Greenville, SC Personal Injury Law Firm Announces $10M Settlement

January 29, 2025 – Paul Hammack

Greenville, SC Personal Injury Law Firm Announces $10M Settlement | (864) 326 - 3333

GREENVILLE, South Carolina — After 18 months of litigation and an impasse at mediation, Hammack Law Firm was finally able to obtain justice for their client in a confidential settlement.

A driver of a passenger car was killed upon impact after being rear-ended by a semi-truck while stopped at an intersection. The driver of the truck was distracted and failed to pay attention to the roadway for at least 15 seconds after the traffic signal had turned yellow and 10 seconds after it had turned red. Despite multiple visual cues that should have alerted the truck driver to the unsafe surroundings, the operator applied brakes only 1 second before impact. Rather than acknowledging his wrongdoing, the semi-truck driver told investigating officers and the coroner that the light had just changed to yellow moments before the violent crash.

Hammack Law Firm’s investigator conducted a canvass of the area and obtained a video depicting the crash, showing that the decedent had come to a controlled stop at the intersection, and seconds later the tractor-trailer crashed into the rear of their client’s vehicle at a high rate of speed. The truck driver failed to observe the yellow or red lights or cross-traffic moving through the intersection.

Aggravating factors included the driver not being trained by his company in the required basic knowledge of Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations, the truck driver being on the phone at the time of the crash (against company policy), spoliation of evidence with regard to the phone being used on the date of the crash, and the driver not taking full responsibility for the crash and attempting to shift blame against the victim by arguing that the client stopped suddenly at the light and heavily applied brakes.

Hammack Law Firm represented the adult child of the decedent, whose life changed in an instant when the truck driver failed to follow the most basic safety rule of professional commercial motor vehicle drivers — observing their surroundings. They are thankful for this result, and that justice was served to provide for their worthy client’s future.

Paul Hammack stated, “Our entire team deserves the credit for this exceptional outcome in a very conservative venue. We knew we were fighting for someone who did not have a chance to say goodbye to their closest friend, inspiration, and confidant. That made us even more determined to get justice. This settlement stands for the proposition that our upstate community will not tolerate unsafe and reckless behavior from trucking companies or drivers of Commercial Motor Vehicles”

Although past results do not guarantee similar outcomes, this case underscores the devastating consequences of distracted driving and the critical importance of truck drivers adhering to safety regulations. Hammack Law Firm remains committed to representing victims of catastrophic accidents and pursuing justice for those whose lives have been forever changed by the negligence of others.

Hammack Law Firm would like to thank Kurt Rozelsky of Spencer Fane for serving as mediator and continuing to communicate with the parties and work toward a just result after impasse at mediation.

For more information about this case or to schedule a free consultation to discuss a personal injury, contact Hammack Law Firm at (864) 326-3333(864) 326-3333 or visit www.hammacklawfirm.com.

About Hammack Law Firm

Hammack Law Firm is a full-service personal injury law firm based in Greenville, South Carolina, offering aggressive legal representation for individuals injured due to the negligence of others. The firm is dedicated to building personal relationships with clients and making South Carolina a safer place by holding negligent parties accountable for the harm they cause.

Hammack Law Firm

For more information or to schedule a consultation, please contact:

Hammack Law Firm
223 West Stone Avenue
Greenville, SC 29609
Phone: (864) 326-3333(864) 326-3333
Email: [email protected]
Website: hammacklawfirm.com

Questions or Schedule An Appointment? Call Us:

(864) 326-3333

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