A state highway patrol trooper, H.J., received the Department of Public Safety Purple Heart Award recently after recovering from a serious injury that occurred when he was responding to a multi-vehicle crash. The officer had pulled his vehicle over behind a car involved in a collision and turned on the patrol car's emergency signals per procedure. He was standing in front of his cruiser at the highway median and speaking with the drivers of the two cars involved in the collision when another car crashed into the rear of his patrol car. The force of the impact caused the troopers car to lurch forward and strike H.J. The officer was then sent flying into one of cars involved in the prior collision. He suffered a severe head injury and was airlifted to the hospital. The driver of the car that hit H.J.'s vehicle, a Columbia woman, was charged and found guilty of failure to move over for an emergency vehicle and speeding. If you or a loved one has suffered a head injury or other trauma after an accident that was someone else's fault then you should speak with a personal injury attorney about your legal options for obtaining compensation.
H.J. spent three days in intensive care and then an additional four days at the hospital before being released. He spent a total of two months recovering from the traumatic brain injury before eagerly returning to duty. He is the third highway patrol trooper to receive the relatively new award which is given to members of the SC Department of Protective Services who are seriously hurt while performing their often dangerous duty. SCDPS Directory Leroy Smith stated at the ceremony, "Awarding troopers the Purple Heart is a small gesture from the department for their sacrifices in the line of duty."
A traumatic brain injury, or TBI, can result in devastating consequences. You or your loved one may be facing an extensive recovery period or may never regain full physical and/or mental ability after such trauma. Those responsible for causing such harm to someone else should be held legally liable for the damage they have caused. This can include medical bills, loss of wages, loss of earning potential, pain, suffering and more. Contact a lawyer with us at Masella Law to arrange a time to discuss your case. We are experienced in helping clients obtain the substantial compensation they deserve after suffering a serious injury due to another's negligence or recklessness.