Author Archives: Jay Butchko
Granny Cams and Nursing Home Abuse: Good or Bad?
Granny cams, or hidden surveillance cameras in nursing home rooms, are technically legal in South Carolina. The Palmetto State, like most other jurisdictions, is a single-party consent state. Only one party to a conversation or contact must agree to the recording (e.g. I give myself permission to record this call). The consenting party to… Read More »
If a Pedestrian is Hit on Yellow, Who is to Blame?
Crosswalk pedestrian accidents are very rare throughout most of the year. They’re more common late in the year. Less daylight means less visibility, the weather is more unpredictable late in the year, and more pedestrians are outside because of the holidays. As outlined below, a yellow-light pedestrian accident usually involves very serious injuries and… Read More »
The Three Dog Bite Injury Stages
Every year, dogs bite over four million Americans. Most animal attack serious injury victims are over 70 or under 7. Older victims often have pre-existing conditions which contribute to the risk and/or severity of serious injury. Young victims frequently weigh much less than their animal attackers. In both cases, a dog bite often causes… Read More »
If I’m Hurt in a Fall, Do I Automatically Get a Settlement?
We wish the answer to this question was yes, but unfortunately, fall injury victims don’t automatically get settlements. These incidents send over eight million Americans to hospital emergency rooms every year. The ER bill is only the beginning of the medical bills in these cases. Additional medical expenses, such as physical therapy costs, are… Read More »
Getting Money After an Alcohol-Related Crash
Before the spring of 2020, a long-term drunk driver crackdown appeared to be working. But coronavirus changed pretty much everything, including driver habits. When roads emptied and traffic enforcement stopped, people started drinking and driving again. So, the number of alcohol-related wrecks has increased significantly since 2020. These collisions often cause fatal or catastrophic… Read More »
Legal Options in Dog Bite Cases
In 2022, total dog bite injury settlements increased over 30 percent, to over $1.1 billion. Curiously, the number of claims dipped slightly, but the average claim amount went through the roof. These numbers probably reflect the fact that dog bite injuries are incredibly severe and some new legal changes have driven up the settlement… Read More »
If A Dog Attacked Me, Do I Automatically Get a Settlement?
Many people mistakenly believe that South Carolina’s victim-friendly dog bite laws guarantee a settlement in these cases. Alas, that’s not the case. Insurance companies often bicker about the amount of damages. For example, if victims don’t immediately see doctors, insurance company lawyers often later argue that their injuries are exaggerated. Liability (legal responsibility) disputes… Read More »
Building Fall Injury Claims in South Carolina
Unintentional falls, usually falls in nursing homes or other for-profit establishments, are one of the leading causes of injury-related death in the Palmetto State. Even if these victims survive, falls usually cause serious injuries that, in one way or another, are permanent. For example, if Tom falls and breaks his leg, the bone may… Read More »
Five Most Common Child Injuries in South Carolina
Caregivers have a moral and ethical duty to prevent child injuries. Landowners, vehicle operators, and other third parties have a legal duty to prevent such injuries. The legal duty of care is based on the story of the Good Samaritan. Just like this man went out of his way to help an injured traveler,… Read More »
Double Shooting at Richland County Apartment Complex
Few details were available about an apparent domestic violence-related shooting that killed one person and seriously injured another one. According to the Richland County Sheriff’s Department, the Columbia-Richland Fire Department discovered a man and a woman shot Thursday evening. Firefighters were initially called to an apartment building at the 1300 block of North Brickyard… Read More »
