Why You Need an Attorney After an Accident With a Drunk Driver

Myrtle Beach sees an influx of drivers throughout the year at major events such as Carolina Country Music Fest and St. Patrick's Day parades. While there’s plenty of fun to be had in town, drivers celebrating local events have been known to get behind the wheel after too many drinks, resulting in devastating collisions.

 

According to the South Carolina Department of Public Safety, 544 non-fatal collisions involving alcohol took place in Horry County alone in 2017. No matter when or where your accident occurs, you may be hurt and out of work with expensive medical bills. South Carolina lets you seek compensation for damages caused by a drunk driver, and our personal injury attorneys may be able to help. 

After a crash with a drunk driver, you want to focus on recovering from your injuries, not your personal injury claim. Working with a legal professional makes it easier for you to do that. An experienced personal injury attorney can work to prove the other party was intoxicated, as well as show the driver’s reckless behavior caused your injury.
 

Here’s how an attorney might assist you with your case:

 

● Obtaining witness statements from anyone who saw the accident or interacted with the defendant

● Obtaining police reports that show the other party was cited with a ticket or charged with a DUI

● Obtaining documents and medical records showing your injuries

● Obtaining expert witnesses to provide accident reconstruction if necessary

● Obtaining estimates of monetary losses for wages and medical bills

 

Emotions run high after an accident, especially if the crash was caused by a reckless and intoxicated driver. To save yourself further grief and prevent an insurance company from taking advantage of you, an attorney can handle communication with the at-fault party’s insurance provider. Insurance adjusters will attempt to contact you after the accident to discuss the crash and obtain a recorded statement. Their goal could be to get you to make statements that can be used against you later—comments or remarks that will help the insurance company avoid paying compensation for your injuries. However, an attorney can manage all conversations with the adjusters.

Aside from the unexpected property damage and potential hospital stay, a drunk driving accident may result in significant ongoing costs and potential damages. South Carolina personal injury law allows you to pursue a fair award as compensation for your economic damages such as:

 

● Medical expenses, including your ambulance ride, emergency room services, surgery, prescriptions, and medically necessary travel costs

● Property damage caused to your vehicle

● Lost wages during your recovery time

● Loss of earning potential stemming from permanent injuries caused by the collision

 

By working with an experienced South Carolina injury attorney, you may also be able to seek compensation for non-economic damages such as:

 

● Pain and suffering

● Emotional anguish

● Loss of enjoyment of life

● Reduced overall quality of life

● Loss of consortium

 

Additionally, a drunk driving case can involve punitive damages rather than just compensation for negligence. Punitive damages are awarded by a judge or jury and meant as a punishment for the drunk driver’s poor conduct and to deter against similar behavior in the future.

 

Your drunk driving case may not just involve seeking compensation from the actual driver, however. An  attorney can assist you in filing a claim against all responsible parties, as fault may lie with more than one individual. Your case may involve claims against people other than the drunk driver such as a restaurant or bar that may have overserved him.

When dealing with the fallout of a drunk driving accident, there’s simply too much at stake to go it alone. You don’t need to seek compensation by yourself while recovering from the physical and emotional pain of a traumatic car crash.