843-636-TREY
One moment you’re crossing the street or walking to your car, and the next you’re on the pavement facing surgery, mounting medical bills, and a driver’s insurance company that’s already hunting for reasons to blame you. Being hit by a vehicle when you’re on foot is frightening, and you shouldn’t have to face the aftermath alone. If you were injured as a pedestrian in Greenville, Trey Harrell can help. As a South Carolina personal injury attorney and former federal prosecutor, Trey gives every client personal attention and the courtroom readiness to take a case all the way to trial. Call 843-636-8739 now for a free consultation. Remember, Trey helps.
Why Choose Trey Harrell After A Greenville Pedestrian Accident?
Trey Harrell brings three things every injured pedestrian needs: genuine personal attention, real trial experience, and deep South Carolina roots.
Trey is a former federal prosecutor who worked with a High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Area task force. That background means he’s comfortable in a courtroom and prepared to take your case in front of a jury if the insurance company refuses to treat you fairly. Many claims settle, but insurers pay closer attention when they know a lawyer is willing to try the case.
Just as important, Trey treats you like a person, not a file number. As a father of two, he understands how a serious injury can upend a family’s finances and daily life, and he walks each client through every step of the process. His Greenville office sits on Laurens Road, and he handles pedestrian injury claims across the Upstate.
Your consultation is free, and you pay no attorney’s fees unless Trey recovers compensation on your behalf. Call 843-636-8739 to talk through what happened.
What Causes Most Pedestrian Accidents In Greenville?
Most pedestrian accidents happen because a driver failed to do one simple thing: watch for people on foot. Four causes come up again and again in South Carolina.
The most common is failure to yield at crosswalks. Drivers roll through intersections, turn without looking, or simply don’t expect someone to be walking, especially in busy areas, such as downtown Greenville’s Main Street, where foot traffic is constant.
Distracted driving is close behind. A driver glancing at a phone for two seconds can travel the length of a crosswalk without ever seeing the person in it. Speeding in pedestrian areas makes everything worse, because a faster vehicle gives the driver less time to stop and strikes with far more force. And turning without checking for foot traffic, a classic mistake at intersections along corridors such as Woodruff Road and Wade Hampton Boulevard, leaves pedestrians with almost no chance to react.
Why Are Pedestrian Accident Injuries So Severe?
Pedestrians are hurt badly because they have no protection. There’s no seatbelt, no airbag, and no steel frame between a person on foot and a vehicle that can weigh two tons or more. Even a low-speed crash can cause traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord damage, broken bones, internal bleeding, or worse.
These aren’t minor injuries. Seriously hurt pedestrians in the Upstate are often rushed to a hospital, such as Prisma Health Greenville Memorial, and many face months of treatment, surgeries, and rehabilitation. The danger is real and rising: 1,081 South Carolinians lost their lives due to motor vehicle crashes in 2022, including 170 pedestrians, and South Carolina continues to have one of the highest traffic fatality rates in the United States per mile driven. When injuries are this catastrophic, the value of your claim and the fight the insurer will put up both climb.
What Are South Carolina’s Pedestrian Right-of-way Rules?
South Carolina law generally requires drivers to yield to pedestrians in a crosswalk. When traffic-control signals are not in place or not in operation, the driver of a vehicle must yield the right-of-way, slowing down or stopping if need be, to a pedestrian crossing within a crosswalk when the pedestrian is on the driver’s half of the roadway, or approaching so closely from the opposite half as to be in danger. A driver approaching from behind also cannot overtake and pass a vehicle that has stopped at a crosswalk to let a pedestrian cross.
Pedestrians have duties too. The same law states that a pedestrian cannot suddenly leave a curb or other place of safety and walk or run into the path of a vehicle that is so close as to pose an immediate hazard. Understanding exactly which rule applies to your crash is often the difference between a denied claim and a full recovery.
Can A Pedestrian Be Partly At Fault In South Carolina?
