When an auto accident happens out of the blue, even the most prepared driver can fall victim. One moment, you're driving home after a long, hard day at work. And then, without any warning, another person's negligence changes your life forever. But victims of personal injury accidents aren't only victims of negligence. They suffer from long-lasting pain, questions about work, and concern over their families - and that's if they're not clinging to life in the emergency room.
Unfortunately, without a personal injury attorney in Aiken, SC, to advocate for them, they mistakenly accept lowball settlement offers and provide official statements to greedy insurance corporations. Once you give an official statement or accept an offer for a fraction of what you deserve, there is little you can do to correct the situation. Fortunately, Lauren Taylor Law is here to protect your rights and fight fiercely on your behalf.
If you've been hurt in a car accident recently, you probably have a lot of questions. Some of them might sound like:
With an excess of 100,000 auto accidents in South Carolina every year, these questions are commonplace in the law offices of Lauren Taylor. And truthfully, our hearts ache for innocent people who must suffer due to no fault of their own. What's sad is that these people aren't just left with questions; they must face the life-changing costs associated with car repairs, hospital bills, loss of income, and inconvenient follow-up appointments.
Scenarios like the one mentioned above are bleak, no doubt - but there's a silver lining that victims can be hopeful about. Laws in South Carolina say that those found responsible for your suffering and pain are obligated to cover your expenses. And that, in a nutshell, is where your personal injury attorney in Aiken, SC, comes in: to ensure that negligent drivers and others are held accountable for their actions.
At Lauren Taylor Law, our primary goal is to fight fearlessly on your behalf, so you can get the compensation and peace of mind you deserve. We aren't afraid to go one-on-one with corporations and agencies who care nothing about your well-being. That way, you can care for yourself and your family without worrying about making ends meet.
Our personal injury lawyers have years of experience in personal injury law and can provide comprehensive representation for a number of auto accidents, including:
If you or a loved one have been involved in an accident listed above, you should seek reliable representation ASAP. In many cases, you have three years from the date of your injuries to submit a personal injury claim in South Carolina. That time can be reduced in some situations. When wrongful death happens, family members must act in a similar time frame.
The bottom line is that time is of the essence in personal injury accidents. When our seasoned attorneys sit with you to understand the scope of your accident, we'll help you understand personal injury laws in South Carolina, so you can make an informed decision prior to legal action. The sooner we can learn more about the details of your case, the sooner you can get the help you need.
South Carolina law dictates that personal injury victims are entitled to compensation that covers the entire extent of the injuries they sustain. Why? Because the goal of auto injury compensation is to help you, the victim, return to the life you had prior to the accident. When taken literally, we all know that's impossible. After all, fully recovering from a car accident, both mentally and physically, is exceedingly rare.
It's impossible for South Carolina law to reverse or even account for the trials and tribulations you've had to endure because of your accident injuries. But with the help of a personal injury attorney in Aiken, SC, you can receive financial rewards that equal those damages. The amount of compensation you receive depends on the nuances of your case. In general, however, victims often receive compensation for the following expenses and needs:
If you, a family member, or a loved one has been recently injured in an auto accident, contact Lauren Taylor Law today to speak with one of our experienced personal injury lawyers. The quicker you call, the faster we can dig into your case and begin fighting for your right to compensation.
In South Carolina personal injury cases, there are two forms of damage to understand:
Economic
Non-Economic
Damages considered economic typically include things that can be quantified and measured easily. For instance, costs associated with doctor visits, hospital bills, physical therapy costs, damage to property, and time off work all fall under economic damages. Though economic damages have the potential to be costly, it's relatively easy to add up these damages in order to reach an accurate total.
Non-economic damages, however, are much harder to quantify. Personal injury lawyers often disagree about what constitutes non-economic damage. Two good examples of non-economic damages in a car accident case are mental anguish and pain and suffering. Agreeing on these totals is usually a subjective process - one that is commonly disputed by the other side, which places much lower values on the full scope of the damage.
Given the speculation around non-economic damages, many plaintiffs rely on testimony from close friends, family members, and experts, who can show a jury how your injury caused serious harm worthy of non-economic damages. For instance, having a loved one like your wife or mother explain the impact the injury has had on your life is an effective way of conveying to strangers the seriousness and extent of the harm you've had to endure.
