If a driver’s carelessness has caused you or your loved one to be injured in a pedestrian accident in Columbia or anywhere in Richland or Lexington counties, you should seek experienced legal guidance. You need a Columbia pedestrian injury attorney who understands the difficulties and financial stresses you are facing and can offer trusted legal counsel to help you move forward with your life.
Our clients are good people trying to cope with difficult circumstances caused by someone else. Our attorneys apply our more than 110 years of combined legal experience to have a positive impact in the lives of people who turn to us for help. Since 1968, the team at Joye Law Firm has helped South Carolinians get through their most difficult times. After a pedestrian accident, we will make sure you are receiving the medical care you need and coordinate with your doctors and physical therapists to be sure your treatment is uninterrupted while your injury claim is pending.
We are proud of the client service we provide and the work we have done to help our community through our support of local education and charities. If you have been in a pedestrian accident, call to learn how we can help you and your family.
Dangerous Locations in Columbia for Pedestrian Accidents
South Carolina is experiencing a pedestrian safety problem according to the S.C. Department of Public Safety (DPS).
Lexington and Richland counties are both among the top six counties for fatal and severe-injury pedestrian accidents in South Carolina, according to a 2018 DPS report. Collectively, the six counties accounted for more than half the total pedestrian accidents in South Carolina.
The most dangerous intersections for traffic accidents in Columbia include:
- Main Street at Elmwood Avenue
- Assembly at Elmwood Avenue
- Taylor Street and Huger Street
- Devine Street/Garners Ferry Road and Rosewood Drive
- Gervais Street and Huger Street
Columbia Pedestrian Accident Statistics
South Carolina experienced more than 4,900 traffic crashes involving pedestrians from 2011 to 2015, the Department of Public Safety reported. Approximately 19 percent of the pedestrian accidents involved severe injuries and 11 percent involved fatal injuries.
Every three days on average, a pedestrian dies in a traffic accident in South Carolina.
From 2011 to 2015, the number of pedestrians killed in S.C. increased by 15.9 percent.
About one of every eight pedestrian traffic accidents in South Carolina in 2015 resulted in fatal injuries to the individual on foot.
Types of Pedestrian Accidents
Many pedestrian-car collisions are caused by human error. A driver may be speeding, driving carelessly, driving while impaired or simply not keeping a proper lookout for people walking across an intersection or walking beside the road. Any of these driver errors can cause a serious pedestrian accident.
Pedestrian accidents occur more frequently during nighttime hours because people on foot are harder to see and drivers may have less time to react.
- Crossing a Street — Columbia drivers should always remain on the lookout for pedestrians crossing the street, people in wheelchairs, people pushing strollers and joggers and walkers beside the road. Many serious injuries occur when motorists fail to take proper precautions for pedestrians. Drivers are required to yield to pedestrians crossing in crosswalks with the light.
- Running Traffic Lights — A motorist who speeds through an intersection to beat a red light may hit a pedestrian stepping off the curb after the light has changed. Speeding reduces the amount of time a motorist has to react to avoid hitting a pedestrian and increases the distance needed to stop the vehicle.
- Sidewalks — South Carolina law requires that pedestrians use sidewalks when available. That requirement applies to people on skateboards and rollerblades, people in wheelchairs and those pushing strollers. If no sidewalks are present, pedestrians should walk on the shoulder of the road. If there is no road shoulder, pedestrians should walk on the left side of the road facing traffic.
- Walking from Between Parked Cars — A common type of accident involves a pedestrian stepping out into the street from between parked cars. A driver may not have time to brake and avoid hitting the pedestrian. This type of collision can lead to serious or fatal injuries.
- School Zone Accidents — Columbia drivers should pay close attention to lower speed limits in school zones during the hours when students arrive and depart from school. Many pedestrian accidents involving children happen during school hours. A child may step into the road without looking for traffic. A motorist may be unable to stop quickly if the motorist has disregarded the school zone speed limit.
Pedestrians and Comparative Negligence
Sometimes a motorist and a pedestrian may both have some degree of fault for an accident. Even if you were partially at fault for your injuries in a pedestrian accident, you may still have a right to seek compensation.
South Carolina uses the modified comparative negligence rule in personal injury accidents. As an accident victim, you are allowed to recover a portion of your losses as long as you were less than 51 percent at fault.
For example, if you sustained $100,000 in damages in a pedestrian accident and you are found to be 20 percent at fault, you could still recover $80,000. But if you were found to be 51 percent or more at fault, you would not be entitled to any recovery.
Our attorneys deal with questions involving comparative negligence every day. We work diligently to gather evidence and build cases to show that another party was primarily at fault and to protect our clients’ right to recover compensation.
You should contact a Columbia accident lawyer to explore your legal option even if you believe that you were partly at fault for an accident. You may still be entitled to claim compensation if you were hit by a car and injured.
Types of Compensation Available from a Columbia Pedestrian Injury Claim
You may seek compensation by filing a car accident lawsuit for the following types of losses:
- Doctor bills and hospital bills
- Physical therapy and rehabilitation
- Car damage
- Permanent disability and disfiguring scars
- Pain and suffering
- Lost earnings from missed work
- Wrongful death
You Can Afford a Columbia Pedestrian Injury Lawyer
Many people believe incorrectly that they cannot afford to hire a lawyer after a pedestrian accident. You do not have to pay any out-of-pocket costs if you are represented by Joye Law Firm. Our attorneys at Joye Law Firm will handle your personal injury claim on a contingency fee basis if you have been struck and injured by a negligent motorist.
Joye Law offers a free case evaluation. We will review the details of your Columbia pedestrian accident at no charge and explain your legal options. If we handle your case, we will not expect any upfront payment to move forward. We understand you may be dealing with financial stress if you have been seriously injured and out of work.
Our attorneys receive a legal fee only if we are successful in obtaining compensation for you through a negotiated insurance settlement or a jury award. If we obtain a pedestrian accident settlement or jury award for you, we receive a portion of the overall amount as payment of our attorney’s fee expenses.
If your life has been turned upside down by a pedestrian accident in Columbia, our personal injury lawyers at Joye Law Firm are committed to helping you gain control of your life and move forward. If you have questions about whether you should hire a lawyer, contact us for a free discussion of your accident. There is no charge for the initial consultation and no obligation after the initial meeting to hire us to handle your case.
