Traffic in the Palmetto State is busy year-round, from Interstate 26 near Spartanburg County to the tourist corridors that feed Hilton Head Island. When congestion, high speeds, impaired drivers or adverse weather combine, a single mistake can trigger a chain reaction involving three or more vehicles. In 2022, South Carolina recorded a motor-vehicle crash every 4.5 minutes and a fatal collision roughly every 7 hours. That gives us the dubious honor of having one of the highest fatality rates in the country, at 1.85 deaths per 100 million vehicle miles traveled.
Because several drivers, passengers, and insurers are involved, a multi-vehicle accident quickly becomes more complicated than a two-car fender bender. Questions about who is ultimately responsible, how medical bills will be paid, and whether coverage limits will stretch far enough can weigh heavily on injured people.
Decades of Experience Helping Joye Law Firm Injury Lawyers’ Clients Recover After Multi-Vehicle Wrecks in South Carolina
Since 1968, Joye Law Firm Injury Lawyers has helped injured South Carolinians rebuild their lives after serious collisions involving two cars, three or more vehicles, and complex multi-car pileups. Our team understands how quickly medical bills rise, how property damage disrupts daily life, and how insurers may dispute fault. When we accept a case, we:
- Conduct on-scene investigations with independent accident reconstruction professionals
- Secure important evidence before it is overwritten
- Work with medical providers to document current and future treatment needs
- Leverage cutting-edge technology to prove your case
- Negotiate firmly with every insurance company involved
- Prepare to take the case to trial if a fair settlement is not offered
$6.25 Million Recovered for Victim of Crash Involving Multiple Vehicles
In one of the more complex and emotionally challenging multi-vehicle accident cases we’ve handled, Joye Law Firm represented a family after they were rear-ended by a tractor-trailer while traveling through I-95 in South Carolina. The crash triggered a four-vehicle chain reaction. Our client suffered catastrophic injuries, including a traumatic brain injury, multiple fractures, and long-term cognitive impairments. Attorneys Mark Joye and Melissa Mosier took on the case, uncovering critical evidence of corporate negligence: a distracted driver, lack of safety enforcement, and unqualified supervision within the trucking company. Despite aggressive defense tactics, including attempts to discredit the victim’s injuries and shift blame, our legal team built a rock-solid case supported by expert analysis, dashcam data, and medical records.
Over nearly four years, our attorneys maintained daily contact with the family, made in-person visits, and ensured they received the medical care he desperately needed, despite having no health insurance. When trial preparations made it clear we weren’t going to back down, the defense entered serious negotiations. The result was a substantial settlement that will provide long-term financial and medical security for our client and his family. This case is a powerful example of Joye Law Firm’s experience with high-stakes, multi-vehicle collisions involving commercial trucks and complex liability issues. While every case is different and past outcomes do not guarantee future results, we are proud of the life-changing impact this resolution had for our client and remain committed to delivering that same level of advocacy to every family we represent.
How South Carolina’s Modified Comparative Negligence Rule Affects Multi-Vehicle Collisions
In wrecks involving multiple drivers, proving fault can be tricky. South Carolina follows a modified comparative negligence rule codified in S.C. Code Ann. § 15-38-15. Under this rule, an injured person may still recover damages if that person’s share of fault is less than 50 percent. However, any court award can be reduced by your percentage of fault.
In a crash involving multiple vehicles, determining each driver’s share often requires careful analysis of skid marks, vehicle data recorders, surveillance footage, and South Carolina Highway Patrol reports. Suppose Driver A rear-ends Driver B, pushing B into Driver C’s lane, and C was already speeding. A jury might assign 40 percent fault to A, 40 percent to B, and 20 percent to C. In that scenario, all three may seek recovery, but each award is reduced by that driver’s own percentage.
Even with modified comparative negligence, South Carolina retains a form of joint and several liability. If a single defendant is found more than 50 percent at fault, that defendant can be required to pay the full amount of damages, leaving the defendant to pursue reimbursement from other parties. For injured people, this rule can be critical when serious injuries exceed one driver’s policy limits. It ensures that a victim is not left uncompensated just because another at-fault driver carries minimal insurance.
