Types of Pedestrian Accident Injuries in Charleston County

Over the years, we have witnessed many types of pedestrian accident injuries in Charleston County. As a walking city, Charleston County has unfortunately seen its share of pedestrian accidents.

Anyone hit by a car may lose their right to compensation if they do not file a claim correctly or miss a deadline, even if they sustained life-altering injuries. A pedestrian accident attorney could help you and your loved ones protect that right.

Pedestrian Injuries and Deaths in Motor Vehicle Accidents

A minor accident can involve a car hitting a person’s midsection or running over their feet. A severe collision can throw a person from the vehicle, sending them over the hood, into the car, or onto the road.

People hit by cars in Charleston County face different types of injury according to the car’s speed and circumstances:

• Crush injuries, in cases where the car ran over a limb or the body
• Head trauma, including traumatic brain injuries (TBIs), from contact with the road or with the car itself
• Trauma to the legs, abdomen, or spine from impact with the vehicle. This can cause major fractures and soft-tissue damage, including internal bleeding.

Scientists have found that as a car’s speed increases, so does the likelihood of a pedestrian’s death if they are hit by the vehicle. Naturally, children face greater dangers on the road; since they are smaller, they are harder to see from tall trucks or SUVs.

The Aftermath of a Pedestrian Accident

An impact survivor is not likely to return to work or school again soon. Depending on the pedestrian collision in Charleston County, a person may sustain minor injuries like a broken foot or contusions. In severe cases, they may have to undergo:

• Emergency surgery for internal injuries
• Plastic surgery for disfiguring lacerations
• Stabilization and rehabilitation for TBIs, which can permanently alter brain function
• Long-term physical rehabilitation to regain muscle function or adapt to new limitations

Those who lose a loved one will incur funeral and burial costs, as well as final medical expenses and ongoing costs of their devastating loss.

How Can an Injury Lawyer Help You and Your Family?

Without a lawyer at their side, a pedestrian accident victim in Charleston County has a greater risk of losing most or all of their right to compensation, even if they sustained serious injuries. This risk stems from  South Carolina law under Nelson v. Concrete Supply Co., 303 S.C. 243 (1991), which prevents anyone from recovering damages if they were more negligent than others in the accident.

In personal injury law, every party’s degree of legal negligence is considered as a percentage. If a plaintiff is 0 percent negligent, they may recover 100 percent of their damages. Someone who is 10 or 20 percent negligent loses that much from their damage claim. But if they were more than 50 percent negligent in the accident, they have no right to damages at all.

Insurance companies investigate to determine the percentage of fault, or at least what they can assert that it is. When an insurer denies a claim or offers a small payout, they expect that the survivor will accept that determination without pushing back. Accident attorneys could work to determine what truly happened and how much fault each party has, making sure each claimant gets what they deserve.

Seek Legal Help After Sustaining Injuries in a Pedestrian Accident in Charleston County

Our firm is a small one, and we handle each case personally, making sure we keep our full focus and attention on our clients. We want to work with you and your family to find what you need and how to claim it.

Contact our office today to make an appointment to talk to us about the types of pedestrian accident injuries in Charleston County that you or your family may have experienced. Give us a call now to learn more.