Myrtle Beach Pedestrian Accident Lawyer

Nobody walking down the sidewalk expects to end up in the emergency room. A car crossing without checking, a driver looking at a phone, or a turn made too fast can end a routine walk in seconds. Our Myrtle Beach pedestrian accident lawyers see how quickly a collision involving a passenger vehicle can turn into months of recovery. It often comes with a fight against an insurance company that never should have started.

At Morris Law, our Myrtle Beach attorneys investigate what happened. We deal with the insurance company, and we pursue the full value of your claim while you focus on healing. Reach out today and let us look at what happened before you speak with anyone’s insurer.

Why Injured Pedestrians Choose Morris Law

Since 2016, Morris Law, LLC, has represented injured people and families throughout Myrtle Beach, Horry County, and South Carolina. Our attorneys bring more than 75 years of combined legal experience, and our firm has recovered more than $30 million for our clients.

Pedestrian accident claims can involve serious injuries and disputes about where someone was walking, who had the right of way, and what the driver could or should have seen before the collision. Our attorneys and support staff work as a team to investigate what happened, preserve available evidence, and document the injuries and losses caused by the crash.

We intentionally manage our caseload so we can give each client personal attention throughout their case. At Morris Law, you are not a number in a case file. You are a person we represent, and you have direct access to the people working on your case. If you contact us after a pedestrian accident, you can speak with a lawyer about your situation that same day.

Our Myrtle Beach office is located at 1335 44th Avenue North, and we represent injured pedestrians on a contingency fee basis, meaning there are no upfront attorney’s fees and no legal fees unless we recover compensation for you.

How Pedestrian Accidents Happen in Myrtle Beach

Pedestrian accidents are more likely where vehicle traffic overlaps with hotels, restaurants, shopping areas, attractions, and beach access points. Along the Grand Strand, drivers may also be navigating unfamiliar roads while looking for parking, businesses, or their next turn. A brief mistake behind the wheel can put someone walking nearby directly in a vehicle’s path.

Some common circumstances that can lead to a pedestrian being struck include:

• Drivers Failing to Yield to Pedestrians at Crosswalks
  A driver may turn through an intersection or enter a crosswalk without noticing someone already crossing. Drivers must account for people walking through intersections and other areas where pedestrian and vehicle traffic meet.
• Drivers Who Do Not See a Pedestrian in Time
  Looking at a phone, checking directions, searching for a destination, or simply failing to watch the roadway can prevent a driver from seeing someone walking nearby. This can be particularly dangerous around Myrtle Beach hotels, attractions, restaurants, and shopping areas where pedestrian traffic is common.
• Drivers Approaching Pedestrians Too Quickly
  Speed reduces the amount of time a driver has to recognize and react to someone crossing or walking near the roadway. It can also increase the severity of the injuries when a pedestrian is struck.
• Vehicles Striking Pedestrians in Parking and Beach Access Areas
  Pedestrian collisions do not only occur on major roads. Drivers backing out of parking spaces, entering hotel driveways, turning through shopping centers, or navigating beach access areas may strike someone walking behind or alongside the vehicle.
• Drivers Leaving After Striking a Pedestrian
  When a driver leaves the scene, identifying the vehicle and available insurance coverage can become an important part of the investigation. Surveillance footage, witness statements, vehicle descriptions, and other evidence may help establish what happened while law enforcement investigates.

Common Injuries Caused by Pedestrian Accidents

When a pedestrian is struck by a vehicle, there is very little protecting them from the force of the impact. Even crashes at relatively low speeds can cause life-changing injuries, and many victims suffer multiple serious injuries that require months or years of treatment.

Some of the most common injuries we see include:

Traumatic Brain Injuries

Pedestrians frequently strike the hood, windshield, or pavement during a car accident, making traumatic brain injuries one of the most serious consequences of these crashes. Concussions, brain bleeding, and permanent cognitive impairment can affect memory, concentration, speech, and a person’s ability to return to work.

Broken Bones and Orthopedic Injuries

Fractures of the legs, hips, pelvis, arms, ribs, and wrists are common because pedestrians often absorb the full force of the collision before falling to the ground. Many of these injuries require surgery, physical therapy, and extended recovery periods.

