Greenville Drunk Driving Accident Lawyer

What to Do Right After a Drunk Driving Accident in Greenville, SC

The decisions you make in the hours following a collision with an intoxicated driver can define the outcome of your entire case. The at-fault driver's insurer begins protecting its interests the moment that crash happens. Here is how to protect yours:

• Call 911 immediately: Law enforcement needs to be on scene to conduct sobriety tests and document the driver's impairment in an official police report. This report becomes a cornerstone of your civil claim. Request an ambulance if anyone is injured.
• Document everything you can safely: Photograph the vehicles, the point of impact, road conditions, any open containers visible in the other car, and the other driver's condition, if safely possible. This evidence can become critical later.
• Collect witness contact information: Bystanders who witnessed the crash unfold or observed the driver's behavior before the collision can provide powerful testimony that supports your claim.
• Get to the emergency room right away: Adrenaline masks pain. Injuries like internal bleeding, concussions, and spinal trauma are not always immediately obvious. A doctor's evaluation creates the medical documentation your attorney needs to fully value your claim.
• Protect your statement: You must notify your own insurer about the crash, but do not provide a recorded statement or accept any settlement offer from either insurance company before speaking with an attorney. Early offers are almost always far less than what your case is actually worth.

Common Injuries in Drunk Driving Accidents

Intoxicated drivers frequently cause high-speed, unpredictable crashes. Because they often fail to brake or swerve before impact, collisions with drunk drivers tend to be especially violent and the injuries especially severe. We demand full compensation for every one of them, including:

• Traumatic brain injuries and severe concussions
• Spinal cord damage and partial or full paralysis
• Shattered bones requiring surgical repair
• Internal organ damage and internal bleeding
• Severe whiplash, neck trauma, and herniated discs

Time Limit to File a Drunk Driving Claim for Damages and Compensation

South Carolina law gives you exactly 3 years from the date of the crash to file a personal injury lawsuit. Three years sounds generous, but critical evidence disappears fast. Surveillance footage gets overwritten within days. Witnesses' memories fade. The drunk driver's insurance company begins building its defense from the moment the claim is reported.

Contact our legal team as soon as possible so we can secure the evidence, preserve your rights, and begin building your case while the facts are still fresh.

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The Drunk Driver Made a Choice. Now We Make Them Pay for It.

We know exactly how to build a drunk driving case that forces the insurance company to face the full weight of what their insured did. Do not wait to reach out.

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Who Can Be Liable for a Drunk Driving Accident in SC

The intoxicated driver is responsible, but they may not be the only party who owes you compensation. We investigate every angle to maximize the coverage available to you.

• The drunk driver: The individual who chose to operate a vehicle while impaired is personally liable for every damage their decision caused. We pursue their auto liability insurance directly.
• Alcohol vendors under SC dram shop law: South Carolina's dram shop rules can hold a bar, restaurant, or other licensed alcohol vendor liable if they served alcohol to a visibly intoxicated person who then caused your crash. We investigate the timeline of the driver's evening to determine whether a third-party vendor shares the blame.
• Vehicle or fleet owners: If the drunk driver was operating someone else's vehicle or a company car with the owner's knowledge or permission, that owner may also be held liable.
• Commercial employers: If the intoxicated driver was acting within the scope of their employment at the time of the crash, their employer may be liable under the legal doctrine of respondeat superior.

What Damages Can You Pursue After a Drunk Driving Accident

A crash caused by an intoxicated driver costs you far more than your emergency room bill. We calculate the complete, lifelong financial impact of your injuries to ensure the at-fault parties pay for every hardship they caused.

Monetary Damages

These cover your direct financial losses and out-of-pocket expenses:

• Emergency room bills, surgeries, and ongoing physical therapy;
• Lost wages for time missed at work during recovery;
• Future loss of earning capacity if your injuries limit your ability to work;
• Full cost to repair or replace your damaged vehicle.

Nonmonetary Damages

These compensate you for the personal toll the crash took on your life:

• Physical pain and ongoing daily suffering;
• Emotional trauma, anxiety, and PTSD stemming from the crash;
• Loss of enjoyment of life and reduced mobility;
• Loss of Consortium money damages for your spouse.

Punitive Damages

Drunk driving is not a lapse in judgment; it is a reckless, conscious choice that puts every family on the road in danger. South Carolina courts recognize that, which is why drunk driving cases frequently qualify for punitive damages. These are additional payments over and above your compensatory award, designed specifically to punish the at-fault driver for their outrageous behavior and deter others from doing the same. We petition for punitive damages in every drunk driving case where the facts support it.

Why Hire a Greenville Drunk Driving Accident Attorney

A drunk driving claim involves layers that a standard car crash does not. There is a criminal court running parallel to your civil claim. The insurer's defense team will try to use the criminal proceedings to slow down your case. Dram shop claims require a separate investigation and a separate legal theory. And insurers know most injured people do not understand any of this.

Our legal team will protect your rights by:

• Locking in the DUI evidence: We obtain the police report, toxicology results, and body camera footage that prove exactly how impaired the driver was.
• Investigating all liable parties: We trace the driver's movements before the crash to determine whether a bar or restaurant overserved them, thereby opening additional avenues for compensation.
• Fighting for punitive damages: We argue aggressively for punitive damages at every opportunity, because drunk drivers deserve more than just covering your medical bills.
• Handling every conversation: We shield you from aggressive adjusters trying to use your own words against you, so you can focus entirely on recovery.