There are a lot of dangers on the roads of South Carolina. One of the biggest threats to your safety and well-being is drunk drivers. Serious car accidents can occur when someone who’s intoxicated gets behind the wheel.
What happens to the victims after getting hit by a drunk driver?
After a drunk driver gets into an accident, they’ll be faced with criminal charges and possible jail time. This leads the victims of those drivers to wonder if they can sue after getting hit by a drunk driver.
Usually, when this type of situation happens, your case becomes a bit more complicated. Because the drunk driver has likely been arrested, you’re stuck wondering if you can get compensation for your injuries and/or damages. Criminal charges against a drunk driver don’t do anything to cover the costs of your losses.
You’ll need to file a separate claim against the drunk driver, which will often be reviewed after the criminal trial is over. At that point, you’ll be able to share your injuries and damages and get the compensation you need to help recover.
Getting compensation after getting hit by a drunk driver
After you know where to begin when starting your drunk driving accident claim, you need to figure out how much your claim is worth. If you don’t know how much compensation to seek, you may end up paying for things, such as pricey medical expenses, out-of-pocket because you didn’t get enough compensation to cover your recovery and treatment costs.
You need to account for both financial and nonfinancial related losses when creating your drunk driving accident claim. This includes things like
- Loss wages
- The emotional toll the crash has caused you, pain and suffering
- Damage to your vehicle or other belongings
- Medical and Treatment expenses
Since some of these costs may be difficult to receive compensation for, you should speak with an experienced car accident attorney for guidance.
Why you should speak to a car accident attorney after getting hit by a drunk driver
Drunk driving ruins lives and can be incredibly hard to recover from. You may face damages and injuries that can affect your quality of life for years to come. What’s more is that the guilty party may be facing a significant criminal trial, which can make it even harder for you to receive compensation.
Luckily, there are car accident attorneys that have a good understanding of what it’s like to go through situations identical to yours. We recognize that it can be hard to simply sue and we want to help you get the maximum compensation you deserve so you can focus on recovery, not the stress of bills and damages.
For a free consultation, schedule an appointment to have one of our experienced South Carolina DUI accident lawyers come out and guide you through the process.