One common piece of advice given to new drivers in South Carolina is to always expect a car accident around every corner. The idea behind this advice is that it gives awareness that not everybody follows driving laws, and so it’s best to be cautious and watch out for everything, even though you might be doing everything correctly. A recent car accidentthat took the life of a 20-year-old man highlights how breaking even the smallest traffic law can lead to tragedy.

The young man, a resident of Wagener, was driving his Honda Civic northbound on New Holland Road when a pickup truck apparently barreled through a stop sign. The truck, a Ford F-150, slammed into the driver’s side door, trapping the young man in the vehicle. The young man was declared dead at the site of the car accident, while his passenger, a 19-year-old woman, was severely injured as a result of the accident. She was taken by helicopter to a Columbia hospital.

The pickup truck driver apparently blamed the collision on a faulty accelerator, which he said was not working correctly to allow him to stop in time. An investigation into the particulars of this accident is ongoing, and may play an important role in any future claims for personal injury liability. It was not immediately known if the pickup driver or his passenger was injured in the collision.

The family of the young man will surely be interested in the results of the investigation. South Carolina law may provide them with the right to file a wrongful death claim for monetary compensation that can be used for final expenses or as reimbursement for other designated damages. For the young woman who was injured, if the results of the investigation show that she was a victim of negligence, she may also wish to file a claim for personal injuries against any negligent parties to compensate for her monetary damages occasioned by the life-altering wreck.

Source: Midlands Connect, “Truck fails to stop at stop sign, kills young Wagener man,” Kara Durrette, April 20, 2012

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Steven M. Krause

Steven Krause is a personal injury, auto accident, and workers’ compensation lawyer who practices in Anderson, SC. He graduated form the Thomas M. Cooley School of Law and has been practicing law for 40 years now. Steven Krause believes in fighting for the injured. Learn more about his experience here.