After a crash, many people feel overwhelmed by medical bills, insurance calls, and uncertainty about what to do next. You do not have to navigate this alone. Attorney Frank Hartman has been representing car accident victims in and around North Charleston for decades. He knows the law, understands how a successful car accident case is built, and has extensive experience with the local court system and the insurance company lawyers who routinely practice in this area.
Frank takes time to listen to your story, explain how South Carolina car accident law applies to your situation, and help you understand the best steps to protect yourself. His goal is to give you clarity, confidence, and support during a difficult time.
After a car accident, you’re not just dealing with vehicle damage—you’re dealing with injuries, medical bills, missed time at work, and insurance companies that are already working to protect their bottom line. You deserve someone who is focused on protecting you.
Frank Hartman has built his practice around helping injured clients in North Charleston take back control after serious accidents. He understands how overwhelming this process can feel, and he steps in to handle every aspect of your claim—from investigating the crash and gathering evidence to negotiating with insurance companies and, when necessary, fighting for you in court.
Insurance companies may sound helpful, but their goal is to protect their bottom line—not your recovery. My job is to make sure you’re treated fairly and get the compensation you truly deserve.
When you work with Frank, your case isn’t just another file. You get an attorney who listens, keeps you informed, and is fully committed to pursuing the compensation you need to move forward with confidence.
Choosing the right car accident lawyer can make a meaningful difference in how your case is handled—and how your future unfolds. Frank Hartman brings years of experience representing injured clients in North Charleston, along with a proven track record of results in car accident cases ranging from straightforward claims to complex, high-stakes injuries.
His approach is simple: treat every client with respect, build every case with precision, and pursue the full compensation each person deserves. Past clients consistently highlight not only the outcomes he achieves, but the way he supports them throughout the process—keeping them informed, answering questions, and making a difficult time feel more manageable.
When you work with Frank Hartman, you can expect:
✔️ Extensive experience handling car accident cases and navigating every stage of the legal process
✔️ A results-driven strategy focused on maximizing compensation for medical bills, lost wages, and long-term needs
✔️ A strong reputation backed by client testimonials that reflect trust, communication, and real support
✔️ Willingness to take your case to trial if insurance companies refuse to offer a fair settlement
✔️ Clear, consistent communication so you always know where your case stands
✔️ A personalized approach that prioritizes your recovery, your concerns, and your future
With Frank Hartman, you’re not just hiring a lawyer, you’re choosing an advocate who is committed to standing by your side and helping you move forward with confidence.
Every crash is different. Understanding the type of accident you were involved in can help identify who may be responsible and what compensation may be available. The Hartman Law Firm handles a wide range of accident types, including:
If your situation does not fit neatly into one of these categories, that’s okay — Frank can evaluate what happened and help you understand exactly where your case stands under South Carolina law.
Insurance companies are not judges or juries — they are businesses focused on maximizing profits by minimizing payouts. Their decisions do not control your legal rights.
However, the responsible driver’s insurance carrier will likely be looking for ways to avoid paying your claim, or to reduce the amount of money you receive. That may mean:
If you think North Charleston streets are more dangerous today than they used to be, it is not your imagination. Drivers are more distracted, rushed, and inattentive than ever.
Contributing factors to car accidents include:
Car accidents can cause a wide range of injury types, from minor scrapes and bruises to traumatic brain injury and spinal cord injury. Some of the most common types of injuries in motor vehicle accidents include:
Some car accident injuries are relatively minor and heal in a few weeks. Others are serious, and may cause permanent damage. If you have suffered a car accident injury that prevents you from working or going about your normal daily activities, you should speak with an experienced car accident attorney in North Charleston right away. You should never accept a settlement offer from an insurance company before you have a solid understanding of the extent of your injuries and your future accident-related expenses and earning capacity.
A seasoned North Charleston car accident attorney like Frank Hartman can help you avoid missteps that could hurt your claim or reduce your compensation.
In South Carolina, the driver who was at fault is responsible for paying for the injuries others suffer. The primary way to prove fault is by showing that the driver was negligent.
In South Carolina, all drivers have a duty to operate their vehicles carefully and responsibly, so as to avoid harm to other people or their property. That duty includes following traffic safety laws. So, a driver who has caused or contributed to an accident by speeding, driving under the influence, driving when they are too tired to drive safely, running a stop sign or otherwise taking chances on the road will typically be found at least partly liable. In some cases, there may be more than one responsible party.
To prove fault, you need evidence showing what happened before the crash. Insurance companies may try to blame you to reduce or deny your compensation — another reason to work with an experienced car accident attorney in North Charleston from the beginning.
In most cases, one of the drivers involved in the crash is responsible. However, liability may be more complicated. For example, it may be that two or more people or entities contributed to the crash. For instance, one driver may have run a red light, but the other may have been unable to stop quickly enough to avoid the crash because they were speeding. Sometimes, someone who wasn’t even involved in the collision may be responsible, or share responsibility.
Other potentially responsible parties include:
It can be very difficult to assemble the evidence you need to prove liability without an experienced North Charleston car accident attorney on your side. When you hire Frank, he will investigate the circumstances of your accident, identify all responsible parties, and gather all available evidence to support your case.
According to the most recent edition of the South Carolina Traffic Collision Fact Book, Charleston County had the second-highest number of traffic crashes in the state–16,118. The county also came in at #3 for traffic fatalities, with 70 deaths. And Charleston County had more traffic crashes involving injury than any other county in South Carolina–3,784 in a single year, or more than 10 each day.
