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Bus accidents can result in serious injuries and even fatalities. As a passenger on a bus, it’s important to be aware of the common types of bus accidents so that you can take steps to protect yourself. In this post, we’ll discuss some of the most common types of bus accidents, including rollovers, rear-end collisions, and more.

Rollovers

Rollovers are one of the most dangerous types of bus accidents. This happens when a bus flips onto its side or rolls over completely. Rollovers can be caused by several factors including high speeds, sharp turns, or driver error. When a rollover occurs, passengers may be thrown around inside the bus, leading to serious injuries.

Driver error is often the cause of rollover accidents. For example, if a driver is traveling at an excessive speed or fails to properly negotiate a turn, this may cause the bus to tip over. Other factors that can contribute to a rollover include mechanical failure such as a blown tire or poor road conditions.

Rear-End Collisions

Rear-end collisions happen when a bus collides with a vehicle traveling in front of it. These types of accidents can be caused by various factors, including driver distraction, fatigue, or a failure to properly maintain the vehicle. Rear-end collisions can result in serious injuries for both bus passengers and the occupants of the other vehicle involved.

Driver distraction is often to blame. If a bus driver is talking on the phone, texting, or otherwise not paying attention to the road, they may not notice that the vehicle in front of them has slowed or stopped. In some cases, rear-end collisions can be caused by a failure to maintain the brakes on the bus, for example. If the brakes are worn or not working correctly, the bus may fail to stop in time to avoid a collision.

Pedestrian Accidents

Pedestrian accidents involving buses can be especially dangerous, as pedestrians have no protection against the weight and force of a large bus. Pedestrian accidents can occur when a bus driver fails to yield to a pedestrian on a crosswalk or when a pedestrian is struck while crossing the street.

One common cause of pedestrian accidents involving buses is driver error. If a bus driver is not paying attention to the road or is driving recklessly, they may not see a pedestrian in time to avoid a collision. Other factors that can contribute to pedestrian accidents include poor visibility, such as in bad weather, and distracted driving.

Head-On Collisions

Head-on collisions can be some of the most catastrophic types of bus accidents. These occur when a bus collides with another vehicle or object head-on, often at high speeds. Head-on collisions can be caused by several factors, including error on the part of the driver, driver fatigue, poor or unsafe road conditions, or vehicle mechanical failure.

Head-on collisions involving buses are often the result of driver error. For example, if a driver is traveling in the wrong lane or fails to properly negotiate a curve in the road, this may lead to them colliding with another vehicle head-on. Other factors that can contribute to head-on collisions include poor visibility, such as in fog or heavy rain, or mechanical failure such as brake failure or a blown tire.

Side-Impact Collisions

Side-impact collisions occur when a bus is hit on the side by another vehicle. These types of accidents can be particularly dangerous for bus passengers, as the force of the impact can cause the bus to tip over or roll over completely. Side-impact collisions can be caused by a number of factors including poor road conditions or driver error.

One common cause of side-impact collisions involving buses is failure to yield correctly. For example, if a driver does not yield at a red light, they may collide with a bus that is traveling through the intersection. Distracted driving, such as texting or talking on the phone when driving, can also lead to side-impact collisions along with poor road conditions such as debris or potholes on the road.

Bus-Involved Single Vehicle Accidents

Single-vehicle accidents involving buses can occur when a bus collides with an object, such as a utility pole or tree, or when a driver loses control of the bus and crashes. These types of accidents can be caused by driver error, poor road conditions such as heavy rain or ice, or mechanical error, such as a blown tire or brake failure.

Driver error is often one of the most common causes of single vehicle accidents. For example, if a driver is traveling at an excessive speed or fails to navigate a turn correctly, they may lose control of the bus and crash.

Preventing Bus Accidents

While there is no guaranteed way to prevent all bus accidents, there are some steps that can be taken to reduce the risk of an accident occurring. One of the most important steps is to ensure that bus drivers are properly trained and licensed. Drivers should be trained in defensive driving techniques, as well as proper vehicle maintenance and inspection.

Along with driver training, it’s important to ensure that buses are properly maintained and inspected on a regular basis. This includes checking the brakes, tires, and other crucial components of the bus to ensure that they are in good working order.