Spinal Cord and Back Injuries

The impact of a vehicle can damage the neck, back, or spinal cord, leading to chronic pain, nerve damage, or, in the most severe cases, partial or complete paralysis. These injuries often require long-term medical treatment and rehabilitation.

Internal Injuries

Damage to internal organs and internal bleeding are not always immediately apparent after a crash. Prompt medical evaluation is critical because these injuries can become life-threatening without timely treatment.

Lacerations, Road Rash, and Permanent Scarring

Broken glass, contact with the roadway, and the force of the collision can cause deep cuts, abrasions, burns, and other injuries that leave permanent scars or require reconstructive surgery.

Pedestrian accidents rarely result in a single injury. Some victims suffer catastrophic injuries that require multiple surgeries, rehabilitation, ongoing medical care, or permanent changes to their daily lives. We build every claim to reflect not only the treatment you have already received, but also the long-term impact your injuries will have on your health, your ability to work, and your daily life.

What Compensation Is Available After a Pedestrian Accident?

No pedestrian accident attorney can determine the value of a claim during an initial consultation. Every case depends on the severity of the injuries, the available insurance coverage, and how the accident has affected your health, your ability to work, and your daily life.

Medical Expenses and Future Care

Pedestrian accidents often result in extensive medical treatment, including emergency transportation, hospitalization, surgery, rehabilitation, physical therapy, and follow-up care. We document both your current medical expenses and the future treatment your physicians expect you will need to reach maximum recovery.

Lost Income and Reduced Earning Capacity

If your injuries prevented you from working, we calculate the wages, salary, commissions, bonuses, and employment benefits you have lost. When a permanent injury limits your ability to return to your previous job or earn the same income in the future, we also account for those long-term financial losses.

Pain, Suffering, and Loss of Quality of Life

The effects of a pedestrian accident extend well beyond medical bills. South Carolina law allows injured people to pursue compensation for physical pain, emotional distress, permanent disability, scarring, disfigurement, and the ways a serious injury changes everyday life and personal relationships.

Death Following a Pedestrian Accident

When a pedestrian accident results in the loss of a loved one, the personal representative of the estate may pursue a wrongful death claim on behalf of surviving family members. These claims can include funeral and burial expenses, medical costs incurred before death, lost financial support, and the loss of the guidance, companionship, and care the deceased would have provided.

Every pedestrian accident is different. Our goal is to understand not only how the collision occurred, but also how it will affect your future so we can pursue compensation that reflects the full extent of your losses.

How Morris Law Builds a Pedestrian Accident Claim

Pedestrian accident claims often become disputes over who had the right of way and whether the collision could have been avoided. Insurance companies frequently argue that the pedestrian crossed outside a crosswalk, entered the roadway unexpectedly, or failed to watch for traffic. We build every case around the evidence that shows what actually happened. Identifying the responsible parties and available insurance coverage can become more complicated when the vehicle was being used for Uber, Lyft, or another rideshare service at the time of the collision.

Evidence From the Scene and the People Who Saw What Happened

To recover compensation, we must show that the driver owed you a duty of care, breached that duty, and caused your injuries as a result. We investigate every available source of evidence, including:

• Police crash reports and the responding officer’s observations.
• Traffic camera footage and surveillance video from nearby businesses.
• Witness statements collected while memories are still fresh.
• Photographs of the scene, the vehicle, the crosswalk or intersection, and your injuries.
• Cell phone records when distracted driving is suspected.
• Accident reconstruction when liability is disputed.

The Police Report Does Not Always Tell the Whole Story

Police reports are important, but they are not the final word on who caused a pedestrian accident. Responding officers often arrive after the collision has occurred and may not have access to witness statements, surveillance footage, or other evidence that becomes available later. In some cases, an initial report may incorrectly assign fault to the pedestrian based on incomplete information or a misunderstanding of South Carolina’s pedestrian right-of-way laws.

When the evidence tells a different story, we build an independent record through witness interviews, video footage, physical evidence, and expert analysis rather than relying solely on the officer’s conclusions.