Yes, and it matters a great deal. South Carolina follows a modified comparative negligence rule. You can still recover compensation as long as you were not more than 50% responsible for the crash, but your award is reduced by your percentage of fault. If you’re found 20% at fault, you receive 80% of your damages. Cross the 51% line, and you can be barred from recovering anything at all.
This is exactly why insurance companies work so hard to pin the blame on the injured pedestrian, claiming you crossed outside a crosswalk or stepped out suddenly. Trey knows these tactics and builds cases that anticipate and answer them. Don’t let the driver’s insurer decide your share of the blame. Call 843-636-8739 for a free case evaluation before you give a statement.
What Should You Do After A Pedestrian Accident?
Take care of your health first, then protect your claim. If you can, receive medical attention right away, even if you feel fine, because some serious injuries don’t show symptoms for hours or days. Report the crash to create an official police record, and obtain the driver’s insurance information and contact details.
Evidence fades fast, so preserving it early makes a real difference. The things that help prove a driver’s negligence include the police report, names and numbers of witnesses, photos of the scene and your injuries, nearby surveillance or traffic camera footage, and the driver’s phone records if distraction is suspected. Keep every medical bill and record, too. Then, before you talk to the driver’s insurance company, talk to Trey. In South Carolina, an action for injury to the person generally must be brought within three years, but waiting makes evidence harder to find.
What Compensation Can You Recover?
An injured pedestrian in South Carolina can generally seek compensation for both current and future losses. That includes emergency and ongoing medical bills, the cost of future care and rehabilitation, lost wages, reduced earning capacity if you are unable to return to the same work, and pain and suffering.
In the most serious cases, involving a traumatic brain injury or permanent disability, the long-term costs can be enormous, which is why it’s so important not to accept a quick, low settlement before anyone knows the full extent of your injuries. Trey works to document the true value of your claim so the number reflects what you’ve actually lost. Call 843-636-8739 to find out what your case could be worth.
Frequently Asked Questions About Greenville Pedestrian Accidents
How much does it cost to hire Trey Harrell?
Your first consultation is free, and there’s no obligation. Trey handles pedestrian injury cases on a contingency basis, which means you pay no attorney’s fees unless he recovers compensation for you. That lets you focus on healing instead of worrying about upfront legal costs.
How long do I have to file a pedestrian accident claim in South Carolina?
In most cases, you have three years from the date of injury to file a personal injury lawsuit in South Carolina. Some situations can shorten or change that deadline, so it’s smart to talk with a lawyer early. Waiting also gives valuable evidence time to disappear.
What if the driver says I was partly at fault?
You may still have a claim. Under South Carolina’s modified comparative negligence rule, you can recover as long as you’re not more than 50% at fault, though your compensation is reduced by your share. Insurers often exaggerate a pedestrian’s fault, which is one reason to have Trey review your case.
Do I still have a case if the driver wasn’t ticketed?
Possibly. A traffic ticket helps, but it isn’t required to prove a civil injury claim. Trey can gather other evidence, such as witness statements, camera footage, and crash-scene details, to show that the driver was negligent.
What if I were hit by a hit-and-run driver?
You may still have options. If the driver who hit you fled, your own uninsured motorist coverage may provide compensation, and Trey can help you pursue it while working to identify the driver.
Do you handle pedestrian accident cases in Greenville?
Yes. Trey Harrell’s Greenville office is located at 812 Laurens Road, Suite B, and he represents injured pedestrians throughout Greenville County and the Upstate. The office is by appointment, so call ahead.
Talk To A Greenville Pedestrian Accident Lawyer Today
You didn’t choose to be hit, and you shouldn’t have to carry the medical bills, lost income, and stress on your own. Trey Harrell will listen to your story, explain your options in plain language, and handle the legal side so you can focus on getting your life back together. Remember, Trey helps. Call 843-636-8739 today for a free consultation at the Greenville office, or reach out online to get started.