Passengers can also take steps to protect themselves while riding on a bus. This includes wearing seat belts if they are available and staying seated while the bus is in motion. Passengers should also avoid standing or walking around the bus while it is moving and should use caution when entering or exiting.

Been Injured in a Bus Accident?

Have you been injured in a bus accident? At William J Luse, our skilled team of personal injury lawyers is ready to help you fight your case and get the compensation you deserve. Whether you were another driver, a bus passenger, or a pedestrian, we know that these accidents can have a huge impact on your life and wellbeing and are here to help you turn things around.

Visit our office at 917 Broadway St, Myrtle Beach, SC 29577.

Call now for a free consultation on (843) 839-4795.

Slip and fall accidents have many consequences for the victim, but what happens when it is the natural environment that is to blame in place of a liable person or business? Well, the weather can cause all sorts of mischief, one of which is personal accident and injury. How is this mitigated in litigation processes, and how do people start to heal if the weather was the thing that caused their accident? This guide has all the answers.

How Does Adverse Weather Impact Slip and Fall Accidents?

Adverse weather can strike at any time and any place. There is no way to control it, and people are just at the mercy of what happens as a result of the natural environment. Strong winds, heavy rain, snow, and ice, even fog are all risk factors that reduce visibility and heighten the risk factor. Whether you are traveling around the country or walking about your local area, if badweather strikes, anything can happen. Slips and fall accidents are common outcomes that come about after all these incidents.

What Can Be Done?

There are certain things you just don’t do after an accident takes place, regardless of who or what is to blame. Things like saying it was your fault outrightare never the ideal course of action, so avoid this at all costs because as soon as you accept liability, it completely removes the opportunity for seeking compensation and other legal action too. If you feel like the weather was not the only reason behind your slip or fall, it is important to have a conversation with a specialist attorney to determine the most viable course of action. It is likely that you are facing expensive medical bills, and maybe even time off work as a result of the injuries, so anything that can be done to support you is worth the exploration.

Adverse Weather Makes Claiming Compensation More Difficult

When the weather is a key player in the event, a claims adjuster may seek out closure based on this fact alone. However, this is not always the best outcome and just because the weather played a supporting role in your accident doesn’t negate the notion that someone else may have also brought the incident about. There are lots of other things to be taken into account like the condition of the surrounding premises, the state of the immediate fall environment (for instance, was there a pothole that the local government has been neglecting?), and the people who were with you when it happened.

It Can Be Used as a Cover Up

If there is someone else to assign blame to, they may be using the weather as a scapegoat so they don’t have to take the fall for any compensation payments in your direction. This is not ideal, because it means you are at risk of losing the case. An attorney will always take the time and invest energy into investigating every little detail.

When the weather is bad, accidents do happen. If you or your loved one has been injured, do not delay seeking legal advice.

Visit our office at 917 Broadway St, Myrtle Beach, SC 29577.

Call now for a free consultation on (843) 839-4795.

Summer is most definitely here. And if you are going to do a bit of traveling here in the Palmetto State or elsewhere, you should be aware that you won’t be alone. You’ll be on the road with thousands of others with the same inclination to get out of the house and hit the road. Of course, with the increased traffic, it’s very likely there will also be an increase in the number of traffic accidents. If you have been involved in such an accident, don’t hesitate to contact Law Office of William J. Luse, Inc. Accident & Injury Lawyers today.

Although some accidents are impossible to avoid, there are some safe choices we can make as drivers that can make a difference on the road. So, here are some tips to keep in mind while traveling this summer:

• Commit Yourself to Safety

Unfortunately, you have no control over how others drive. Despite the risks, people are going to drive while intoxicated, use their phones while driving, and drive at excessive speeds. The only thing you have control over is yourself, and you can make a conscious decision to drive safely.

Don’t rush or take unnecessary risks. Driving carefully and defensively and doing everything you can to avoid accidents and the serious injuries they might cause are your best option for staying safe on the road.

• Check the Weather Before You Leave

Inclement weather often plays a role in car accidents. Take a moment to check the weather report and make sure you are not heading right into heavy rain or a storm with high winds. Who wants the stress of driving through a storm anyway? If the forecast doesn’t look good, make the safe choice and wait for clearer skies.

