- 23 + Years Experience
- 10,000 + Clients
Motorcycle Accident Lawyer in Horry County, SC
If you have been injured in a motorcycle crash caused by someone else’s negligence, the Coastal Law motorcycle accident law firm in Myrtle Beach, SC, will help you recover the maximum compensation you are entitled to receive under South Carolina law and the facts of your case.
If your loved one was killed by a negligent driver not watching for motorcycles, Coastal Law can help you file a wrongful death lawsuit to recover full and fair compensation.
Motorcycle accident attorney Mike Wells is dedicated to assisting motorcycle crash victims.
He has the experience necessary to thoroughly investigate the crash, pinpoint potential sources of recovery, negotiate with challenging insurance adjusters, and represent you in court if the insurance companies fail to provide full and fair compensation.
Our Myrtle Beach motorcycle crash law firm will fight for every dollar you are owed, taking on the insurance companies and handling the legal aspects of your case. At the same time, you focus on your family and recovering from your injuries.
A Conway, SC, Motorcycle Accident Attorney Who Cares
People turn to Coastal Law for help when:
- They have been hurt in a motorcycle crash caused by someone else’s negligence,
- A loved one has been killed by a careless driver while riding their motorcycle,
- They are looking for an experienced motorcycle crash lawyer who can take on the insurance companies if they deny or attempt to limit your claim,
- They need a local attorney who knows the local courts and court personnel,
- They need an accident attorney who cares about their clients and whom they can trust or
- They need an injury lawyer with a track record of success who has successfully handled hundreds of serious personal injury claims in South Carolina courtrooms.
How Coastal Law Can Help You
When you call Coastal Law’s Myrtle Beach, SC, and Conway, SC, motorcycle accident law firm, we will take the time to meet with you and discuss your case, answer your questions, and allow you to decide whether we are the right law firm to handle your case.
There is no fee for an initial consultation.
Your motorcycle crash attorney will:
- Meet with you at one of our office locations or at your home or the hospital if you are unable to travel to our office,
- Answer your questions and learn about your case,
- Investigate your case and gather the evidence you will need to prove your claims to the insurance company or a jury,
- Identify all potential defendants and sources of recovery,
- Send a demand letter if appropriate once we have determined the full amount of your damages,
- File a lawsuit if your case is not settled, and
- Litigate your case up to and including a jury trial and appeal if the insurance companies do not pay your valid claims.
Why Call Coastal Law?
Mike Wells is a motorcycle accident attorney at Coastal Law Firm with:
- Extensive experience handling serious injury claims in the Myrtle Beach area, including Horry County, SC, and Georgetown, SC,
- Access to any type of expert witness we may need for consultation or testimony at trial, including accident reconstructionists and financial experts,
- Access to private investigators who can assist with your case as needed,
- Four South Carolina offices, including offices in Myrtle Beach, SC, Conway, SC, Charleston, SC, and Columbia, SC,
- Local ties in Horry and Georgetown Counties and decades of experience handling cases in Horry and Georgetown County courtrooms and
- Compassion for our clients and a desire to help our neighbors in our local communities whenever possible.
How Do Motorcycle Crash Lawyers Get Paid?
Like most accident and personal injury lawyers, Motorcycle accident attorneys are usually paid on a contingency basis.
This means there is no fee to consult us on any personal injury case, including motorcycle crash cases, and you pay no attorney fees unless and until you are paid after a settlement or verdict at trial.
DID YOU KNOW…?
One lesser-known fact about motorcycle accidents in South Carolina is that most accidents occur on secondary roads, not highways.
This might be surprising because highways are generally considered more dangerous due to higher speeds.
However, the data shows that secondary roads, with potentially more curves, blind spots, and unexpected traffic patterns, contribute to a higher number of motorcycle collisions.
Motorcycle Accident Law in SC
Over 23+ years, we’ve gained in-depth knowledge of the relevant laws, regulations, and court decisions, which allows us to represent our clients better.
Motorcyclists are at risk of serious personal injury or death from reckless drivers, and wrongful death claims from motorcycle crashes are, unfortunately, common.
When a person is killed in a motorcycle crash, the personal representative of their estate will file a wrongful death and survival action on behalf of the crash victim and their beneficiaries against the responsible parties.
“Assumption of the risk” is not a defense for insurance companies in motorcycle crash cases in South Carolina. See, Mayes v. Paxton.
This includes a motorcyclist’s decision to 1) drive a motorcycle in the first place or 2) not wear a helmet if they are 18 or older.
“Assumption of the risk” does not apply and cannot be argued by the insurance defense attorneys in court.
Some of the more common causes of motorcycle crashes in SC include:
- Failure to keep a proper lookout,
- Left turns in front of a motorcyclist,
- Opening the car door without looking first,
- Speeding,
- Drunk driving,
- Aggressive driving, and
- Road hazards.
SC’s comparative negligence rule reduces a plaintiff’s recovery by the percentage of fault a jury assigns to them.
If a motorcyclist is more than 50% at fault, they can recover nothing. If they were 50% or less at fault, they could recover the amount of the verdict reduced by the percentage of fault assigned to them by the jurors.
The fact that a motorcyclist chose to drive a motorcycle is not comparative negligence.
If a motorcyclist does not wear a helmet, that also is not comparative negligence unless they are younger than 18. See, Mayes v. Paxton and SC Code Section 56-5-3660.
Motorcycle Accident INJURY?
If you’ve been in a motorcycle accident in South Carolina, it’s important to be aware of your rights and to consult with an accident attorney immediately.
Damages in Motorcycle Crash Cases
Damages in motorcycle accident cases could include:
- Economic and non-economic damages,
- Repair or replacement of the motorcycle, including diminution in value and any custom work,
- Medical expenses and future medical expenses,
- Lost wages and loss of future earning capacity,
- Pain and suffering,
- Mental anguish,
- Scarring and disfigurement,
- Loss of consortium or loss of companionship,
- Wrongful death damages, and
- Punitive damages when appropriate.
Negligence and Motorcycle Law
Most motorcycle crash cases are based on negligence. To recover damages, we must prove:
- The defendant owed a duty to you (to keep a proper lookout for motorcyclists, for example, or to follow the traffic laws),
- The defendant breached that duty (by turning left in front of your motorcycle or running a red light),
- The defendant’s actions resulted in damages (personal injury or property damage), and
- The defendant’s actions were the proximate cause of the damages.
