Mount Pleasant Truck Accident Lawyer: Taking on the Tough Fights

Holding Reckless Drivers Accountable Starts Here

If you’ve been injured in a truck accident, you know the impact it can have on every aspect of your life. From serious physical injuries to mounting medical bills, it’s a lot to deal with. The reality is that shipping is a major industry in Charleston. Trucks going to and from the ports are everywhere. And the insurance companies and motor carriers involved aren’t going to make it any easier for accident victims—they may try to minimize your claim and injuries, deny liability, or even withhold key evidence from you.

This is where having the right trucking lawyer matters. Truck accident cases are far more complex than car accident cases, and the stakes are high. You need someone very familiar with our local area who understands the complex federal motor carrier regulations governing these cases. Someone who understands the unique data and evidence that needs to be collected from the commercial vehicles involved. And someone who knows the human factors influencing truck driver behavior. And you need a Mount Pleasant Personal Injury Attorney on your side, which is where I come in.

Heavy traffic on a multi-lane highway is a hotspot for truck accidents

It’s Not Your Fault; Charleston Roads Are Dangerous

Whether you were injured by a truck while driving on I-526, in the merge lane on the Don Holt Bridge, on Highway 17 or Highway 41 in Mount Pleasant, or near the Wando Welch, Hugh Leatherman, or North Charleston terminals, I can help you. I drive these roads and know the dangerous areas where these accidents happen. I know how to navigate the intricate legal landscape here in South Carolina and know how to make sure the trucking companies (and their insurers) make you financially whole for what they did to you. And while no amount of money can make up for what you’ve been through, fair compensation can make a huge difference in your recovery and your future.

A Plan to Get You Through The Legal Process

Bottom line: Truck accident cases are different. They’re far more complicated than typical car accident cases, the stakes are higher, and the legal path forward can be full of obstacles. But if you’re in this situation, reach out to me. I can walk you through how a truck accident case should be handled from the get-go and give you the advice to help you navigate this tough journey.

Let me walk you through how I handle these cases and how my firm can help you move forward.

Why Truck Accidents Are Different (And Why They Matter)

Truck accidents aren’t your typical fender benders. These are massive, high-impact crashes that can lead to life-altering injuries. The size and weight of commercial vehicles and semi trucks make these accidents far more dangerous than a collision between cars. The injuries are often severe, the consequences are long-lasting, and the legal path forward is complicated.

Here’s the deal: truck accident litigation is different because it involves more players, more regulations, complex data and evidence, and often, more money. You’re dealing with big trucking companies with defense attorneys on call 24/7, serious federal regulations that govern how trucks and commercial drivers can operate, and multiple layers of insurance policies that can be a real headache to locate and navigate for the inexperienced attorney.

But here’s the good news: You don’t have to face this alone.

How Colin Ram Law Can Help You with Your Truck Accident Case

At Colin Ram Law, I take truck accident litigation very seriously. I keep a safety vest in my truck and will go to the scene almost immediately with an accident reconstruction investigator to document what happened to you and to start the evidence collection process.

Comprehensive Investigation: I don’t stop my investigation at the immediate accident scene. I dig deep and treat every case like an NTSB investigation. I’ll look into the driver’s qualifications and personal history in the days and weeks prior to the collision, the data recorded in the truck’s electronic control module (ECM) and GPS tracking system, the motor carrier’s and trucking company’s records and safety management system, the driver’s hours of service records, vehicle inboard and outboard video footage taken of the truck driver, and whether safety protocols were followed. Most people do not realize that the trucking company is automatically notified of an accident almost immediately after it occurs by vehicle telemetry systems (and often before 911 is called). So I work to collect that data so it does not go missing months later.

Identifying All Liable Parties: Truck accidents often involve more than one person or responsible company. And the layers of ownership and control over the trucks in our area are often difficult to identify. While the identity of the truck driver will in almost all cases be easily found, the identity of the motor carrier, the owner/operator, the truck lessors, the cargo brokers, and the shippers who may have had a degree of control over the driver to make them liable to you can be difficult for the inexperienced to identify and find. I’ll identify all the parties who might be responsible, and we’ll work to hold them accountable.

Working with Experts: Sometimes, you need more than just legal expertise to make your case. That’s why I work with expert witnesses—from truck safety professionals to accident reconstructionists—who can provide the evidence we need to back up your claim. I keep their numbers in my cell phone and can reach them very quickly, when necessary.

