If you were injured in a truck accident in South Carolina, you may be entitled to compensation for your medical expenses, lost income, property damage, pain and suffering, and other losses. Contact the experienced South Carolina truck accident lawyers at Stanley Personal Injury Lawyers at (843) 390-9111 for a free consultation.
Commercial truck accidents involving tractor-trailers, semi-trucks, and other large vehicles can cause devastating injuries and significant financial harm. Our attorneys have decades of experience representing injured people throughout South Carolina and can investigate the crash, identify potentially responsible parties, and help you pursue the compensation available under state and federal law.
Why Choose Stanley Personal Injury Lawyers to Help After a Truck Accident in South Carolina
Truck accident cases can be considerably more complicated than typical passenger-vehicle crashes. Stanley Personal Injury Lawyers brings 58 years of combined experience and has recovered tens of millions of dollars for injured clients throughout South Carolina.
Clients also benefit from:
- More than 700 five-star reviews
- A record of multi-million-dollar settlements and jury verdicts
- Award-winning legal representation
- Personalized attention throughout the claims process
- Local experience serving injured people throughout South Carolina
- Contingency fee representation, meaning there are no attorney’s fees unless compensation is recovered
An experienced South Carolina truck accident attorney can evaluate the circumstances of the collision, including whether violations of state or federal trucking regulations may have contributed to the crash.
What Causes Truck Accidents in South Carolina?
Large commercial vehicles require careful operation and regular maintenance. Even a moment of negligence can cause a serious crash.
Common causes of truck accidents include:
- Driver fatigue: Truck drivers may spend long hours behind the wheel. Federal hours-of-service regulations generally limit property-carrying drivers to 11 hours of driving after 10 consecutive hours off duty and prohibit driving beyond the 14th consecutive hour after coming on duty, subject to exceptions.
- Distracted driving: Cell phone use, navigation systems, eating, and other distractions can take a driver’s attention off the road.
- Speeding: A fully loaded commercial truck requires substantially more time and distance to slow down than a passenger vehicle.
- Improper loading: Unbalanced, unsecured, or overloaded cargo can make a truck difficult to control.
- Poor maintenance: Worn brakes, defective tires, lighting problems, and other mechanical issues can contribute to crashes.
- Unsafe hiring or training: Trucking companies may face liability when negligent hiring, supervision, or training contributes to an accident.
A South Carolina car accident lawyer may handle many types of motor vehicle claims, but commercial trucking cases often require additional evidence and knowledge of federal motor carrier regulations.
Who Can Be Liable for a South Carolina Truck Accident?
The truck driver is not necessarily the only party responsible for a commercial vehicle crash. Depending on the circumstances, liability may extend to multiple parties.
Potentially responsible parties include:
- The truck driver
- The trucking or motor carrier company
- A company that owned or leased the truck
- A maintenance or repair contractor
- A cargo loading company
- A manufacturer of defective truck parts or equipment
- Other motorists whose negligence contributed to the collision
Identifying all liable parties can be important because multiple insurance policies or corporate defendants may be involved. A South Carolina personal injury attorney can examine employment records, maintenance documents, electronic data, inspection records, and other evidence to determine how the crash occurred.
What Compensation Is Available After a Truck Accident?
A truck accident claim may allow an injured person to seek compensation for both economic and non-economic losses caused by the collision.
Depending on the case, damages may include:
- Medical bills
- Future medical treatment
- Rehabilitation and therapy
- Lost wages
- Reduced future earning capacity
- Property damage
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Disability or disfigurement
- Loss of enjoyment of life
The value of a claim depends on factors such as the severity of the injuries, the length of recovery, the effect of the injuries on the person’s work and daily life, and the amount of available insurance coverage.
What if You Were Partially Responsible for the Truck Crash?
South Carolina follows a modified comparative negligence system. An injured person can generally recover damages when their percentage of fault does not exceed the combined fault attributed to the defendant or defendants, but their recovery may be reduced according to their share of responsibility. South Carolina law also contains specific rules governing how fault is allocated among multiple defendants.
For example, if an injured driver is found 20% responsible for a collision, the driver’s recoverable damages may generally be reduced by 20%.
Trucking companies and their insurers may dispute fault to reduce their financial responsibility. Preserving evidence early can therefore be especially important.
How Long Do You Have To File a South Carolina Truck Accident Lawsuit?
South Carolina generally provides a three-year statute of limitations for personal injury claims. The same three-year period generally applies to wrongful death actions, although the period in a wrongful death case begins upon the person’s death.
Exceptions can change the applicable deadline, so waiting until the statute of limitations is approaching can be risky. Evidence may also disappear long before the filing deadline. Trucking records may be lost or overwritten, vehicles may be repaired, and witnesses’ memories can fade.
Speaking with a lawyer soon after a crash gives your legal team more time to investigate and preserve evidence.
Contact Our South Carolina Truck Accident Attorneys for a Free Consultation
A serious truck collision can leave you dealing with injuries, medical treatment, missed work, and an insurance claim at the same time. You do not have to handle the legal process alone.
A South Carolina truck accident attorney at Stanley Personal Injury Lawyers can investigate your crash, determine who may be liable, calculate your losses, and pursue compensation from the responsible parties and insurers.
Contact us today to schedule a free consultation and learn how our team can help with your case.
Our team includes experienced North Myrtle Beach personal injury lawyers, Little River personal injury attorneys, and Aynor personal injury attorneys who are dedicated to protecting the rights of accident victims across the region.