Moncks Corner Legal Issues Blog

Did a minor incident lead to assault and battery charges?

On behalf of George Bishop of George B. Bishop, Jr. PA on Monday, November 11, 2019.

If you are facing charges of assault and battery, you may be confused. After all, perhaps you are far from the kind of person who drinks too much and stirs up a fight in a bar. Furthermore, when you think back on the incident in question, you may have no recollection of hurting or even putting your hands on anyone.

You may be surprised to learn that the charges of assault and battery may still stick under these circumstances. The penalties for a conviction can be quite severe, and the potential collateral consequences may be enough to derail your future.

Motor vehicle accidents and crush injuries

On behalf of George Bishop of George B. Bishop, Jr. PA posted in personal injury on Friday, November 8, 2019.

A motor vehicle accident doesn't have to serious to lead to serious injuries. It all depends on the force of the impact, the location of the impact and how your body is affected by the crash. One of the more serious injuries victims of car accidents can suffer is that of the crush injury. Crush injuries can change your life in an instant, especially if they lead to amputation.

So, how does a crush injury occur? A crush injury happens when any part of the body is crushed between two objects. When this type of injury happens in a car accident it's usually because the victim was ejected from the vehicle and then pinned underneath it or between their own vehicle and another vehicle.

Bluffton officials file DUI charges despite breath test results

On behalf of George Bishop of George B. Bishop, Jr. PA posted in dui/dwi on Wednesday, October 30, 2019.

There is no denying that there is a stigma that comes with a charge for driving under the influence of alcohol. Those in Monck's Corner who face such accusations are often assumed to be irresponsible individuals whose alleged actions imply that they care little for the safety of others. Such assumptions can often lead to ramifications that go far beyond the legal world, with people losing their jobs and suffering irreparable damage to their reputations. This stigma is often assigned simply due to the news of an arrest being made; one can imagine how tragic it might be if it was later found that the charge was unwarranted.

They may turn out the be what happens in the case of a local high school band director. The woman was arrested on suspicion of DUI after a local officer pulled her over for driving erratically in Bluffton. While field sobriety test (as well as the officer's own observations) indicated that she was indeed intoxicated, a subsequent breath revealed a blood alcohol content that was well below the legal limit. The officer involved tried to contact local drug testing experts to analyze the results of her test, yet known responded to his queries. Still, despite the results of the test, the woman was charged with DUI, with the officer implying that once a DUI arrest is made, a charge is inevitable.

Is drunk driving still a big problem in South Carolina?

On behalf of George Bishop of George B. Bishop, Jr. PA posted in personal injury on Wednesday, October 9, 2019.

If you are one of the residents in South Carolina who is concerned about the ongoing risk of being involved in an accident caused by a drunk driver, you unfortunately have good reason for your worries. Even as laws have changed and the penalties for a driving under the influence offense have gotten stronger, people continue to get behind the wheels of cars when they should not. Too many innocent people end up experiencing serious injuries or the loss of loved ones due to these decisions.

According to records from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, drunk drivers were responsible for 32% of the state's total vehicular fatalities in 2017. Between 2013 and 2017, the number of people who died in drunk driving accidents in South Carolina each year ranged from a low of 313 to a high of 341.

Listen up about National Protect Your Hearing Month

On behalf of George Bishop of George B. Bishop, Jr. PA posted in workers' compensation on Sunday, September 29, 2019.

Many industries commonly contribute to hearing loss among countless Americans, but it is important to note that it is not required to work in a hazardous industry to put one’s hearing at risk. Hearing loss, including job-related hearing damage, is a prevalent risk affecting people in South Carolina and elsewhere.

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health has designated October as National Protect Your Hearing Month, according to the National Safety Council. People can benefit from this important awareness program by learning about their risks and how to take measures to protect their hearing. While anyone can – and should – take part in this effort, it can be especially beneficial to those who work in environments that can cause auditory damage.

This test may be one of the most important you take in college

On behalf of George Bishop of George B. Bishop, Jr. PA on Saturday, September 28, 2019.

When you arrived on campus for the start of your junior or senior year at a South Carolina college or university, you likely felt excited and a bit anxious. After all, you're more than halfway through earning your undergrad degree, and you know you'll likely encounter a few challenges between now and then. You hopefully have developed good study habits by now and have a close group of friends on campus who offer encouragement and support.

You were probably also looking forward to this year's college social scene. Perhaps you celebrated your birthday over the summer and are now age 21. You plan on having a few drinks with your friends in between the rigors of academics. As long as your campus isn't a dry one, that shouldn't be a problem. However, if you leave campus, have a drink or two, then a police officer pulls you over, you may need support that your study partners can't provide.

Spinal fusion treatments may treat chronic back pain

On behalf of George Bishop of George B. Bishop, Jr. PA posted in workers' compensation on Thursday, September 26, 2019.

Many workers in California suffer from chronic back pain regardless of the field they work in. Even office workers can develop back injuries from moving office equipment or sitting for long periods of time on poorly designed chairs. Still, workers who perform manual labor face a higher risk of developing back injuries, particularly if they do a lot of heavy lifting. Bad falls may also lead to back injuries, such as falling from a roof or down a long flight of stairs.

Sometimes back injuries are so bad that a worker must rely on workers’ compensation to cover expenses while they recover. If doctors do not expect a good or speedy recovery, then the worker may begin to consider the possibility of applying for Social Security benefits. Whether patients make a full recovery or not, they may suffer from chronic back pain for the rest of their lives.

Red light runners are leaving more families grieving

On behalf of George Bishop of George B. Bishop, Jr. PA on Monday, September 16, 2019.

Green means go, red means stop, and yellow means speed up and try to beat the red light. At least this seems to be the common belief among many drivers in South Carolina and across the country. A recent report from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety seems to confirm this. The agency's survey shows that more people are running red lights and often with disastrous results.

If you have recently suffered injuries or lost a loved one in a traffic collision that involved a driver who ran a red light, you understand how devastating such a decision can be. While it may be little comfort, you are not alone. The most recent data shows that over 900 people died in a single year when drivers failed to stop for a red light.

Inhaling dust can lead to serious health issues

On behalf of George Bishop of George B. Bishop, Jr. PA on Thursday, August 29, 2019.

From childhood, you may remember Saturday mornings when you helped your mother clean house. Perhaps your favorite chore was dusting the furniture. It was easy and quick, and there was something nice about wiping away the fine dust and leaving a polished surface. Dust was innocent, and it never occurred to you to be afraid of it.

Things are different now that you are an adult. The dust you deal with on the job is not only dangerous, but it may also be deadly. It is important to know how to handle dust in the workplace and what your options are if you suffer an illness related to particles you may have inhaled.

Can field sobriety tests prove intoxication?

On behalf of George Bishop of George B. Bishop, Jr. PA posted in dui/dwi on Thursday, August 29, 2019.

If you have been pulled over by a law enforcement officer in South Carolina and subsequently been asked to do certain things like standing on one leg or walking in a straight line, you were likely the subject of a drunk driving investigation. These activities are formally called field sobriety tests and they are used before an officer arrests a person and charges them with a driving under the influence or driving while impaired offense.

Contrary to what some people might think, field sobriety tests are not used to prove that a driver is drunk. In fact, they are not even able to do that. Instead, FieldSobrietyTests.org explains that these tests are used to collect just enough evidence to show that a driver might be impaired so that the officer can legally place them under arrest. It is important for people to know that these tests are not always completely accurate.