• Avoid Peak Hour Driving If Possible

Studies show that if you can avoid driving during peak traffic hours, you can significantly reduce your risk of being in an accident. Morning and evening commutes tend to be the most dangerous times to drive, even in the summer. And who wants to be in the middle of a bunch of traffic congestion? Try to plan your travel days to avoid driving during rush hour.

• Leave Your Phone Alone

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), distracted driving claimed the lives of 3,142 Americans in 2020. Cell phones are a leading source of driving distractions. The good news is that cell phones can be easily put away while driving. If you are using a GPS system on your phone to navigate, type in the relevant information before you start driving. If you need to make an urgent call, find a safe place to pull over. Don’t be a hazard to yourself or others.

Be especially careful not to text while driving. In one study conducted by The Virginia Tech Transportation Institute, texting was found to be the highest risk behavior that involves the phone.

• Avoid Aggressive Drivers

We’ve all been aggressively tailgated at one point or another, no matter how fast or slow we like to drive. The best thing one can do in these situations is to simply ignore them. Don’t speed up for their benefit or slow down to aggravate them more. If you can, find a safe method of getting out of their way. If an aggravated driver is trying to get in a shouting match, again, the best thing to do is to diffuse the situation by not engaging.

• Follow the Rules of the Road

The rules of the road are there for a reason. They significantly reduce the risk of a traffic accident occurring. So, make sure to come to a complete stop at stop signs, obey all traffic signals, and don’t speed. By the way, it has been illegal to text while driving in South Carolina since 2014, so follow that rule too.

• Do Not Drink and Drive

Always drink responsibly. If you are drinking away from home, find someone sober to drive you home, or call a taxi or rideshare car. The evidence is crystal clear that driving while intoxicated greatly increases your chances of causing or being involved in an accident.

If You Have Been in an Accident, Contact the Law Office of William J. Luse, Inc. Accident & Injury Lawyers

Even if you have followed all the rules of the road and done everything in your power to drive safely, the actions of other drivers can still result in an accident. If you sustain injuries in an accident that is not your fault, be sure to contact the Myrtle Beach accident attorneys of the Law Office of William J. Luse, Inc. Accident & Injury Lawyers at (843) 839-4795 for a confidential consultation.

Because of their smaller size, motorcycles are less visible to other drivers. When motorcyclists get in accidents, they are more likely to be seriously injured or killed because of the lack of protection compared with an enclosed passenger car. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, the federal government estimates that in a recent year, the number of motorcycle deaths per mile traveled was nearly 29 times that of deaths in cars.

While motorcycles can be more dangerous than enclosed means of transportation, there are reasonable things motorcyclists can do to prevent accidents. Here are five tips to prevent accidents when riding your motorcycle. If you have further questions about your case, don’t hesitate to contact our legal team today.

Slow Down

In addition to their small size, motorcycles often have superior maneuvering and acceleration capabilities compared with passenger cars. When driving these lighter machines, it can be tempting to drive at speeds that are by any reasonable measure unsafe. Admit it: it’s fun to feel the wind whipping past you, whizzing around cars, and hugging the curves of the road. But the faster you go, the greater your risk of getting into a serious, even deadly, accident.

When you ride your motorcycle at high speeds, it’s harder to stop or avoid hazards on the road, and the smallest debris can be detrimental to a motorcyclist. Furthermore, the faster you go, the less time a car has to react when they finally do see you. It may be next to impossible for a car to avoid a collision with a motorcycle that is excessively speeding.

Be Visible to Other Drivers

Because it can be challenging for other drivers to see a motorcycle, it is imperative that you make an extra effort to be visible. Begin with your motorcycle. Make sure your headlights and taillights are working. If necessary, use your horn to make your presence known to cars that might not see you. Use your turn signal early as well as hand motions when making turns on busy roadways.

Beyond your motorcycle, what you wear can also make you more visible to other drivers. Wear bright clothing. It can also help to wear a bright or light-colored helmet with reflective elements so that you stand out.

Be Alert at Intersections

Intersections are a prime location for accidents, especially for motorcyclists. Motorcycle accidents can occur whether you’re turning left, turning right, driving straight, or stopped at an intersection.

For example, if you are turning left at an intersection, an oncoming car may not see you before it’s too late to slow down and avoid a collision. Furthermore, if you are stopped at an intersection, a car coming up behind you may not see you and rear-end you.