While technically possible for an average person, it requires the legal skill and experience of a personal injury attorney in Aiken, SC, to show jurors or a judge how much damage you've suffered, whether economic or non-economic.
Everyone can agree that in life, accidents happen. But when negligence and recklessness are at play when an accident happens, negligent parties can be charged.
Anyone hurt in an auto accident in South Carolina should understand the legal concept of negligence and how it impacts the financial outcome of your case. The accused must be found negligent to receive compensation in your personal injury case. If a person is negligent, it means that they failed to exercise reasonable care when performing an action, like driving a car or truck.
As your personal injury attorney in Aiken, SC, Lauren Taylor and her team work tirelessly to prove the following:
When you're the victim in a car wreck, it's crucial you take specific steps to help prove the defendant's negligence. That way, you can maximize the amount of compensation you receive.
At Lauren Taylor Law, we encounter many auto accident victims who are injured due to negligence but who fail to take the proper steps after their accident occurs. Often, failing to keep records of your car wreck and its aftermath has a negative impact on how much compensation you get. By following these steps, you have a better chance of maximizing your financial compensation, so you can pay your medical bills and continue to put food on the table.
Before you do anything else, it's important to go to a doctor who can diagnose and treat any injuries you may have sustained in your car accident. It might not be evident right now, but your injuries may be far more serious and long-lasting than you know. For example, injuries involving your head or back aren't easy to pinpoint and sometimes require time to manifest. By getting a complete exam that reveals the extent of the damage you've sustained, you'll have proof of your injuries and can recover much quicker.
Filing an accident report with the local authorities is a critical step to take. Depending on the circumstances of your car accident, the authorities with whom you file may change. For auto wrecks in Aiken, you need to file a report with highway authorities and relevant insurance agencies. By filing an official report, you have an established record of your accident, which may be referred to at a later date.
Any great personal injury attorney in Aiken, SC, will tell you that personal injury cases are won with good evidence. You might think it's on the police to preserve evidence, but it's important that you try as well. That's especially true if you're injured. Because, if we're being honest, car accident evidence has a tendency to disappear. By securing evidence after your car wreck, our team can use it in court. For instance, if you can't get a witness to speak with you right after your accident, their testimony may be deemed unreliable. We realize completing this step is easier said than done, especially after a scary car wreck. That's why it's so important to check off the last step on this list.
One of smartest steps you can take after you're injured in a car wreck is to get in contact with a reputable personal injury law firm, like Laurent Taylor Law. Our team has years of combined experience with a wide range of personal injury cases, including auto accidents. When you work with our firm, we'll be present for every step of your case, and will help take stressful responsibilities off your plate, such as evidence gathering. During the course of our thorough investigation, our lawyers will determine who is liable for your damages. If multiple parties are negligent, each one will be held accountable.
Though our track record speaks volumes, no number of cases won will guarantee a perfect outcome in a personal injury case. What is guaranteed, however, is that we will fight relentlessly on your behalf, no matter how complex your accident or injuries may be. Unlike other personal injury lawyers, you can rest easy knowing your best interests are always top-of-mind at Lauren Taylor Law.
Motorists in South Carolina are involved in auto accidents every day of the year. In fact, South Carolina is one of two states that experience more speeding-related fatalities than anywhere else in the USA. According to WYFF Channel 4, in South Carolina, 46% of fatal car accidents are caused by speeding, while 36% are due to impaired driving. It makes sense, then, that these two types of car accidents are some of the most common cases at Lauren Taylor Law.
Drunk driving is a big problem in Aiken and the rest of South Carolina as well. When a person decides to drive drunk, they're making one of the most negligent decisions a person can make in a car or truck. Because drunk drivers have slower reflexes, delayed reaction times, and blurry vision, they are responsible for many car wrecks and deaths. Unfortunately, many people caught with DUIs often get away with their health intact, while victims and their families are left to suffer.
Individuals who choose to drive drunk are a hazard and cause a number of injuries, including:
If you're hurt or have lost a loved one due to a drunk or impaired driver, Lauren Taylor Law is here to help. With extensive experience in DUI car accident cases, we will explain your rights in easy-to-understand terms. Regardless of the drunk driver's criminal case, a personal injury suit may still be filed against them.
