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 West Ashley, 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 West Ashley, 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 West Ashley, 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 West Ashley today.
Bearcat was supposed to open last spring, but owner George Kovach isn’t lamenting the past. Rather, the former Chicago fine dining chef is looking forward to the future when the new restaurant’s dining room opens Nov. 14 at 25 Magnolia Road in West A...
Bearcat was supposed to open last spring, but owner George Kovach isn’t lamenting the past. Rather, the former Chicago fine dining chef is looking forward to the future when the new restaurant’s dining room opens Nov. 14 at 25 Magnolia Road in West Ashley.
Avondale diners can already get a taste of what Kovach and head chef John Coleman are cooking at Bearcat’s bar, now open at the same address with smoked chicken yakitori, grilled Steamboat Creek oysters with creamed leeks and more. It’s hours of operation are 5 p.m.-midnight Tuesday through Saturday.
“Now’s where the work begins,” Kovach said. “It’s all about getting everything refined and making sure that the guest experience is the best we can provide.”
An alumnus of Michelin-starred Chicago restaurants Elizabeth Restaurant, Ever, Acadia and Band of Bohemia, Kovach moved from Chicago to Charleston at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic with the goal of turning an elevated pop-up he hosted in a friend’s apartment and local dining establishments into a full-service restaurant.
After months of delays, that goal finally became a reality Oct. 27, when the 30-seat bar area next to Bearcat’s dining room held a soft opening. Similar to the lounges inside high-end tasting menu restaurants — like three-Michelin star restaurant Jean Georges’ adjoining Nougatine bar in New York City — Bearcat’s bar is serving its own small menu of shareable plates and cocktails, including a boozy Vietnamese iced coffee and frozen strawberry daiquiri with white rum and green chartreuse.
Coleman, Bearcat’s head chef, has worked in multiple well known local kitchens, including Chubby Fish and Parcel 32, where he served as executive chef before the restaurant announced it would not return to service after the state’s dine-in ban was lifted amid the pandemic. Coleman, who met Kovach through a mutual friend, has lived in the Avondale neighborhood for five years.
West Ashley, the area across the Ashley River from peninsular Charleston, offers a change of pace from some of downtown’s more tourist-centric areas of town. Home to more than 40 percent of the city’s population, the area boasts parks, restaurants, breweries and shopping catered to locals.ExploreKnown to some as the “birthplace of South Carolina,” West Ashley is home to the well-preserved colonial village, Ch...
West Ashley, the area across the Ashley River from peninsular Charleston, offers a change of pace from some of downtown’s more tourist-centric areas of town. Home to more than 40 percent of the city’s population, the area boasts parks, restaurants, breweries and shopping catered to locals.
Known to some as the “birthplace of South Carolina,” West Ashley is home to the well-preserved colonial village, Charlestowne Landing. The 184-acre state park off of Old Towne Road offers an opportunity to explore both the city and the state’s modern origins. With walking trails, marsh views and a small zoo, the state park is a site visitors and locals alike can visit multiple times for different experiences.
For the active set, West Ashley is home to Shadowmoss Golf & Country Club and bowling alley Ashley Lanes. Get practice on your swing at Charleston Golf, a combined golf simulator and bar.
Get a breath of fresh air on the 7.8 mile West Ashley Greenway which starts at U.S. Highway 17 and Wappoo Road and ends at Higgins Pier where anglers can cast a line. There’s another opportunity to fish off of Sam Rittenberg Boulevard at Northbridge Park.
For a different scenic walk, meander via boardwalk through marshes and coastal forest at the Stono River County Park in outer West Ashley.
Unlike other areas of the city, West Ashley is home to some large-scale retail spaces that make it an ideal place for furniture stores and other specialty shops.
Charleston is not considered a big city, but it is a city nonetheless. The hustle and bustle (and the traffic) seems to always be happening. Our readers shared their best moments of city life this week from all over the world.
The winner is Paul Stone with an image of children playing in the Fountain of Rings in Atlanta. The honorable mentions are Ken Schaub with a photo of the night life of Nashville, Tenn., and Nancy Kahrs with an image of city life in Iquitos, Peru.
Next week’s topic is Halloween, so share your spookiest and scariest snapshots.
The rules: Send your best photo to yourphotos@postandcourier.com by noon Thursday. Include your name, town and where the photo was taken. Add your name and the topic to the file. If you want your photo to be eligible to run in the newspaper, it must be at least 1,500 pixels, not have a commercial watermark and not have been published in another publication.
