Why Hire Roden Law After a Charleston Truck Accident
A truck crash is not a car crash with a bigger vehicle. The trucking company, its insurer and often a broker or shipper each have their own lawyers, and the evidence that proves fault, such as the truck’s electronic logs, maintenance records and the carrier’s safety files, is in their hands.
- No fee unless we win. The consultation is free, and you pay nothing up front.
- A South Carolina lawyer on your case. Your case is handled under South Carolina law by attorneys licensed here, from our office at 127 King Street.
- Evidence preserved early. We send preservation demands for electronic logging data, dashcam video and maintenance records before they can be overwritten or discarded.
- Every responsible party named. The driver, the motor carrier, and where the facts support it, the broker, the shipper or the company that loaded or maintained the truck.
Why Charleston Sees So Many Truck Crashes
The Port of Charleston’s terminals, including Wando Welch in Mount Pleasant and the North Charleston and Hugh Leatherman terminals, send container trucks onto I-26, I-526 and US-17 every day, alongside commuter and tourist traffic. According to NHTSA’s Fatality Analysis Reporting System, South Carolina recorded 126 fatal large-truck crashes in 2024.
I-26 and the I-26 / I-526 interchange
I-26 is the main freight route between the port and the rest of the state, and the I-526 interchange is where port trucks, commuters and airport traffic merge. See I-26 and I-526 truck accidents and Ashley Phosphate Road and I-26 truck accidents.
I-526 (Mark Clark Expressway)
I-526 carries freight between the Wando Welch terminal, North Charleston and West Ashley, and its work zones change lane patterns for heavy trucks. See I-526 truck accidents and I-526 construction zone truck accidents.
The port routes
Port Access Road, Spruill Avenue, Rivers Avenue and Dorchester Road carry drayage trucks to and from the North Charleston terminals. See Port Access Road and the Leatherman Terminal, Spruill Avenue port trucks, Rivers Avenue truck accidents and Dorchester Road truck accidents. For a crash near the port, our North Charleston office at 2703 Spruill Avenue is closer.
US-17: the Ravenel Bridge and Savannah Highway
US-17 brings trucks over the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge and through West Ashley on Savannah Highway. See 18-wheeler wrecks on the Ravenel Bridge and Savannah Highway truck accidents.
Delivery trucks downtown
On the peninsula, box trucks and delivery vans share narrow streets with pedestrians and cyclists. See delivery truck accidents in Charleston.
Who Can Be Responsible for a Charleston Truck Crash
A truck claim often has more than one defendant: the driver, the motor carrier that employed or contracted the driver, a freight broker, the shipper or the company that loaded the cargo, and the company that maintained the truck. Federal safety rules for commercial trucks, covering hours of service, driver qualification, vehicle inspection and maintenance, and drug and alcohol testing, are set by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. A violation can be strong evidence that the driver or the carrier was careless. For a step-by-step look at a claim, see our guide after a Charleston truck accident.
South Carolina Rules That Shape a Truck Claim
Trucks owned by a city, county or state agency
If a City of Charleston, Charleston County or SCDOT truck caused the crash, the South Carolina Tort Claims Act applies. Suit must be filed within two years of when the loss was or should have been discovered (S.C. Code § 15-78-110). Filing a verified claim with the agency within one year is optional and extends that period to three years (S.C. Code § 15-78-80). Recovery against a government entity is capped at $300,000 per person and $600,000 per occurrence, with no punitive damages (S.C. Code § 15-78-120). See government vehicle accidents.
Your own coverage
Every South Carolina auto policy must include uninsured motorist coverage (S.C. Code § 38-77-150), and insurers must offer underinsured motorist coverage (S.C. Code § 38-77-160). Your own UM or UIM coverage can matter if a truck’s coverage does not reach the full cost of your injuries. See UM and UIM coverage in South Carolina.
Where your case would be filed
Most Charleston County truck accident lawsuits are filed in the Court of Common Pleas at the Charleston County Judicial Center, 100 Broad Street, a few blocks from our King Street office. For how South Carolina truck settlements are valued, see South Carolina truck accident settlement value. If a car was involved rather than a commercial truck, see our Charleston car accident lawyers.