Most drivers in South Carolina will admit that, from time to time, they go a few miles over the speed limit. But excessive speeding is deadly. Data from the National Highway Transportation Administration (NHTSA) shows that 361 people were fatally injured due to speed-related crashes in South Carolina. Accidents due to speeding causes over one-third of traffic deaths in our state, making speeding wrecks one of the most common in our state.
If your or a family member has been to the ER or hospital due to the negligence of a speeding driver, know that you have rights. At Lauren Taylor Law, a personal injury attorney in Aiken, SC, will help you seek compensation for your damages.
Though car accidents are one of the most common types of personal injury cases in South Carolina, many more exist. Unlike some law firms, our lawyers have expertise in every genre related to personal injury suits. Some of the other personal injury cases we focus on include the following:
At Lauren Taylor Law, we're proud to be your unflinching advocate. Our pledge is to provide you with the highest-quality legal counsel in South Carolina and will always treat you and your family with empathy, respect, and compassion. If you're trying to live life after being injured in a dangerous car wreck, know that we're here to assist.
We will fight relentlessly to achieve compensation for lost wages, medical bills, pain and suffering, and more. When your well-being is on the line, our team steps up in even the most difficult times.
(864) 907-4444
AIKEN — Everyone on Aiken County Council was in agreement.There was no hesitation as the panel’s members raised their hands.They voted unanimously March 17 to approve a resolution to oppose a bill recently introduced in the S.C. House of Representatives that seeks to wrest control of the Horse Creek wastewater treatment plant from Aiken County government.The legislation, if it becomes law, would create a new nine-member commission, the Horse Creek Regional Public Service Authority, to oversee operations at th...
AIKEN — Everyone on Aiken County Council was in agreement.
There was no hesitation as the panel’s members raised their hands.
They voted unanimously March 17 to approve a resolution to oppose a bill recently introduced in the S.C. House of Representatives that seeks to wrest control of the Horse Creek wastewater treatment plant from Aiken County government.
The legislation, if it becomes law, would create a new nine-member commission, the Horse Creek Regional Public Service Authority, to oversee operations at the facility.
County Council’s action took place during the panel’s meeting at the Aiken County Government Center.
It followed a presentation by County Attorney Brad Farrar.
County Council Chairman Gary Bunker described House Bill 5321 as a “fatally flawed piece of legislation.”
All six House of Representatives members in Aiken County’s legislative delegation are sponsoring the bill along with Cal Forrest of Lexington and Saluda counties.
Farrar’s conclusions in his presentation were as follows:
• Act 542 of 1973, upon which H.B. 5321 is premised, was judicially declared unconstitutional in 1976.
• Even if Act 542 “were to be valid,” Sections 1A and 3 thereof don’t prohibit Aiken County from providing wastewater services within the county, “or continuing the services it now provides in that area.”
• Counties in South Carolina are “expressly authorized to provide wastewater treatment services” by the state’s constitution.
• Counties in South Carolina also are “expressly authorized to provide wastewater treatment services pursuant to” a section of the state’s Code of Laws.
H.B. 5321 “greatly invades county home rule and it also impacts the lives of a lot of people, the good folks who work for the county,” Farrar told County Council.
He said the resolution approved by the panel authorizes him to “submit a number of Freedom of Information Act requests to various entities,” including S.C. Gov. Henry McMaster and S.C. Secretary of State Mark Hammond.
In addition, Farrar continued, the resolution “is directing me to bring whatever action is necessary, whether it’s a declaratory judgment action or injunction or whatever, to try to prevent the takeover” of the Aiken County Public Service Authority, which is a department of Aiken County Government.
The resolution also “authorizes me to share with every other county and the South Carolina Association of Counties this particular issue,” Farrar said.
There was applause in Council Chambers after he spoke.
“It does look like we’ve got a slam dunk case,” said County Council member Mike Kellems.
He represents District 2, which includes New Ellenton.
County Council Vice Chairman Andrew Siders criticized the sponsors of H.B. 5321 for how they decided to handle what they perceived to be a problem.
“This is a situation where we identified issues with our PSA (Public Service Authority),” he said. "We’re addressing those issues with our PSA and moving forward in a pretty swift manner. And this really came out of left field.
“We found [out] that they were filing this, and they did not communicate with us at all,” Siders continued. “No one called us. No one told us about this … we didn’t know what was happening.”