Aggressive Negotiation with Insurance Companies: Truck accident claims involve big insurance companies and in most cases multiple layers of insurance written by competing insurance carriers. I know how to locate all of the insurance that you are entitled to collect and know how to negotiate with multiple insurance carriers and their counsel effectively. There are distinct strategies to be used when dealing with separate layers (or “towers”) of insurance coverage that many car accident attorneys are simply unfamiliar with.

Trial-Ready Representation: Some cases settle pre-suit, some cases turn into court cases. And most cases settle before reaching trial (often at a mediation or in the days before trial is to begin). In order to effectively represent you, I prepare each case from day one for trial. The insurance companies know this from working with me, and they track which attorneys will go to court and which ones are quick to settle early.

Case Results

$3,000,000+

Drunk Driver case brought against a Charleston bar that massively overserved a drunk patron, who then drove away and collided head on with another car, killing the mother of an infant and toddler.

$1,500,000

Commercial vehicle case brought on behalf of two out-of-state visitors who were seriously injured while riding aboard a resort-operated bus that crashed.

$250,000

Hit and Run case brought a driver who rear ended a mother driving home after dropping off a donation at Goodwill, then racing away and leaving her in significant pain.

What Damages Can You Recover in a Truck Accident Case?

Truck accidents are often devastating, and the damages can be significant. If your case is successful, you could recover:

Bodily Injuries: from catastrophic injuries, broken bones, traumatic brain injuries, injured spines, discs, and backs, neck injuries, and just plain awful pain that won’t go away.

Wrongful Death and Survival Damages: If your family member was killed in a trucking accident, you are legally entitled to recover damages for their conscious pain and suffering in the immediate aftermath of the collision as well as your loss of a loved one (parent, child, spouse)

Medical Expenses: Past, present, and future medical bills related to your injury, including the full cost of future surgeries, physical therapy, and ongoing prescriptions.

Lost Wages: Any wages you’ve lost because of your injuries, plus any future income loss if you can’t return to work. If you are a business owner, I know how to calculate the total loss of revenue to your business due to your inability to work during your recovery.

Pain and Suffering: Compensation for the emotional and painful toll this accident has taken on your life, often known as non-economic damages.

Property Damages: The cost to repair or replace your vehicle and to replace any personal items damaged in the collision.

Punitive Damages: In many cases, we can seek additional damages if the truck driver or trucking company’s behavior was reckless, such as if the accident was caused by a drunk driver, excessive speeding, a violation of safety rules governing truck drivers, or other egregious factors.

Common Causes of Truck Accidents

Truck accidents happen for all kinds of reasons, but here are the ones that I see most often here in the Charleston area:

1. Driver Fatigue

Truck drivers are often on tight delivery schedules and often have to report to and from the Mount Pleasant and Charleston ports overnight when ships are being loaded and offloaded, which means they may push themselves past the point of exhaustion. When a driver falls asleep at the wheel or simply can’t stay focused, bad things happen. And sadly, it’s usually the people like us and our families in passenger vehicles that pay the price.

2. Distracted Driving

Truckers are just like anyone else—they get distracted. Whether it’s texting, eating, or talking on the phone during drives or sitting in traffic, we all know such distractions are dangerous. But the difference is they are paid professionals and are required to drive responsibly on our roads. Because trucks are so large, the consequences of distractions are even more severe. When trucks are making deliveries in our area, the risk becomes greater. This is one of the major concerns I see with the new Carolina Business Park in North Mount Pleasant–there will be hundreds of semi trucks passing through this area regularly picking up and dropping off shipping containers at this new warehouse. In my opinion, this is a terrible location for trucks to be driving through a neighborhood lined with a day care, a high school, stores, restaurants, Costco, and hundreds of homes and apartments.

3. Poor Maintenance

Trucks need constant maintenance to stay in working order. If a truck has worn-out brakes or faulty tires, an inadequate chassis, or if it hasn’t been serviced in a while, it can easily become a danger to us on the roads. I’ve seen too many accidents that happened because a trucking company or shipper ignored routine maintenance because it was too costly to take the vehicle out of service for a day.

4. Overloaded or Improperly Loaded Cargo

When trucks are overloaded or their cargo isn’t properly secured, things can go south fast. One of the scariest sights on Highway 17 driving to and from Georgetown from Mount Pleasant, or anywhere along Highway 41, is overloaded logging trucks. A slight shift in weight, a blown-out tire, or a mechanical failure can cause a driver to lose control of the vehicle and their load. That’s where the real danger lies.

