South Carolina Personal Injury Law Blog

Being in a vehicle makes a big difference in an accident

Published on: January 23, 2015 | by Patrick E. Knie

Whether you live here in South Carolina or another state, everyone knows the devastation that accompanies a motor vehicle accident. Although there is the physical damage to the vehicle or vehicles involved, the injuries suffered by passengers can be just as devastating. In more severe accidents, a person may even be killed, which can wreak havoc on a victim’s family and friends.

Although injuries suffered in a motor vehicle accident can range from minor lacerations and abrasions to more severe and even fatal injuries, many consider pedestrian accidents to be the worst. That’s because, unlike victims of motor vehicle accidents, people involved in pedestrian accidents do not have the protection of a vehicle’s frame to absorb some of the impact. Instead, a pedestrian’s body is taking all of the force, oftentimes resulting in catastrophic injuries and a higher risk of death.

Pedestrians who are unfortunate enough to become victims of an inattentive or negligent driver may suffer a variety of injuries including, but not limited to:

Bruises
Lacerations
Broken bones
Damage to internal organs
Head and neck injuries
Spinal cord injuries

Are personal breath tests the answer to drunk-driving problem?

Published on: January 9, 2015 | by Patrick E. Knie

No matter what state you live in, whether it’s here in South Carolina or somewhere else, drunk driving is a huge problem. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, roughly 12,000 people die every year in alcohol-related crashes. But what makes this statistic perhaps most impactful is the fact that all of these accidents could have been prevented if the drivers had taken the necessary precaution and not gotten behind the wheel of a vehicle while intoxicated.

Most people think that counting drinks or basing their sobriety on “how they feel” will be enough to prevent a drunk driving accident. Unfortunately though, these methods are flawed and do not give an accurate representation of actual intoxication. In a number of drunk driving cases, accidents are the result of a driver mistakenly thinking that they are okay to drive when in fact they are not.

What technology hazards could put patients in danger in 2015?

Published on: December 24, 2014 | by Patrick E. Knie

Despite our highest hopes and the best efforts of hospitals across the nation, medical mistakes continue to occur. Although one of the reasons is because of negligence — both at the hospital level and the staff level — the other reason is that technology and procedural guidelines are simply not up to the standards yet that we expect to find.

That having been said, our readers are probably wondering what technology could put patients in danger in 2015. With the help of a top ten list provided by the ECRI Institute, we hope to answer this question and give a heads up about possible hazards in 2015.

Why getting compensation for your child is key after a crash

Published on: December 8, 2014 | by Patrick E. Knie

If you’re like most parents here in Spartanburg, then your children are probably incredibly important to you. If you could, you would do anything for them, including taking their place in the event of an injury-causing accident. Unfortunately, real life does not allow us to trade places with people, which means parents must do the next best thing after a serious accident: seek compensation for their child’s injuries.

From car accidents to cases of premises liability, injuries caused by someone else’s negligence happen all the time in South Carolina. In a number of cases, victims could be children who do not have enough life experience to know that they could be entitled to compensation for their injuries. That’s why it’s important for parents to not only know their own rights but the rights of their child as well.

Ruling reverses decades-old medical malpractice limitation

Published on: November 26, 2014 | by Patrick E. Knie

No one who goes on a cruise really expects that they will get sick or injured on the journey. Still, it is nice to know that cruise ships have doctors and nurses on board who can treat illnesses or injuries that do occur. Until recently, those doctors and nurses effectively operated independently because of a ruling almost 30 years ago that gave immunity to the cruise lines in the event of medical malpractice aboard a ship.

In a ruling that came from the United States 11th Circuit Court of Appeals, that immunity has been reversed. In that ruling, the court said that the 1988 decision was outdated, partly because of the considerable updates and advances in technology. The judge who made the recent ruling noted that the medical facilities on cruise ships are for-profit operations. These facilities on the ship are usually the only option that passengers have when they need medical care.

GHSA report shows bicycle accidents on the rise in the nation

Published on: November 11, 2014 | by Patrick E. Knie

Unlike our neighbors in states just to our west and north, South Carolinians can enjoy bike riding year round because of our mild temperatures and typically snowless winter months. Unfortunately, this also means that a rider is at risk of getting into a bicycle accident year round as well.

It’s because of this fact that the number of bicycle accidents that occur each year in our state is typically higher when compared to other states where residents cannot bike year round. But according to a report recently released by the Governors Highway Safety Association, these higher numbers could be a result of something else as well.

How do you know if you need a lawyer after a crash?

Published on: October 31, 2014 | by Patrick E. Knie

The question we pose in this week’s post title is one that is commonly asked here in South Carolina as well as other states across the nation. That’s because even though just about everyone knows that they can seek compensation after an accident, those same people also often have concerns about whether they should or not.

Those who never receive an answer to this question typically don’t file a claim for compensation, thereby missing out on funds that could have been incredibly beneficial to them. So how does someone know if they need a lawyer or not? By asking yourself some of the questions below, you might find the information you need to answer this bigger question for yourself.

Could artificial turf be presenting athletes with a cancer risk?

Published on: October 14, 2014 | by Patrick E. Knie

Thanks to teams like the Seattle Sounders, the LA Galaxy and the New York Red Bulls, major league soccer is growing in popularity across the nation, which means, in many states, a need for new stadiums. But in some states, the weather doesn’t always permit a full open-air concept, meaning some stadiums must remain closed off from the elements, utilizing artificial turf instead of natural grass.

If you’ve been on or seen an artificial turf surface, you may have noticed what looks to be little black dots. In many cases, these are ground up recycled tires used to create a bouncier surface that is supposed to be safer for athletes. Or at least so we’re told.

Some doctors ignoring FDA warning about unsafe medical tool

Published on: October 1, 2014 | by Patrick E. Knie

If you found out that your doctor was using a common medical device that could spread an undetected disease within your body, would you want them to continue using it? If you’re like a majority of our readers here in South Carolina, the answer to this question is a simple and resounding one: no.

Unfortunately, for months now, doctors across the nation have continued to use a gynecological tool that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration believes spreads undetected cancer cells in female patients. Despite the agency’s concern for patient safety, many doctors believe that the warning to stop using the device is unwarranted and that the government “shouldn’t [be allowed to] interfere with patient treatment.”

Infection outbreak at Greenville hospital may lead to litigation

Published on: September 17, 2014 | by Patrick E. Knie

Most people have very high standards when it comes to the care they receive at a hospital. There is an expectation that all medical professionals will provide the best possible care they can and that the hospital is abiding by all industry best practices.

But it’s these same expectations that can lead to shock and concern, especially following a medical mistake. After witnessing such negligence, most people find that their trust in the hospital and its staff has been broken, which leaves victims with a number of questions such as “how is this mistake going to be remedied?” and “am I able to seek compensation?”