Greenville Drunk Driving Accident Lawyer

If you or someone you love has been harmed by a drunk driver in Greenville, a DUI accident lawyer can help you obtain a settlement that fairly compensates you for your physical, financial, and emotional losses.

Reach out to Dan Pruitt Injury Law Firm to request the skilled legal guidance of a dedicated car accident lawyer in Greenville with experience in litigating drunk driving cases.

Drunk Driving in Greenville and Nationwide

You probably don’t need to be told that drunk drivers are some of the most dangerous drivers on our roads, and unfortunately, they show no signs of giving up the practice.

The stigma associated with drunk driving is very real, and the law takes a firm stand against this life-threatening practice, but statistics demonstrate that drunk drivers are out there. Consider the following statistics shared by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA):

• In the United States, 32 people are killed every day by drunk drivers.
• In a recent year alone, there were 11,654 drunk driving fatalities.
• In a recent year-to-year comparison, drunk driving deaths increased by 14 percent.

If you’ve suffered an injury in an accident that was caused by a drunk driver, you are not alone as a victim, or in your fight.

How a Greenville DUI Accident Lawyer Can Help

Proving the other driver’s impairment can be challenging, which makes having professional legal counsel on your side important for all of the following reasons:

• Your DUI accident lawyer will gather and skillfully compile all the available evidence, including eyewitness testimony, that may speak to signs that the other driver was impaired.
• Your DUI accident lawyer may employ an expert witness who backs up the finding of impairment.
• Your DUI accident lawyer will communicate with the insurance company handling your claim, which is focused on obtaining claimant statements that harm their own claims. This makes passing on a request for a statement an excellent idea.
• Your DUI accident lawyer will skillfully negotiate with the involved insurance company for just settlement terms and will be well prepared to move forward with filing a lawsuit if it is not interested in fair negotiations.

Proving the other driver’s fault in the matter is essential to your claim, and your DUI car accident lawyer is up to this critical task.

Determining Fault for a Drunk Driving Accident

Sometimes, the other driver’s impairment is clear, and the officer at the scene will take the actions necessary to get the motorist off the road and charge them accordingly. In these instances, proving the at-fault driver’s impairment is taken care of for you.

There are other times, however, when the matter is far more challenging.

Is the other driver impaired?

The fact is that a motorist does not have to be obviously drunk to be exceptionally dangerous behind the wheel. In cases where the other driver’s impairment is not so clear, the matter will be decided based on the evidence.

Toward this end, there are two important steps you can take to help protect your claim:

• If you have reason to believe the other driver may be impaired, let the officer at the scene know why you think this is true.
• Reach out to a trusted DUI car accident lawyer as soon after the accident as possible.

The burden of proof against a drunk driver

It’s important to note here that the burden of proof when it comes to a criminal charge of DUI is considerably stricter than it is in relation to your civil claim. To be convicted of DUI, it must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt, but for civil purposes, the other driver’s impairment must be proven through clear and convincing evidence. This amounts to a firm belief that the driver’s impairment is highly possible.

What’s Above the Legal Limit?

The legal blood alcohol concentration (BAC) limit in South Carolina – and in most other states – is .08 percent. As NHTSA points out, alcohol affects a motorist’s ability to drive in all the following primary ways:

• It affects their judgment behind the wheel.
• It affects their vision, including their ability to focus and ascertain how far away objects are, as well as their spatial relationship to said objects.
• It slows their reaction time.

None of these bode well for safety, and to make matters that much worse, drunk driving accidents are the very definition of preventable.

Compensation for Injuries by a Drunk Driver

If you’ve suffered an injury from an impaired driver, you can expect serious losses in all the following basic categories:

• Property damage to your vehicle and to its contents
• Medical bills that may show no signs of ebbing anytime soon
• Lost income from hours lost on the job, which may include losses related to earning potential
• Physical and emotional pain and suffering, which can amplify the challenges associated with recovery

Obtaining a settlement that accounts for your complete losses and adequately compensates you for them is paramount, and having a trusted DUI accident lawyer in your corner can make all the difference.

Turn to an Experienced Greenville DUI Car Accident Lawyer for the Help You Need

At Dan Pruitt Injury Law Firm, an accomplished drunk driving accident lawyer is by your side. We’ve been proudly serving Greenville, South Carolina for years and recognize how important your claim is to your ongoing health and well-being.

If you are a pedestrian or motorist hurt by a drunk driver, or the family of a victim, don’t wait to learn more about the ways we can assist your claim. Please contact us online or call us at 864-280-7660 today.

Drunk Driving Accident FAQs