5. Speeding

Speeding is a problem in any accident, but with trucks, it’s a life-threatening game-changer. When truckers speed through Mount Pleasant or along our interstates, the risk of a crash skyrockets. We’ve all seen enough wrecks to know that speed and commercial vehicles don’t mix.

What to Do After a Truck Accident

If you’ve been in a truck accident, you’ve probably got a million things running through your mind. I get it—this is overwhelming for a lot of reasons. But there are a few key things you can do to protect your rights and make sure your legal case is as strong as possible.

1. Seek Medical Attention First

First and foremost, your health is the priority. Even if you don’t feel badly hurt right away, get checked out by a doctor. Some injuries don’t show symptoms until later, and you want to have a record of everything from day one. I get it–sometimes all you want to do is just go home rather than wait in a hospital waiting room. But hidden injuries and pain can be masked by the adrenaline coursing through your system. So do what your mother would tell you to do: get to the hospital (MUSC, Roper, East Cooper Medical Center) and get checked out by a doctor. Then follow up with your primary care physician the next day.

2. Document the Scene

If you’re able, take photos and videos. Lots of them. Of your injuries, the damage to the vehicles, the truck driver, the road conditions, witnesses, police—whatever might help paint a picture of what happened. The more evidence you have, the better.

3. Report the Accident

Make sure the police are called and that you get a copy of the accident report immediately. This is crucial. A police report provides an official record of the accident and can be vital when we start building your case. Insurance companies will often deny claims outright if there is no written report of the collision (also known as a TR-310 in South Carolina). If the police officer at the scene says the report isn’t yet ready, make sure you get the officer’s name, badge number, and phone or email address so we can follow up with them and so we can correct any errors on the report before it becomes final.

4. Don’t Talk About Fault

I can’t stress this enough: avoid discussing who was at fault at the scene of the accident. Even if you’re not sure what happened, don’t say anything that could hurt your case later on. You may not realize it at the time, but pretty much everything you say in the aftermath of a collision is likely being recorded on a police bodycam or by someone with a cell phone.

5. Call A Truck Accident Lawyer

This is where I come in. Don’t talk to or sign anything from an insurance company or settle your claim before talking to a lawyer. Truck accidents and commercial vehicle accidents are complex, and you need someone who knows what they are doing and a firm the insurance companies take seriously.

Why Choose Colin Ram Law?

When you’re facing a truck accident case, you need someone who’s got the experience, dedication, and resources to go up against the big players. Here’s what I’ll deliver:

Real Experience: I know commercial vehicle accident cases, I know where to find the experts, and I know what it takes to get results.

You’re Not Just a Case Number: You’ll get personalized attention from me every step of the way. We’ll meet, we’ll go to the scene together, and you and your family will be able to lean on me to help you get you back on track. I’m here for you, not just for your case.

Results Matter: I don’t play a weak hand with weak evidence. And I won’t stop litigating until you get the result you are entitled to receive or we try the case in front of a jury.

No Upfront Fees: I handle trucking cases on a contingency fee basis, meaning you don’t pay any legal fees or costs unless I get you a recovery.

Let’s Talk About Your Case – Get in Touch Today

If you’ve been in a truck accident in Mount Pleasant or the Charleston area, you don’t have to go through this alone. Call me today to talk through what happened. Together, we’ll figure out the best way forward and lay out a legal strategy to hold the irresponsible people responsible. Your recovery is my top priority. Call or text me at 843-278-7000 or fill out the form below for a complimentary strategy call.

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The last thing you need right now is the hassle of finding legal help, so we make the process seamless. You can sign up from your smartphone or laptop and have legal representation in place today.

Give me a call and we can talk about your options. We can have a complimentary strategy session to answer your questions, discuss your concerns, and put together a plan to get you through the process.

GET STARTED

COLIN RAM LAW, LLC

941 Houston Northcutt Blvd.
Suite 203
Mount Pleasant, SC 29464
843-278-7000 | colin@sctrial.com

PRACTICE AREAS

Wrongful Death
Drunk Driving Injuries
Car Accident Injuries
Pedestrian Accident Injuries
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DISCLAIMER – No attorney-client relationship has been established unless and until you have entered into a written agreement with this office. The information contained in this website is provided for informational purposes only, and should not be construed as legal advice on any subject matter. Case results listed here include cases Colin handled at other firms as lead counsel prior to starting Colin Ram Law, LLC. The results Colin achieved on behalf of clients in other matters does not necessarily indicate similar results can be obtained in other cases. All cases will be handled from the Mt. Pleasant, SC office located in Charleston County, South Carolina.