On Fridays, we first announce the editors’ pick of the week at postandcourier.com/yourphotos and declare a topic for the next week. On Saturdays, we publish an online gallery.
On Sunday, the photo pick of the week will appear in this section, Life.
All photos submitted will be considered for publication in The Post and Courier’s yearly magazine, My Charleston. Some images may be selected for other editorial or noncommercial use.
We reserve the right to not publish any photo for any reason.
After some last-minute funding maneuvers, Charleston approved the terms of a construction contract for a long-awaited bike and pedestrian bridge connecting downtown and West Ashley.It now awaits federal approval before the mayor can sign off on it and work can begin.As construction firms submitted proposals for the project this summer, local leaders became aware that their most recent ...
After some last-minute funding maneuvers, Charleston approved the terms of a construction contract for a long-awaited bike and pedestrian bridge connecting downtown and West Ashley.
It now awaits federal approval before the mayor can sign off on it and work can begin.
As construction firms submitted proposals for the project this summer, local leaders became aware that their most recent cost projections were insufficient.
That’s when the estimate ballooned from $42 million about a year ago to about $74 million today. As a result, city officials had to secure more funding from county, state and federal agencies. In addition to dipping into the city’s hospitality tax funds, the Medical University of South Carolina chipped in too.
In total, the city’s contribution to the project via hospitality tax funds stands at $13 million.
Construction bidders attributed the higher-than-expected cost projections to rising interest rates, as well as increased labor and material costs. The winning bid came in at $73.8 million.
City leaders had considered scaling the project back when the new estimates were calculated but Councilman Mike Seekings said South Carolina Transportation Secretary Christy Hall was determined to find additional help from all levels of government to bring the project across the finish line.
“Secretary Hall put her money where her mouth is,” he said.
With Hall’s help securing an additional $30 million committed from various agencies, the city was able to move forward with a contract with civil contractor, Superior Construction.
Charleston City Council voted 11-1 on Sept. 26 to authorize the mayor to sign off on the contract once it gets approval from the Federal Highway Administration. Councilwoman Caroline Parker voted against the authorization and Councilman William Dudley Gregorie was absent.
If all goes according to plans, the contract will be signed within the next few weeks and design work can begin. Signing the contract locks down a “guaranteed maximum price” from the contractor, which can only fluctuate within a certain percentage of the total project cost. Any additional overrun would need special approval from City Council.
Design is expected to take about one year and construction about three years, said Jason Kronsberg, Charleston parks director and the project manager for the effort.
There should only be minor disruptions to road and boat traffic during construction, he added. It will tie into the existing West Ashley Greenway and cross the Ashley just south of the U.S. Highway 17 vehicular bridges.
Despite the cost estimate struggles, city leaders struck an optimistic tone saying that the project will be transformative for the city.
“It’s a game changer,” Kronsberg said. “Its a significant infrastructure project that will be just as successful as the Ravenel Bridge bike and pedestrian lane when it was first implemented ... If you build it, they will come.”
Councilman Peter Shahid, who is running for mayor, said the project is not only a recreational amenity but also an important piece of the city’s transportation network. It will provide commuters who travel on foot or ride bikes a safe crossing to the city’s employment hub and also could relieve some traffic on the existing vehicular bridges in the same area.
The City of Charleston Community Development Commission met Thursday to discuss the development of the old Piggly Wiggly lot on Sumar Street in West Ashley.CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) - The City of Charleston Community Development Commission discussed the development of the old Piggly Wiggly lot on Sumar Street Thursday night for the first time since last month after a city council meeting deferred discussions due to ...
The City of Charleston Community Development Commission met Thursday to discuss the development of the old Piggly Wiggly lot on Sumar Street in West Ashley.
CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) - The City of Charleston Community Development Commission discussed the development of the old Piggly Wiggly lot on Sumar Street Thursday night for the first time since last month after a city council meeting deferred discussions due to a split vote.
The meeting lasted for three hours as commissioners argued back and forth, with some advocating for green space to be the focus, and others wanting the project to focus on revitalization.
City officials and the public were asked for their input on three different proposals last month, with the first option including underground parking, outdoor areas and a civic building.
Option one was the most popular with 72% of the community in favor of the design, yet approval failed in a split decision vote by the city council.
“I just want to say I’m a little surprised and disappointed that it seems like the politicians are just not listening to the residents of West Ashley,” community member Sharon Gardner says.
