Any accident can be traumatic and leave you with costly damages. Recovering after a drunk driving accident can prove even more challenging-and you shouldn't have to do it alone. A Myrtle Beach drunk driving accident attorney from our team can help you seek the justice and compensation you deserve.
At Morris Law Accident Injury Lawyers, our team can handle every part of your case for you. Let us deal with the liable party and their insurance company, including any restaurants or bars who may have served the drunk driver, while you worry about getting better. We're ready to help you move forward and go after a financial recovery. To get started, contact us today for a free case review.
Our Lawyers Map out a Legal Strategy After Your Drunk Driving Accident
The drunk driver in your accident may face criminal charges-however, that criminal case won't result in the money you need to pay for your accident-related losses.
So, one of your first questions to a lawyer may be: How do I get the compensation I need from the at-fault driver?
Our Myrtle Beach injury attorneys have experience working with drunk driving accident victims, and we know how to create the best legal strategy for the results you want to achieve. We may recommend that you file a personal injury lawsuit or pursue an insurance settlement through the liable driver's policy.
We can bring an insurance claim or a personal injury lawsuit against the liable party regardless of where they are in a criminal case.
Similarly, even if the prosecutor won't press charges, we can still pursue financial compensation for your accident damages based on the initial arrest of the drunk driver.
What Makes Morris Law Accident Injury Lawyers Different From Other Accident Lawyers?
At Morris Law Accident Injury Lawyers, we take pride in offering a high level of client service while aggressively going after results. We want to ensure that you feel supported through every step of your case. After all, we know that a drunk driving accident can present one of the biggest challenges in a victim's life.
When you work with Morris Law Accident Injury Lawyers, you can expect:
- To speak with a lawyer the day you call about your case
- Representation as the victim of a drunk driving crime
- A team of attorneys with trial experience-we know how to litigate for you
- A network of expert witnesses to build your case's strength
- A free case review to help you understand your legal options
In addition, we have many years of experience serving accident victims in Myrtle Beach and across South Carolina, including Horry County, Georgetown County, Aiken County, Barnwell County, Allendale County, Edgefield County, Saluda County, and Orangeburg County.
During that time, we've worked to recover millions in settlements and awards for victims. When you hire us, we'll seek the maximum compensation available in your case, too.
Six-Figure Results for Past Clients
- $600,000 for a rear-end collision victim with broken ribs
- $220,000 for a victim who required back surgery
- $300,000 for a victim who needed a neck surgery
What Types of Compensation Could I Get for a Drunk Driving Accident?
When you hire Morris Law Accident Injury Lawyers, our first task includes identifying all the recoverable damages you qualify for. We will work hard to understand all the ways the crash affected your health, your life, and your finances.
Your compensation could include both financial and non-financial losses related to your accident, such as:
- Medical expenses: Your settlement or award should reflect the cost of your past, present, and future anticipated treatment. This may include emergency room care, diagnostic testing, hospitalizations, surgeries, medications, and other costs.
- Lost income: This refers to the paychecks, gig work, or other types of income you could not earn because of your injuries.
- Reduced earning capacity: Over the long term, you may not be able to return to work in your former capacity. You may need to reduce your hours or take an entirely new form of employment.
- Pain and suffering: Facing physical pain and everyday challenges can strain you in intangible ways.
- Scarring and disfigurement: You could seek damages if your physical appearance changed as a result of the crash.
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD): Trauma can leave victims with emotional pain and costly bills for mental healthcare.
- Wrongful death damages: If you lost a loved one in a drunk driving accident, your family could seek recovery for their medical bills, income losses to your family, funeral costs, and other damages.
Our team can investigate to determine if you qualify for other damages beyond those listed here. Once we have a good sense of how your accident affected you, we can give you a better idea of the settlement or award amount we intend to seek.
We don't believe that you should have to bear the cost of a drunk driving accident yourself. Let us fight for your right to recover what the accident already cost you-and how much your accident could cost you in the future.