Therefore, always be on the alert at intersections for other drivers who might not be looking for motorcycles in their path.

Pass with Caution

Passing other vehicles on a motorcycle can be risky, especially if the other drivers do not see you coming. Motorcycles can easily disappear in a car’s blind spot. Therefore, take precautions whenever passing other vehicles. Signal your intention to pass early. Do not make sudden movements or cut over in front of cars too quickly. Put plenty of space between your motorcycle and the car you’re passing.

Never, under any circumstances, pass a car in an illegal manner. This may include lane sharing, lane splitting, passing on a shoulder, or passing on a curb or sidewalk. Contact us today.

Avoid Riding in Bad Weather

Riding a motorcycle in bad weather increases the likelihood of an accident. Because a motorcycle only has two wheels, there is less surface area connecting the motorcycle to the roadway when compared with passenger cars with their four wheels. Because of the smaller surface area, motorcycle wheels can more easily lose traction with the roadway in inclement weather.

Whenever possible, avoid driving a motorcycle in bad weather, such as rain, high winds, snow, sleet, or other wintry weather. If you find yourself caught in a storm, especially a severe storm, you may need to pull over and wait it out. If that is not an option, drive slowly, use caution when making turns, and turn your headlights on.

Contact the Law Office of William J. Luse, Inc. Accident & Injury Lawyers

Even if you do everything within your power to prevent an accident when riding your motorcycle, other drivers’ actions can still result in an accident. If you get injured in a motorcycle accident that was not your fault, contact the Myrtle Beach motorcycle accident attorneys of the Law Office of William J. Luse, Inc. Accident & Injury Lawyers at (843) 839-4795 for a confidential consultation. Our experienced motorcycle accident attorneys can help you pursue the compensation you deserve from the negligent driver.

Motorists must exercise caution while driving for the safety of themselves, any passengers in their cars, other drivers and passengers, and pedestrians. It would be great if every driver took their duty seriously, but unfortunately, some motorists make poor decisions that can be dangerous for everyone else.

Cell phone use, especially texting, is a major distraction for drivers. Texting and driving can lead to serious car accidents and injuries.

Is Texting Distracting?

Yes, texting while driving is a distraction. According to the National Highway & Traffic Safety Administration, distracted driving was the cause of more than 3,000 car accident fatalities in 2020. Anything that takes a driver’s eyes off the road, where they should be focused, creates a considerable risk of causing an accident and harm to the driver and others.

The Virginia Tech Transportation Institute conducted driving studies to research risky driving behaviors. In one study, they found that, out of all cell phone use, texting had the highest risk of leading to an auto accident. Additionally, the risk of a collision to drivers of heavier vehicles who texted while driving was 23.2 times as high as motorists who drive without being distracted.

When a driver reads or sends a text, it takes their attention and eyes away from the road for about five seconds. While it may seem like a minimal amount of time, a lot can happen in five seconds. In just five seconds, you could travel 100 yards, or nearly the length of a football field, if you’re driving at a moderate speed.

Additionally, the diversion of a driver’s attention from the road to their phone has effects that are similar to driving while intoxicated. Research shows that motorists who are texting while driving were delayed in their braking, while intoxicated motorists were aggressive with their braking. A study concluded that texting and driving could be just as dangerous as intoxicated driving. If you have pressing questions about your case, don’t hesitate to contact our legal team today.

Motorists don’t just risk causing a serious car accident and injury to others when they’re texting while the car is moving. It’s also dangerous for drivers to text while they’re not actively operating their vehicles. It may seem harmless, but texting while stopped at a red light encourages further distraction while actively driving. In the 2015 “National Survey on Distracted Driving Attitudes and Behaviors,” the NHTSA states that roughly 36 percent of motorists use their phones while they’re stopped at a light or stop sign, and of that 36 percent, almost all of them continue using their phones when they start actively driving again.

Texting and driving is such a danger and has been such a frequent cause of serious car accidents that there are laws in almost every state prohibiting motorists from doing so. For example, in South Carolina, if a law enforcement officer suspects that you’re texting and driving, they can pull you over and issue you a ticket for which you’ll pay a $25 fine.

