Greenville Drunk Driving Accident Lawyer

Legal Help After A Greenville Drunk Driving Crash

Being hit by a drunk driver can turn your life upside down in a single moment. You may be facing painful injuries, a wrecked vehicle, time away from work, and constant stress about what comes next. When someone chooses to drive impaired, you should not have to navigate the fallout alone.

At Smith Born Leventis Taylor & Vega, LLC, we help people in the Greenville area pursue accountability and compensation after serious drunk driving crashes. Our attorneys guide clients through every stage of the claims process so they can focus more on healing and rebuilding their daily lives. We listen closely to your story, explain your options clearly, and work to remove as much uncertainty as possible.

Our firm brings more than 100 years of combined experience in personal injury and workers' compensation law, and we have resolved many high-stakes cases for significant amounts.

If you are ready to discuss your situation with a drunk driving accident attorney in Greenville, we invite you to call or message us today for a free consultation.

South Carolina Drunk Driving Laws

South Carolina has strict laws designed to prevent impaired driving and protect the public. Under state law, it is illegal for drivers to operate a vehicle with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of:

• 0.08% or higher for most drivers
• 0.04% for commercial drivers
• 0.02% for drivers under the age of 21

Drivers who exceed these limits may face criminal penalties, including fines, license suspension, and jail time. However, criminal charges are separate from civil liability. Even if a driver is not convicted in criminal court, they may still be held financially responsible in a personal injury claim.

How Alcohol Impairs Your Ability to Drive

Alcohol significantly affects a driver’s physical and cognitive abilities, making it dangerous to operate a vehicle. Even small amounts of alcohol can impair judgment, reaction time, and coordination.

Common ways alcohol affects drivers include:

• Slower reaction times
• Reduced ability to focus or concentrate
• Impaired vision and depth perception
• Poor decision-making and risk assessment
• Difficulty maintaining lane position and speed

These impairments increase the likelihood of serious accidents, including rear-end collisions, head-on crashes, and pedestrian injuries. Victims of drunk driving crashes often suffer severe and life-altering injuries.

Common Injuries in Drunk Driving Accidents

Drunk driving accidents frequently involve high speeds and reckless behavior, which can lead to serious injuries such as:

• Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs)
• Spinal cord injuries and paralysis
• Broken bones and fractures
• Internal bleeding and organ damage
• Burns and lacerations
• Emotional trauma and PTSD

These injuries may require extensive medical treatment, rehabilitation, and long-term care. A Greenville drunk driving accident lawyer can help calculate the full extent of your damages to ensure you pursue fair compensation.

How to Prove Liability Against a Drunk Driver

To recover compensation after a drunk driving accident, you must show that the at-fault driver’s negligence caused your injuries. Evidence commonly used in these cases includes:

• Police reports and DUI arrest records
• Breathalyzer or blood test results
• Witness statements
• Traffic camera or dashcam footage
• Accident reconstruction analysis
• Medical records and expert testimony

In many cases, evidence of intoxication strengthens a personal injury claim. Drunk drivers may also face punitive damages, which are intended to punish particularly reckless behavior and deter others from driving under the influence.

Dram Shop & Social Host Liability in SC

In some situations, responsibility for a drunk driving accident may extend beyond the impaired driver. South Carolina recognizes dram shop liability, which allows injured parties to pursue claims against establishments that overserve alcohol.

A bar, restaurant, or business may be held liable if it:

• Served alcohol to someone who was visibly intoxicated
• Served alcohol to a minor who later caused a crash

South Carolina also recognizes certain social host liability scenarios, particularly when alcohol is provided to minors. If a private host knowingly allows underage drinking and a crash occurs, they may share responsibility.

Compensation After a Drunk Driving Accident

Victims of drunk driving accidents in Greenville may be entitled to recover compensation for both economic and non-economic damages, including:

• Medical expenses and future medical care
• Lost wages and reduced earning capacity
• Pain and suffering
• Emotional distress
• Property damage
• Rehabilitation and therapy costs
• Loss of enjoyment of life
• In cases involving extreme negligence, punitive damages may also be awarded.

Insurance companies often attempt to minimize payouts, even when liability is clear. Having legal representation can help ensure your rights are protected throughout the claims process.

What to Do After a Drunk Driving Accident

If you are involved in a crash with a suspected drunk driver, taking the right steps can protect your health and your legal claim:

1. Call 911 and report the accident.
2. Seek medical attention immediately.
3. Document the scene with photos and videos if possible.
4. Obtain contact information from witnesses.
5. Avoid discussing fault at the scene.
6. Contact a Greenville drunk driving accident lawyer as soon as possible.
7. Prompt legal action helps preserve evidence and strengthens your case.

Drunk Driving Accident FAQs

How long do I have to file a claim in South Carolina?

South Carolina generally allows three years from the date of the accident to file a personal injury lawsuit. Missing this deadline may prevent you from recovering compensation.

Can I still recover compensation if I was partially at fault?

Yes. South Carolina follows a modified comparative negligence rule. You may recover damages as long as you were less than 51% responsible for the accident, though your compensation may be reduced.

What if the drunk driver doesn’t have insurance?

You may still have options through uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage or by pursuing claims against other liable parties, such as establishments that overserved alcohol.

Do I have to go to court?

Many drunk driving accident cases are resolved through settlement negotiations. However, your attorney can take the case to trial if a fair agreement cannot be reached.

How much is my case worth?

Every case is unique. Factors such as injury severity, medical costs, lost income, and long-term impacts all influence the value of a claim.

Why Injured People Choose Our Firm

After a devastating crash caused by an impaired driver, you have many choices about who will represent you. People come to us because they want more than a quick settlement and a few phone calls. They want a team that understands the stakes, knows how to build serious cases, and treats them with genuine respect.

Our structure is built around injury and workers' compensation cases, especially those involving catastrophic harm and complex liability. That means our processes, from intake through litigation, are designed for situations where injuries are severe, facts are disputed, or multiple insurance policies may be involved. We have resolved many cases for amounts in the millions of dollars, including matters where responsibility was initially denied or minimized.

We also bring a depth of legal knowledge that is uncommon. Our partners write leading texts on South Carolina workers' compensation law, teach other lawyers, and help shape regulations. Our attorneys have backgrounds in psychology, military intelligence, academia, and regulatory leadership. This variety supports strong investigation, careful analysis of evidence, and a thoughtful understanding of how judges, juries, and insurers may view a case arising from a drunk-driving crash.

Clients consistently tell us that communication makes a real difference. We stay in touch through phone, text, or email, provide regular updates, and explain every key step in plain language. Our goal is that you never wonder what is happening or feel like you have been left in the dark. If you are considering a drunk driving accident attorney in Greenville, it is important to feel that your attorneys will actually be present throughout the process, not just at the beginning.

Call to speak with our team.