Aiken County’s response will be “to fight,” Siders said.
The House Committee on Agriculture, National Resources and Environmental Affairs is scheduled to hold a hearing on H.B. 5321 in Columbia on March 24.
One of the bill’s sponsors, S.C. Rep. Bill Hixon, R-North Augusta, told the Aiken Standard that Aiken County had mismanaged the Horse Creek wastewater treatment plant.
“It’s been run wrong for a good many years, and they have not planned for the future,” he said.
The plant also is known as the Horse Creek Pollution Control Facility.
It has Beech Island address: 70 PSA Road.
With severe weather on the way, some schools are making changes to their schedules. We'll keep track of those changes here.COLUMBIA, S.C. — A severe storm is expected to bring heavy wind, rain and possible tornadoes to the South Carolina Midlands on Monday morning.As a result, some school districts are shifting their class schedules or moving to eLearning due to the storm's potential impact on their communities.Here's what we're hearing from each county.Aiken CountyAiken County schools will observe ...
With severe weather on the way, some schools are making changes to their schedules. We'll keep track of those changes here.
COLUMBIA, S.C. — A severe storm is expected to bring heavy wind, rain and possible tornadoes to the South Carolina Midlands on Monday morning.
As a result, some school districts are shifting their class schedules or moving to eLearning due to the storm's potential impact on their communities.
Here's what we're hearing from each county.
Aiken County schools will observe an eLearning Day on Monday due to forecasted severe weather, with employees working remotely and students having until March 27 to complete their assignments.
Calhoun County Public Schools will have an eLearning Day on Monday due to forecast severe weather.
Clarendon County Schools has announced that Monday will be an eLearning day due to expected severe weather. All schools and district offices will be closed. All activities are canceled. Assignments will be posted on Google Classroom. Students who face barriers to completing the assignments will be allowed additional time.
Fairfield County School District will be closed on Monday due to forecast severe weather, with no eLearning. The missed instructional day will be made up on Monday, May 25.
Kershaw County School District is shifting to an eLearning Day on Monday due to forecast severe weather, with all school buildings, offices, and afterschool activities closed or canceled. Middle and high school students will receive assignments in Canvas by 11 a.m., while elementary students will receive theirs on Tuesday. All students will have five school days to complete their work.
Lee County School District has designated Monday as an eLearning Day due to forecast severe thunderstorms with high winds and heavy rainfall, and all staff members are expected to remain available during normal work hours.
Lexington County School District One is switching to eLearning on Monday, with campuses closed and all afterschool activities canceled due to a forecast of severe weather, including damaging winds and possible tornadoes. Employees are asked to work from home, and students will have five days to complete their eLearning assignments.
Lexington Two will close all schools and offices on Monday due to forecast severe weather, with all afterschool and evening activities also canceled. The district will communicate updates by Monday afternoon regarding the status of school on Tuesday, March 17.
Lexington County School District Three is switching to an eLearning Day on Monday due to forecasted severe weather. Students will have no work on Monday but will receive make-up eLearning assignments on Tuesday, with all work due by April 2. All afterschool events are canceled.
Lexington Four schools are not scheduled to be in session on Monday.
While schools and offices in School District Five of Lexington & Richland Counties are already closed on Monday for a previously scheduled holiday, employees who were scheduled to work will transition to remote work due to forecast severe weather.
The School District of Newberry County will close all schools and offices on Monday due to forecast severe weather.
Orangeburg County School District will observe an eLearning Day on Monday due to forecast severe wind conditions, with all afterschool programs, extracurricular activities, and athletic events canceled. Students should follow the eLearning procedures previously communicated by their schools.
Richland One has announced that all schools and offices will be closed on Monday due to the severe weather forecast. School officials said this will not be an eLearning day. All afterschool activities on Monday have also been canceled. The Richland One Rising Stars Awards Ceremony is also canceled.
Richland Two will cancel classes on Monday due to forecasted severe weather and high winds. All district buildings and offices will be closed.
Saluda County schools are monitoring the weather forecast but have not made any changes to school schedules at this time.
Sumter School District has designated Monday as an eLearning Day due to forecast severe weather, with all schools, offices, and activities closed or canceled, and the day will not need to be made up. Lessons will be posted on Schoology, and students who are unable to participate due to power outages or limited internet access will be allowed to complete assignments at a later time.