Morris Law Accident Injury Lawyers Can Handle Your Entire Drunk Driving Accident Case
Hiring a Myrtle Beach drunk driving accident attorney means that you get to hand over all legal tasks associated with your case. In other words, you don't have to answer phone calls, submit documents, or persuade insurance companies.
Our team can do it all for you, including:
Determining the Value of Your Case
As mentioned above, one of the first things we do for drunk driving accident victims is investigate the facts of your case and identify all your accident-related losses. That's because we need to understand how much compensation you deserve so we can negotiate a fair settlement with the insurer.
When accident victims take on their case alone, they do not usually know their case's true worth. They may accept a $9,000 settlement when their case could be worth $15,000, $40,000, or even more.
When an accident victim needs to pay their bills and wants to resolve their case quickly, they accept the first offer on the table-and most of the time, that amount is too low.
Morris Law Accident Injury Lawyers has settled cases on many occasions for 20 and 30 times the offer our client received before Morris Law Accident Injury Lawyers got involved in the case.
The attorneys at Morris Law Accident Injury Lawyers have experience in determining how much an accident settlement or award should be, and we know how to seek damages like pain and suffering or reduced earning capacity.
Our team will work to negotiate a fair amount for each of these damages, depending on the details of your case.
Investigating the Evidence
Insurance companies and juries need to see certain forms of evidence to offer a fair resolution to your case.
Our attorneys have experience in gathering crucial forms of accident evidence in Myrtle Beach, including:
- Police reports
- Citations
- Breath test results
- Medical bills and healthcare records
- Expert witness testimony (such as accident reconstructionists and Pharm D's who can testify to someone's blood alcohol level)
- Dashboard camera footage
- Surveillance camera footage
- Black box data
The stronger the evidence in your case, the better your chances of success. Our attorneys know this and work hard to present the strongest possible evidence to the insurance company, other lawyers, or jurors.
Handling Negotiations or Litigation for You
Our drunk driving accident attorneys can communicate with the liable party's representatives for you so that you don't have to. We'll be sure to keep you updated through every step of the process and can explain your options if we receive a settlement offer. You have the choice to accept a settlement offer at any stage. However, we can discuss our strategy if we think that continuing negotiations or filing a lawsuit could prove more fruitful.
In some cases, we may file a lawsuit in order to seek the results you need. If we do, we can explain your rights, prepare your case, and represent you at trial. Our attorneys can also file the court paperwork and handle all the court proceedings for you. However, we may receive a settlement offer before the trial date, so bear in mind that filing a lawsuit does not always mean you will go before a jury.
Supporting You Throughout the Legal Process
Our team is here to help you navigate the entire financial recovery process and stay in communication with you throughout.
You don't have to wonder where your legal team went or what comes next in your case-we get back to our clients promptly and proactively communicate should any new developments arise.
Dealing with an injury case can be stressful enough, let alone when a drunk driver is at fault. Our team offers you a listening ear and a neutral, informed perspective as you navigate any legal challenges.
What to Do After a Drunk Driving Accident in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
You may not know what to do after a drunk driving accident.
Consider taking these steps to strengthen your case's potential from the outset:
- Immediately seek medical attention. One of the most crucial things you can do for your case is to get treatment for your injuries. Doing so documents that you were injured in the drunk driving accident and not in some other way. It also helps you start recovering faster and avoid any unnecessary complications from your initial injuries.
- Take pictures at the scene. If you're physically able, take photos of the crash scene, including damage to both vehicles.
- Exchange contact information. If it's safe, get the insurance policy details and driver's license number from the drunk driver at the scene. However, if the driver behaves in a belligerent manner or will not cooperate, don't put yourself at risk. An officer can get this information for you.
- Get a free case review. Dealing with a crash can leave you drained. As soon as you're ready, however, contact our team for a free case review. We can help you consider your next steps and protect your legal rights immediately.