What to Do if a Texting Driver Caused Your Accident-Related Injuries

If you’ve been injured in a car accident that was someone else’s fault, you need to get medical attention right away. Car accident injuries can be severe, and the fate of your health, life, and ability to recover could depend upon immediate medical care. The medical care you receive for your injuries will also serve as crucial evidence in your personal injury claim and, if necessary, your personal injury lawsuit.

When you file a personal injury claim, you need to provide evidence of your injuries. The medical care you received will be documented in your medical record. Your medical record will serve as proof of your injuries, the extent of your injuries, and the financial costs associated with your care. It’s also helpful to maintain any medical documentation, including bills, you receive in case you need to use them in your claim or lawsuit.

As soon as you can, hire a personal injury attorney. There are several steps that you should and shouldn’t take leading up to filing your personal injury claim or lawsuit. An experienced car accident attorney will be able to help you navigate this process and make sure that you’re taking the proper steps to have a strong, valid case so you can obtain the compensation you deserve.

Contact the Law Office of William J. Luse, Inc. Accident & Injury Lawyers to Help

The Law Office of William J. Luse, Inc. Accident & Injury Lawyers can help you seek compensation if you’ve been seriously injured in a car accident that wasn’t your fault. Call our Myrtle Beach car accident attorneys today at (843) 839-4795 to schedule a confidential consultation.

After sustaining injuries in a car accident that wasn’t your fault in South Carolina, it is important to keep track of several documents so that you can submit them to the insurance company of the driver who is liable for the crash. If you are missing any of these items, resolving your claim may be more difficult and might take longer as well.

Fortunately, having a Myrtle Beach car accident lawyer on your side is a great way of ensuring that you can gather and submit all the documents you need. These will include:

Witness Statements

It is important to gather copies of any witness statements that you or the police took in the immediate aftermath of the crash. These statements may be in written form, such as in a written statement or a police report, or in the form of recordings, such as on a police officer’s dashcam. The latter should be obtainable via a Freedom of Information Act request.

Police Report

If police officers responded to your automobile accident, they will have made an incident report. The report will contain information about the collision, including the date and time when it occurred, the road and weather conditions, and information about any witnesses. The report should also contain a visual diagram of the accident.

Photographs of the Accident

Photos can be an important way of providing insurance representatives with visual evidence of the accident. While it is common for multiple people to take pictures at the scene of the accident, we recommend that you take your own photos as a means of protecting yourself.

Medical Records and Bills

Your medical records will have detailed information about the cause and extent of your injuries, as well as about any treatment that you had because of them. It can sometimes be costly to obtain these records, but they are necessary. Insurance companies will sometimes refuse to thoroughly evaluate your case without them.

The medical bills associated with your injuries will reflect the impact of the accident on your personal finances. Be sure to maintain a list of all your medical providers, as well as the receipts and invoices for your treatment so that insurance companies or courts can assess the correct amount of compensation for your injuries.

Tickets Associated with the Accident

If the party at fault contests their traffic ticket, you may want to attend the trial so that you can help prevent the dismissal of their ticket. If the at-fault motorist says anything that could be conceived as an admission of guilt, such statements could be used against them in your claim for fair compensation.

Work Schedules

If your car accident injuries caused you to miss work, make sure that you maintain a detailed schedule of the time you were not working as well as a record of your lost wages.

Medicaid or Medicare Card

If Medicaid or Medicare has paid medical bills relating to your injury, they may have a lien on your settlement (see 42 U.S.C. §1395y(b)(2) and § 1862(b)(2)(A)/Section and § 1862(b)(2)(A)(ii) of the Social Security Act). Determining whether they do have a lien and in what amount is often a protracted and challenging process. However, this is something that an experienced car accident lawyer can do on your behalf.

Your Car Insurance Policy

According to the South Carolina Department of Insurance, auto insurance is required by law for all drivers in the state. The policy must include liability insurance for bodily injury and liability insurance for property damage. You also need uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage, which protects you in the event that you are involved in a collision with someone whose insurance cannot cover the costs related to the incident. Your lawyer will need to review a copy of your car insurance policy. This will allow them to understand what type of coverage you have, how much the coverage is worth, and any exclusions that may apply.