When the Insurance Company Blames the Pedestrian

Insurance companies often try to reduce or deny pedestrian accident claims by arguing that the injured person shares responsibility for the crash. They may claim you crossed outside a marked crosswalk, entered traffic unexpectedly, or were distracted at the time of the collision.

We respond with evidence, not assumptions. By comparing the driver’s actions, witness testimony, physical evidence, and applicable South Carolina traffic laws, we build a claim that reflects what actually happened and pursue compensation based on the full extent of your losses rather than the insurance company’s version of events.

What Should You Do After a Pedestrian Accident?

The steps you take after a pedestrian accident can affect both your physical recovery and your ability to pursue compensation. While every situation is different, there are several things you can do to help protect your health and your claim.

Immediately After the Accident

Your first priority should always be your safety and medical care. If you are able, you should also:

• Call 911 so law enforcement and emergency medical personnel respond to the scene.
• Accept medical evaluation, even if your injuries seem minor, since some serious injuries are not immediately apparent.
• Photograph the vehicle, the roadway, the crosswalk or intersection, traffic signals, and any visible injuries if it is safe to do so.
• Obtain the driver’s contact and insurance information when possible.
• Speak with witnesses and collect their contact information before they leave.
• Avoid discussing fault or making statements about what you think caused the collision.

In the Days That Follow

The days after a pedestrian accident are just as important as the accident itself. Be sure to:

• Follow your doctor’s treatment plan and attend all recommended appointments.
• Keep copies of medical records, bills, receipts, and documentation of missed work.
• Save any clothing, shoes, or personal belongings damaged in the collision.
• Avoid discussing the accident on social media while your claim is pending.
• Do not provide a recorded statement or accept a settlement offer from an insurance company before speaking with an attorney.

Taking these steps helps preserve important evidence and gives your legal team a clearer picture of how the accident occurred and how your injuries have affected your life.

South Carolina Pedestrian Accident Deadlines and Fault Rules 

South Carolina law establishes important deadlines and legal rules that affect every pedestrian accident claim. Understanding these laws early can help you avoid mistakes that may affect your ability to recover compensation.

How Long Do You Have to File a Pedestrian Accident Lawsuit?

In most cases, you have three years from the date of the accident to file a personal injury lawsuit under S.C. Code Section 15-3-530. Although three years may seem like plenty of time, evidence can disappear quickly after a pedestrian crash. Surveillance footage may be overwritten, witnesses can become difficult to locate, and physical evidence at the scene may no longer be available. Beginning the investigation early helps preserve the evidence needed to support your claim.

What If the Pedestrian Is Partly at Fault? 

South Carolina follows a modified comparative negligence rule. You may recover compensation as long as you are found to be less than 51% responsible for the accident. Any compensation you receive is reduced by your percentage of fault.

For example, if your damages total $200,000 and you are found 20% responsible, your recovery would be reduced to $160,000.

Insurance companies frequently argue that pedestrians crossed outside a marked crosswalk, entered the roadway unexpectedly, or failed to exercise reasonable care. We investigate these claims carefully and work to ensure fault is assigned based on the evidence and South Carolina law rather than assumptions about how the accident occurred.

Talk With a Myrtle Beach Pedestrian Accident Attorney at Morris Law Today

Recovering from a pedestrian accident is challenging enough without having to battle an insurance company over who was at fault or what your injuries are worth. While you focus on your recovery, we focus on investigating the collision, preserving evidence, and pursuing the compensation you deserve.

At Morris Law, LLC, we build pedestrian accident claims from the ground up by identifying liable parties, gathering critical evidence, negotiating with insurance companies, and preparing every case as though it may ultimately be decided in court.

We represent injured pedestrians on a contingency fee basis, which means there are no upfront attorney’s fees and no legal fees unless we recover compensation for you.

If you were injured while walking in Myrtle Beach or anywhere along the Grand Strand, contact Morris Law today to schedule your free consultation. We will listen to what happened, answer your questions, explain your legal options, and help you understand the next steps for your case.

The sooner we can begin investigating your accident, the sooner we can preserve evidence and begin building the strongest possible claim on your behalf.

Myrtle Beach Pedestrian Accident FAQs