Nearly all of these traffic accidents were avoidable. While weather conditions and other external factors can increase the risk, most collisions could be prevented if drivers obeyed speed limits and other traffic laws, refrained from driving under the influence and kept close attention on the road.
If someone else’s wrongful actions caused your injury, you can hold them accountable and pursue financial compensation for your losses. When you hire Frank as your car accident attorney, he will work to get you what you deserve.
When you’ve been injured in a car accident that was someone else’s fault, that person is legally responsible for your damages. Typically, it is the responsible driver’s auto insurance carrier that pays damages. If the driver is uninsured or has insufficient insurance, you may also have a claim directly against the driver. However, many drivers lack the financial resources to pay a claim directly.
If you are unable to recover full compensation due to limited or no auto insurance coverage, you may be entitled to compensation under your own uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage.
Some of the most common types of damages awarded in North Charleston car accident cases include:
Damages may include:
The settlement process is a negotiation. Insurance companies rarely offer what victims truly deserve at first. Frank is a skilled negotiator who will fight for a fair outcome.
The time required to settle a South Carolina car accident claim depends on a wide variety of factors. It can take as little as a few months, or as long as a few years. Some of the factors that impact the settlement timeline include:
When you meet with auto accident attorney Frank Hartman, he can give you an estimate of how long cases similar to yours have taken to settle in the past and what variables are likely to affect your timeline.
What you do right after your car accident can have a big impact on both your health and your car accident claim. Here are some key steps you should take:
Call Frank when you need compassionate and committed legal representation. Take the first step by submitting our online form or calling us at 843.300.7600.
During your free consultation, Frank will learn more about your case and help you understand your options. You pay nothing unless we win your case.
The first thing to do after a car accident or any injury is to assess your injuries. Your next steps will depend in part on whether and how seriously you are injured. If you believe you may be seriously injured or are unsure whether you can move safely, don’t try.
To the extent that you’re able, you should:
Allow EMTs at the scene to check you out if you have any concerns that you may be injured, and seek follow-up care as needed. If you’re not sure whether you need medical attention, see a doctor. Then, when you’ve attended to any urgent health matters, you should contact a North Charleston personal injury lawyer before you take any other action.
You should contact a car wreck attorney in North Charleston as soon as possible after your accident. Connecting with a lawyer early will help you avoid the pitfalls of dealing with the insurance company, and will give your attorney the best opportunity to gather evidence and collect witness statements before footage is erased, evidence is lost, and memories start to fade.
Your car accident attorney can help with everything from managing deadlines and technical requirements you may not be aware of to collecting evidence and protecting you from shady insurance company tactics.
The process may include drafting and filing a complaint, assembling a well-supported demand for compensation, negotiating on your behalf, preparing required discovery materials, requesting evidence from others through the discovery process and/or subpoenas, taking deposition, and preparing your case for trial.
While you may be able to settle a small claim on your own, it is virtually always worth your while to consult an experienced local car accident lawyer. When you consult with attorney Frank Hartman, you can rest assured that you’ll get straight information. If your claim is one that can be easily managed without representation, we’ll tell you so.
When you’re looking for an auto accident attorney in North Charleston, you’ll want to consider the attorney’s experience with cases like yours, willingness and ability to take your case to trial if that’s the right answer for you, and reviews from past clients. No one knows more about how an attorney will treat you and handle your case better than someone who has been through the process with that lawyer.
When you go to your free consultation, you’ll also want to pay close attention to how the attorney and others at the firm treat you. Make sure your questions are answered and they listen to your concerns and make you comfortable sharing sometimes-sensitive information with them.
The best evidence for establishing fault after a car accident will depend on the case. Some examples of key fault evidence include traffic citations showing that the responsible driver was acting negligently, video from nearby security cameras or traffic cameras, and eyewitness statements. Your attorney can talk with you about the types of evidence that will likely be most effective in your case and gather that evidence on your behalf.
The amount of time it takes to settle a car accident case depends on a variety of factors. Some common variables include how complex the case is, the duration of treatment and recovery for your injuries, the amount of money involved, and even the insurance company involved. A small case may be resolved in as little as a few months, while some may take a year or even more to resolve. If your case goes to trial, the timeline will typically be extended.
Your car accident lawyer can give you an estimate of the timeline for your case during your initial consultation.
The answer to this question depends on the specifics of your case. Damages in a personal injury case are based on your losses. Some common damages in car accident cases include medical expenses, lost wages, anticipated future medical costs, projected lost future earnings, costs of physical therapy or counseling associated with the accident, and non-economic damages such as pain and suffering.
The best source of information about the damages that may be available in your case is an experienced auto accident attorney in North Charleston.
Unless your claim is very small, a quick settlement offer is typically a red flag. The insurance company representative may use comforting language like, “I want to get this check out to you as soon as possible. I know you could probably use it right now.” But they’re not on your side. If an insurance company wants a quick settlement, it’s usually to get you to sign away your rights before you know the full extent of your injuries and financial losses.
You should always consult a car accident attorney in North Charleston before accepting a quick settlement.
In South Carolina, you may still be able to recover damages when you were partly at fault for the accident that caused your injuries. However, there are some limitations. First, you can’t recover damages if you were more than half responsible. If you were 50% responsible or less, you may still be entitled to compensation. But your compensation will be reduced by your percentage of fault. For example, if you had $10,000 in damages and were 25% responsible for the accident, you would also be responsible for 25% of your damages ($2,500). You could only collect the remaining $7,500
Establishing the percentage of fault attributable to each party can be complicated, and is best tackled with the help of an experienced North Charleston car accident lawyer.