Thursday’s meeting was set with plans of potential action for the project, but after hours of heated discussion, the only decision made was to develop another proposal with a design only including civic building and green space.
“I think we need to develop another option,” Charleston City Councilmember, William Dudley Gregorie, says. “We need to develop another option that is green space, and municipal space, and let the people of West Ashley take a look at that.”
The motion was made even after dozens of members of the public continued to push for option one.
“Having something in our community to allow us to gather is very important,” West Ashley resident William Tinkler says. “I’ve talked with many people in the last couple of months, and I can tell that people in West Ashley, they want action; they want something done now.”
Although the meeting was held by the Charleston Community Development Commission, almost every member of the Charleston City Council joined, saying no project in the city’s history has had this large of a public response.
“Approach this effort in this project through the lens of West Ashley revitalization,” councilmember Ross Appel says. “We need to find a way to jumpstart the economy of West Ashley; because let’s face it, West Ashley does lag behind other parts of the city and other parts of the region.”
Unless one voting member changes their mind, at this rate the decision will simply remain split.
Charleston Mayor John Tecklenburg himself is on the side of economic growth.
“If we approve it, we would be able to move forward and get something going, that includes the multi-uses that respectfully many hundreds of our citizens weigh in upon over the last few years,” Tecklenburg says. “It’s a good option; it will revitalize the West Ashley, it’s a good way to go”
A community member who has been involved in the process says this is the nineteenth meeting on the development in the last six years.
Robert Mitchell, Perry Waring, William Dudley Gregorie and Caroline Parker were in favor of Thursday’s motion to develop another proposal with design only including civic building and green space. Mayor John Tecklenburg, Ross Appel and Jason Sakran were opposed.
Copyright 2023 WCSC. All rights reserved.
A woman and her son say more should have been done after she was without a landline for over one month.CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) - A woman and her son say more should have been done after she was without a landline for over one month.Queen Little has lived in the North Forest Acres neighborhood in West Ashley for over 40 years.Her phone line has been out since June 5. Queen suspects it was cut during construction work on Playground Road.For the last six weeks, Queen’s son, Darrin Little, has been persistently ...
A woman and her son say more should have been done after she was without a landline for over one month.
CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) - A woman and her son say more should have been done after she was without a landline for over one month.
Queen Little has lived in the North Forest Acres neighborhood in West Ashley for over 40 years.
Her phone line has been out since June 5. Queen suspects it was cut during construction work on Playground Road.
For the last six weeks, Queen’s son, Darrin Little, has been persistently calling their phone carrier, AT&T.
“They gave me a date for when it would be on, that day came and went and it wasn’t on,” Darrin said. “Called again, called again, called again, kept getting dates and dates and dates.”
Queen has underlying health issues, and Darrin said not having a working landline in her house is dangerous.
“She needs a means of communicating with me, with my brothers, in an emergency she needs that phone,” Darrin said.
Queen said she keeps minutes on her cell phone but rarely uses it. She said she feels more comfortable with a permanent, dependable option, like her landline.
“I’m a senior citizen, I’m 78 next month. I need things like that,” Queen said. “And especially having COPD, I could have a flare-up any time.”
One day after Live 5 News reached out to AT&T, phone access was restored to Queen’s household.
The phone rang for the first time in Queen’s household in over a month during a Live 5 News interview with Darrin and Queen. It was AT&T calling to let them know phone access was restored.
“We’ve been calling for weeks, and nothing has happened until Live 5 reached out to them, and now ironically, the phone’s on,” Darrin said. “Our conversation didn’t matter, but when you guys reached out to them, it mattered.”
Queen said she has had a lonely month without a phone, describing her home as a “ghost house.”
“They fixed it today because y’all came here and I appreciate y’all doing it, but it should never have been that way because I’m a paying customer,” Queen said.
It wasn’t only Queen that went without a landline.
Betty Poaches lives a couple of streets over from Queen, and also went without landline access for six weeks.
Poaches has lived in the North Forest Acres neighborhood since 1959. She is not able to use a cell phone because of her hearing aids.
Her daughter said over the last six weeks she’s worried about her mother’s safety.
“Without her having a phone I came here every day, because she had no protection,” her daughter, Regina Gamble, said.
A spokesperson from AT&T provided the following statement:
We’ve restored home phone service to this customer following repairs to a section of our cable that experienced water damage during recent heavy rains. We apologize for the delay.
Copyright 2023 WCSC. All rights reserved.