- Follow your doctor's orders. Your doctor may tell you to take medications, go to physical therapy, or see a specialist. Whatever they say, follow through. Otherwise, the insurance company can say that you neglected your care-and made your injuries unnecessarily worse.
Don't make a recorded statement. If the drunk driver's insurance company asks you for a recorded comment, do not give one. They may find ways to use your words against you.
Frequently Asked Questions in Myrtle Beach Drunk Driving Accident Cases
We are here to ensure that you get all the answers you need to your questions after a crash, including:
What Are Drunk Driving Laws in South Carolina?
In South Carolina, drivers cannot get behind the wheel with a blood-alcohol content (BAC) of 0.08 or above. However, people under 21 cannot drive with any alcohol in their system. They could get charged with driving under the influence (DUI) for driving with even a 0.02 BAC level. The team of experts Morris Law Accident Injury Lawyers retains for DUI crash cases can determine a drunk driver's BAC through testimony, the receipt(s) (tab) from the bar, credit card statements and other common evidence our team is able to recover.
What Penalties Can a South Carolina Drunk Driver Face?
Driving under the influence can come with steep fines and penalties, especially if the driver has a prior record of DUI. Many times in South Carolina, a prosecutor will allow a first offense drunk driver to plead to the lesser charge of reckless driving.
Reckless driving is still a misdemeanor in South Carolina and can lead to a higher settlement or verdict from the jury in your accident case.
Per the South Carolina Department of Public Safety (SCDPS), these penalties and fines include:
- Imprisonment: The driver could face anywhere from 48 hours to five years in jail, depending on their DUI record.
- Fines: Fines may range from $400 to $3,600, depending on the driver's DUI record.
License suspension: If the driver refuses to submit to a BAC test or has a BAC level of 0.15 or above, they can receive an automatic license suspension (also known as administrative license revocation or ALR).
The license suspension is for six months unless it is appealed within 30 days. However, if the drunk driver provides a breath sample of 0.15 or higher, the license suspension is an automatic 30 days even if it is appealed.
Are Drunk Driving Accidents Common in Myrtle Beach and South Carolina?
South Carolina sees its fair share of drunk driving accident cases. In Horry County, 19 people died in drunk driving accidents in 2020 alone-that represents 30 percent of all fatal car accidents in the county. SCDPS reports that drunk driving crashes resulted in 503 non-fatal accidents in Horry County that same year.
Are Drunk Driving Accidents Common in Myrtle Beach and South Carolina?
South Carolina sees its fair share of drunk driving accident cases. In Horry County, 19 people died in drunk driving accidents in 2020 alone-that represents 30 percent of all fatal car accidents in the county. SCDPS reports that drunk driving crashes resulted in 503 non-fatal accidents in Horry County that same year.
Across South Carolina in 2020, there were nearly 5,400 non-fatal alcohol-related crashes and 315 fatal crashes.
Can I Afford a Drunk Driving Accident Lawyer?
Our injury attorneys don't ask for any upfront fees or hourly rates to get started on your case-so yes, you can afford a drunk driving accident lawyer. Morris Law Accident Injury Lawyers works based on contingency, which means we only get paid for results. You don't owe us any fees or costs if we don't win your case.
How a Personal Injury Law Firm Can Help
Your personal injury lawyer will be able to help you recover damages due to the negligence of a drunk driver. This includes medical expenses, lost wages and pain and suffering. If you lost a loved one, the attorney can file a wrongful death lawsuit to obtain justice and the closure you need.
Contact a Myrtle Beach DUI Accident Lawyer for a Free Case Review
If you need help after a drunk driving accident, our attorneys are ready to fight for you. We can explain your potential recoverable damages and what to expect from the legal process-then we'll stand by you every step of the way. Morris Law Accident Injury Lawyers is eager for the opportunity to defend your rights and seek justice from the at-fault driver today.
To learn more, contact us today at (843) 232-0944 for your free case review.
