speaker Murrell Smith. That doesn't reduce the degree to which these expenditures illustrate the need for a different legislative mindset if not process for vetting earmarks.
Maybe the Commerce Department could have explained that, yes, building a posh-posh space for military brass was essential to keeping Shaw in South Carolina, although we’d like to think that members of our military aren’t so self-serving. Maybe the state agency would tell us that the facility's main purpose is to entertain economic development recruits, although that almost certainly could be accomplished with a taxpayer-funded membership to a private club. In any event, it’s hard to imagine a public benefit from a taxpayer-owned facility reserved for legislators and other special public officials to hunt and hang out. A private benefit to those selected VIPs, yes, but not a public benefit.
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Beginning Jan. 6, district students can no longer use their electronic devices during school hours.More VideosSUMTER, S.C. — The Sumter County School District joined the growing list of districts across South Carolina that are preparing to enact policies limiting student access to electronic devices during the school day.It’s all part of a plan to ensure compliance with the state proviso aimed at preventing cell phones from being a distraction in the classroom.Dr. William Wright Jr., superintendent o...
Beginning Jan. 6, district students can no longer use their electronic devices during school hours.
SUMTER, S.C. — The Sumter County School District joined the growing list of districts across South Carolina that are preparing to enact policies limiting student access to electronic devices during the school day.
It’s all part of a plan to ensure compliance with the state proviso aimed at preventing cell phones from being a distraction in the classroom.
Dr. William Wright Jr., superintendent of Sumter District Schools, shared his thoughts with fellow board members before they voted on the new electronic communication devices policy.
“It is a paradigm shift, at least on paper from what we have been doing,” Wright Jr. said.
The new policy will prohibit students from accessing their cell phones or other personal electronic devices during the school day unless those devices have been approved for classroom educational use.
Board member Shery White said the district, like all districts across the state, is implementing the policy to satisfy requirements from the state legislature.
“The legislature passed a proviso that indicated we had to have a policy composed and implemented by the first of the year. We just are required to restrict access, in some form or fashion during the school day,” White said.
Beginning Jan. 6, students will no longer be allowed to access their phones or other devices from when they arrive on campus until the dismissal bell at the end of the day.
The policy allows device use on field trips, during after-school activities, and at sports events.
White said safety was also considered during the creation of the policy.
“Our district has a very good communication ladder that they use to inform parents when things happen. We have an app, and that can be used as an instant communication device by our communication director, the principal at a school where an incident may be occurring. So there is access for the parents to be informed almost immediately,” White said.
The district says the policy does include exceptions for medically necessary devices.
At Wednesday's board meeting, members also discussed the need to survey parents and teachers next spring to determine whether any adjustments to the policy are needed.
A shooting victim’s body was found in a South Carolina road Saturday, and a search is underway for a killer, according to the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office.D’ante Archie, a 20-year-old Sumter County resident, died from the injuries he suffered in a shooting, Sumter County Coroner Robbie Baker said Sunday.At a...
A shooting victim’s body was found in a South Carolina road Saturday, and a search is underway for a killer, according to the Sumter County Sheriff’s Office.
D’ante Archie, a 20-year-old Sumter County resident, died from the injuries he suffered in a shooting, Sumter County Coroner Robbie Baker said Sunday.
At about 9:50 a.m. Saturday, deputies responded to a 911 call about an unconscious man lying in the 5000 block of Byas Road near a home, the sheriff’s office said. That’s near the Wedgefield area of Sumter County.
The victim, later identified as Archie, died at the scene, according to the coroner’s office. A vehicle that was parked nearby in the road belonged to Archie, the sheriff’s office said.
No other injuries were reported, but Archie’s death might be related to another shooting, according to the sheriff’s office. Sheriff Anthony Dennis, who also responded to the scene, said another shooting was reported on Duffie Drive at about 2 a.m. That’s less than a mile from where Archie’s body was discovered.
Further information about the 2 a.m. shooting, and if anyone was injured, was not available.
There was no word about a shooter or shooters, or anyone else involved in Archie’s death. Information about a motive for that shooting was not available.
No arrests have been reported by the sheriff’s office, which is continuing to investigate the death along with the coroner’s office. An autopsy will be performed at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston.
“Our investigators are gathering evidence and interviewing eyewitnesses, and we are only in the early stages of our investigation,” Dennis said in a news release.
Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to call the sheriff’s office at 803-436-2000, CrimeStoppers at 888-CRIME-SC or submit an online tip.
In the case of an emergency, always call 911.
In a breaking news situation, facts can be unclear and the situation may still be developing. The State is trying to get important information to the public as quickly and accurately as possible. This story will be updated as more information becomes available, and some information in this story may change as the facts become clearer. Refresh this page later for more updated information.