Summerville Drunk Driving Lawyers

Summerville Drunk Driving Lawyers

While any car accident is jarring—to say the least—Summerville drunk driving accidents add an element of tragedy and frustration. Each year, hundreds of people are killed in our state due to drunk driving accidents. In fact, between the years of 2003 and 2012, there were 3,870 people killed in South Carolina DUI accidents. In addition, thousands more are seriously injured due to drunk drivers’ careless acts.

At the Steinberg Law Firm, we represent injury victims and their families in Summerville DUI accident cases. Over the past 170 years, Steinberg Law has been a respected personal injury law firm with a reputation for standing up for the rights of accident victims. We understand that bringing a lawsuit may not be at the top of your to-do list after a serious accident, and that is understandable. When you choose to trust Steinberg Law with your case, you can rest assured that your case is in good hands, so you can focus on your recovery.

South Carolina Drunk Driving Laws

Like most other states, South Carolina law makes driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol a crime. Anyone who has a blood-alcohol content (BAC) of more than .08 is in violation of the state’s drunk driving laws. However, it does not take a BAC of .08 to impair someone’s ability to drive. According to the South Carolina Department of Public Safety, even small amounts of alcohol in a driver’s system can affect their driving. Below is a chart explaining the effects that alcohol has on the human body, by BAC:

Blood Alcohol ContentChanges in FeelingsObservable Symptoms
.01 to .06A person develops a sense of relaxation and well-being, accompanied by a loss of inhibition.Impairments to thought, judgment, coordination and concentration.
.06 to .10A person becomes more extroverted, and their experience a more pronounced loss of their inhibitions.Impaired reflexes, reasoning, and difficulty telling how far away objects are.
.11 to .20A person may experience mood swings, alternating between very happy and very sad, and may act boisterous.Severe motor skills impairment, slurred speech, and staggering.
.21 to .29A person may begin to stupor, and may not understand their surroundings.Significantly increased reaction time and loss of gross motor skills.
.30 to .39A person can enter a state of severe depression, and may lose consciousnessLoss of bladder function and difficulty breathing.
.40 and aboveA person will almost certainly lose consciousness and death is more likely.Severe difficulty breathing, and a decreased heart rate.

Even with a small amount of alcohol in a driver’s system, they cannot safely operate a car. Despite this fact, thousands of people get behind the wheel after having too much to drink, putting everyone else on the road at risk.

Summerville Drunk Driving Statistics

Parts of Summerville extend into Charleston, Dorchester and Berkeley Counties. The South Carolina Department of Public Safety keeps track of all fatal South Carolina DUI accidents. While data for Summerville specifically is not available, the Department does provide data for these three counties. Below is a list of the number of fatal DUI accidents by county and year:

• Charleston County
â—¦ 2014: 24 fatalities
â—¦ 2015: 15 fatalities
â—¦ 2016: 19 fatalities
â—¦ 2017: 18 fatalities
â—¦ 2018: 28 fatalities
• Dorchester County
â—¦ 2014: 5 fatalities
â—¦ 2015: 11 fatalities
â—¦ 2016: 7 fatalities
â—¦ 2017: 7 fatalities
â—¦ 2018: 2 fatalities
• Berkeley County
â—¦ 2014: 14 fatalities
â—¦ 2015: 10 fatalities
â—¦ 2016: 13 fatalities
â—¦ 2017: 12 fatalities
â—¦ 2018: 13 fatalities

While DUI accidents are among the most likely to be fatal, the majority of these collisions do not result in a fatality. Below is the year-over-year data for Summerville non-fatal DUI accidents:

• Charleston County
â—¦ 2014: 303 DUI accidents
â—¦ 2015: 303 DUI accidents
â—¦ 2016: 342 DUI accidents
â—¦ 2017: 347 DUI accidents
â—¦ 2018: 374 DUI accidents
• Dorchester County
â—¦ 2014: 115 DUI accidents
â—¦ 2015: 109 DUI accidents
â—¦ 2016: 114 DUI accidents
â—¦ 2017: 115 DUI accidents
â—¦ 2018: 111 DUI accidents
• Berkeley County
â—¦ 2014: 175 DUI accidents
â—¦ 2015: 157 DUI accidents
â—¦ 2016: 150 DUI accidents
â—¦ 2017: 191 DUI accidents
â—¦ 2018: 177 DUI accidents

Damages in a Summerville Drunk Driving Accident Lawsuit

After a drunk driving accident, your world is turned upside down. You will likely have missed time at work, and you are racking up expensive medical bills. Filing a personal injury claim can help get you the money you need to put the accident in your rear-view mirror and move on with your life.

If successful, you may be able to obtain compensation for your economic and non-economic damages, including payment for the following:

• Medical bills
• Future medical care
• Lost wages
• Decreased earning capacity
• Damage to your vehicle or other property
• Pain and suffering
• Physical or mental disability
• Permanent scarring or disfigurement
• Loss of the enjoyment of life
• Loss of ability to complete daily tasks
• Loss of companionship

Contact the Summerville Drunk Driving Lawyers at Steinberg Law for Immediate Assistance

If you have recently been injured in a Summerville DUI accident, reach out to the knowledgeable lawyers at the Steinberg Law Firm. For over 170 years, we have been helping those injured in serious accidents through the recovery process. We approach each case with unrivaled dedication and compassion, listening to what is important to you first, before going over your options. We want to help you get your life back on track. To learn more, and to schedule a free consultation, call 843-720-2800. You can also reach us through our online form.

Practice Areas

Results

WE HAVE RECOVERED OVER $500 MILLION FOR CLIENTS IN THE LAST 10 YEARS, INCLUDING:

$3.15 Million

Car Accident Settlement

$3.85 Million

Workers' Comp Case

Leaders in the Legal Industry

Steinberg attorneys have been awarded numerous distinctions, such as Super Lawyers, Best Lawyers in America by U.S. News & World Report, Gedney M. Howe, Jr. Award for Outstanding Public Service, the SC Leadership in Law award, and has been voted Best Workers’ Comp Firm in SC, among other distinctions.

What Our Clients Say

They have amazing lawyers!

They have worked on an impossible situation and exceeded all expectations in the resulting settlements. I would recommend the Steinberg Law Firm to anyone and everyone!

My experience was excellent

From the first consultation to the end of my case I was kept updated step by step. My attorney worked hard for me and got me more than what I expected.

I never felt like I was alone

My lawyer and his Paralegal were right with me the entire case. I never felt like I was alone. At every turn they were in my corner. Someone recommended me to Steinberg law firm and I gladly would do the same for someone else.

I couldn't have asked for better

The people from the Steinberg group are top-notch. They handled my case extremely well, I couldn’t have asked for a better performance. Thank you all so much for all you did for me.

I am grateful for them!

At my worst, they honestly and carefully protected and defended my family on multiple levels. I’m a client for life and the integrity of this law firm is unmatched. Thank You Steinberg Law Family!!!

The people are thoughtful and professional

Questions and concerns always get answered and concerns are taken care of. Thank you all at Steinburg for a good experience and for showing me that you care about your clients.

The best law firm

This the best law firm anyone could ever deal with. Mr. Pearlman will work hard to get everything that is owed to you. It was a pleasure to have been represented by this firm.

A wonderful experience

Had a wonderful experience with Mr. Pearlman and his team. Thank you very much for your diligence and expertise.

I highly recommend them

They work as a team providing the best referrals and assistance to accomplish what my family and I needed. I highly recommend them because you won’t be disappointed.