Contact a Myrtle Beach Car Accident Attorney Today

If you have been injured in a car accident and are considering filing a claim against the responsible party, it is important to have an experienced personal injury lawyer on your side from the beginning of the process. It is likely that the at-fault driver’s insurance adjuster will attempt to call you and offer a quick and easy settlement that is worth far less than what you deserve. Inform them that you are not prepared to talk with them without first speaking to your lawyer.

The seasoned and knowledgeable South Carolina car accident attorneys of Law Office of William J. Luse, Inc. Accident & Injury Lawyers will fight for your best interests and help you ensure that you have all the appropriate documentation needed to make your claim as strong as possible. Contact us today at (843) 839-4795 for a free consultation.

Studies show a lack of sleep impairs a person’s driving abilities in ways similar to alcohol. These studies show that staying awake for at least 18 hours has the same effect as having a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.05 percent.

Although fatigued driving is dangerous, many people get behind the wheels of their vehicles despite feeling tired or lacking adequate sleep. Fatigue often causes reduced reaction times, lack of coordination and motor skills, and poor decision-making.

According to statistics from the National Safety Council, an estimated 50,000 injuries and 800 fatalities occur in drowsy driving accidents every year. Truck drivers are at an increased risk of driving while tired. They spend much of their days on the road, working long hours and traveling far distances. Many truckers don’t get the rest they need to operate a commercial truck safely.

Driving a large truck, such as a tractor-trailer, requires experience, skill, and focus. It’s challenging for truck drivers to notice dangerous conditions, follow traffic signs, and react quickly when they feel fatigued. When an accident occurs, the occupants of smaller vehicles typically suffer more severe injuries than the occupants of a truck.

Why Driver Fatigue Is Dangerous

Drowsiness from a busy schedule, lack of sleep, or another factor impairs the physical and cognitive functioning necessary to react appropriately to adverse situations.

Some common symptoms of fatigue include:

• Difficulty recognizing dangerous conditions
• Poor decision-making skills
• Reduced motor skills
• Impaired muscle control
• Slower reaction time
• Blurry vision
• Poor judgment
• Altered depth perception
• Extended periods of inattention
• Becoming distracted easily
• Trouble reading and understanding traffic signs
• Reduced or loss of coordination

Truck drivers are supposed to take breaks and follow other federal regulations while driving commercial motor vehicles. If they’re not well-rested and alert at the wheel, they could lose control of their truck and crash into nearby vehicles, pedestrians, or stationary objects.

Common Reasons for Fatigue in Truck Drivers

Truck drivers and their employers must adhere to a set of regulations enforced by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). The hours of service regulations are particularly vital for truck drivers to follow. These safety guidelines aim to prevent driver fatigue.

Regulating the trucking industry might seem like an effective way to keep all vehicle occupants safe on the road. However, the FMCSA has no control over how much sleep truckers get. The administration can’t require a specific number of hours of sleep for drivers to operate their trucks. That means many truckers work long hours despite not getting the sleep necessary to perform at full-functioning capacity.

Sometimes, trucking companies force their employees to violate the hours of service regulations. An employer might encourage one of their truck drivers to skip required breaks and drive beyond the maximum allowed hours. Making money and staying ahead of schedule is more important than safety for many employers.

What You Should Do After a Truck Accident

Proving fatigue is challenging in a truck accident case. There is plenty of physical evidence to use when crashes occur due to drunk driving or defective car parts. However, the evidence used to show a driver felt fatigued is minimal.

You must take immediate action after suffering an injury in an accident involving a commercial truck. Once you leave the accident scene, go to a nearby hospital or visit your doctor. The physician should examine you and diagnose your injury. Once they determine your diagnosis, attend all necessary follow-up appointments.

Your medical records can show that you sustained an injury in the accident and required treatment to recover. It’s critical to maintain a copy of every document you receive during your ongoing case. Maintain every physician bill, imaging test result, surgical report, prescription, and rehabilitation record.

It’s also beneficial to hire a truck accident lawyer to represent you. Your lawyer can investigate the crash and obtain available evidence to prove fault. They can also file a claim on your behalf and negotiate a settlement with the insurance company.

Gathering information from the trucker’s record of duty status might also help your case. A record of duty status is a physical logbook of information regarding a truck driver’s activity during every 24-hour period. Truckers must log when they take breaks, go off-duty, and the number of hours they spend driving. If the information shows they exceeded the maximum driving limit or didn’t take the required breaks, it could help to prove driver fatigue.

Contact an Experienced and Dedicated Truck Accident Attorney

If you were injured in an accident involving a fatigued truck driver, contact the Law Office of William J. Luse, Inc. Accident & Injury Lawyers right now. Our Myrtle Beach truck accident lawyer will review your information regarding the crash and determine whether you have a viable case. You can depend on us to fight for your rights and pursue the maximum compensation you deserve.

Call us for a confidential consultation at (843) 839-4795 today, and let us get you on the road to recovery.

When you’ve been seriously injured in an accident caused by someone else, the only thing you’re worried about is dealing with the pain from your injuries and healing. On top of your physical injuries, you’re facing the emotional trauma of what you experienced. So, it’s understandable that being cautious about what you’re posting on your social media accounts is the last of your concerns right now.

Your social media posts are something you have to consider, however, if you hope to obtain the compensation that you deserve for your injuries, your financial losses, and your suffering. Posting details about your injuries and the accident can impact your ability to get the maximum compensation you may be owed.

Obtaining Compensation for Your Injuries

To understand how your social media posts can impact your claim or case, you need to know a bit about the process for obtaining compensation.

When you pursue compensation for injuries you got in an accident, you file a claim with the insurance company of the person who caused the accident. (In some cases, like when the person who injured you is uninsured, you may have to start by filing a lawsuit to seek compensation for your injuries.) After filing your claim, the insurance company will conduct an investigation into the accident.

The goal of the insurance company’s investigation will be to find evidence that could reduce their policyholder’s (the person who injured you) liability, and thus, reduce the amount of compensation they may have to pay you. They may look for evidence that you contributed to the accident. Any contribution that you made in causing the accident can save the insurance company money. This is because, according to South Carolina’s comparative negligence law, your compensation will be reduced by the same percentage as your fault for the accident.

Along with investigating the accident to determine whether you might share some responsibility for it, the insurance company will review your medical records and other evidence to try to reduce your compensation. Other such evidence that they may look for might actually be on your social media accounts.

If you have to file a lawsuit to pursue compensation, all the above applies. The at-fault party will investigate the accident to try to find evidence that can reduce the compensation that they may be liable to pay.

How Your Social Media Posts Can Impact Your Compensation

Millions of people post their thoughts or pictures of moments in their lives every day. It’s common for people to post about milestones and major events in their lives, both good and bad. And just like the millions of others, you’ve probably become accustomed to posting about what’s on your mind and what’s going on in your life on your social media accounts.

After going through such a traumatic event, like an accident in which you’ve suffered serious injuries, you might feel compelled to post about the accident, your experience, and your injuries on social media. But doing so could hurt your case. Insurance companies and their defense attorneys may review your social media accounts. If they find posts that you’ve made that contradict any statements you’ve made to the insurance company or that show your claim could be exaggerated, they may use that evidence to reduce your compensation or deny your claim outright.

For example, suppose you file a claim for compensation for severe spinal injuries that you sustained in an accident. A few weeks after the accident, you post a video on social media rock climbing at an indoor fitness facility. If an insurance company discovers that post, they will use that video to claim that your spinal injuries weren’t severe at all; otherwise, how would you be able to rock climb? The insurance company might also question the veracity of your claim. In the case of a lawsuit, the at-fault party could also question whether your lawsuit is valid.

Or, suppose that you post on social media right after the accident occurs. You’re in shock from the accident and the pain from your injuries, and you post that you’re sorry about the accident. This can be a big red flag for the insurance company. They’ll use this post to show that your being sorry for the accident means you’re accepting fault for the accident. This post could allow them to reduce your compensation. Depending on the amount of fault that you’re determined to have for the accident, or that the insurance company can claim you have, you can end up getting much less compensation than you deserve.

To avoid damaging your ability to get fair compensation for your injuries, it’s best to refrain from posting on your social media accounts at all after being in an accident.

Call the Law Office of William J. Luse, Inc. Accident & Injury Lawyers Today

If you’ve been seriously injured in an accident due to someone else’s actions, you may be entitled to compensation.

The Myrtle Beach personal injury attorneys of the Law Office of William J. Luse, Inc. Accident & Injury Lawyers have over a decade of experience representing clients who have been injured in accidents. We’ll fight for you to get the compensation you’re owed. Call us today at (843) 839-4795 for a consultation.

Truck accidents may not be as common as car accidents in South Carolina, but when they do occur, they frequently leave carnage in their wake. According to the South Carolina Department of Public Safety, about 5,400 large trucks were involved in accidents statewide in 2019. Among all those crashes, there were 104 trucks involved in crashes with major injuries, while 83 trucks were involved in fatal crashes.

“So what?” you might think. All auto accidents are the same, right? Wrong. The South Carolina truck accidents lawyers of the Law Office of William J. Luse, Inc. Accident & Injury Lawyers have significant experience with these cases, and we’ve seen firsthand how they’re different from other motor-vehicle crashes. Curious to learn more? Keep reading, and you can contact our office for a free initial consultation if you’ve been involved in a South Carolina truck accident.

What Makes Truck Accidents Different from Other Crashes?

There are a few factors that make truck accidents different from other kinds of traffic accidents, including:

• More severe injuries — First and foremost, truck accidents often cause much more severe injuries than occur in car accidents. A semi-truck with a fully loaded trailer may weigh 20-30 times the weight of a passenger sedan, and all that extra weight means the truck hits with much more force in the event of a crash. All that extra force gets transferred to whatever the truck hits, and that frequently means catastrophic injuries for anyone in the other vehicle.
• More potentially liable parties — In most car accident cases, the primarily liable party is the other driver who hit you. That’s not the case with truck accidents. Depending on how exactly the crash occurred, there are multiple entities who could share blame for the collision, including the truck driver, their employer, the manufacturer of the truck, or cargo and maintenance workers.
• More complicated claims — The greater your injuries in an accident, the more money you’ll need to cover your medical bills, lost income, and other losses. Insurance companies fight harder against more expensive claims, so it may be harder for you to recover fair compensation after a truck accident. Furthermore, if there are multiple liable parties, you’ll need to file a separate claim against each to get maximum compensation for your injuries. That’s potentially a lot of legal work.
• Different kinds of evidence — There are certain kinds of evidence you can use in truck accidents that you don’t see in other motor-vehicle crashes. This includes data from the truck’s electronic data recorder or “black box,” the truck driver’s written logs, records from the truck driver’s employer, and more. To build the strongest possible case for compensation, you’ll need to gather as much of this evidence as you can. But trucking companies and other entities know how valuable this evidence can be, so you need to act quickly after a crash to make sure it’s preserved for later use.

All of these additional elements can make a truck accident quite complicated. To make sure you still get the money you need to cover all your losses, speak to a truck accident lawyer as soon as you can after the crash.

What Compensation Can You Recover in a Truck Accident Lawsuit?

Because of how severe your losses can be in a truck accident, it’s important to get as much compensation as you can so you can cover your medical bills and other expenses. This is something a truck accident attorney can help with, and you may be able to recover compensation for:

• Medical bills
• Lost wages
• Diminished future earning potential
• Personal property damaged in the accident
• Pain and suffering
• Emotional distress

What Should You Do After a Truck Accident in South Carolina?

Here are the main steps to take if you’re involved in a truck crash in South Carolina:

• Call 911, then wait for police and emergency medical responders so they can evaluate you and file an accident report.
• Before you leave the crash scene, document the crash as best you can. Use your phones to take pictures, and make sure you get the truck driver’s name, the name of their employer, and their personal and company insurance information. If there are any eyewitnesses, get their names and contact information as well.
• See a doctor right away. If you aren’t taken to a hospital directly from the scene, schedule an appointment with your own doctor the next day. You may have internal injuries that haven’t been diagnosed and could require emergency treatment.
• Stay off social media, and don’t talk to any insurance companies. Anything you say publicly about the crash or to an insurance adjuster may be used against you later on, so your best option is to keep quiet and let your attorney do the talking.
• Hire a truck accident lawyer. You have little time to waste after a crash, so get in touch with an attorney as soon as possible so they can start working on your case.

Contact Us

If you have more questions about truck accident cases in South Carolina, we’d be more than happy to answer them for you. Get in touch with the Law Office of William J. Luse, Inc. Accident & Injury Lawyers today by calling (843) 839-4795 or visiting our contact page.