As a South Carolina motorist, you share the area’s roads and highways with others who you hope do all they can to prevent dangerous accidents. However, when some drivers decide to drink and get behind the wheel, the results are usually devastating. Some drunk drivers flee the scene of such accidents. If you find yourself seriously injured by a DUI hit and run, our attorneys at Dan Pruitt Injury Law Firm can provide you with legal guidance and answers to some important questions in the aftermath.
Why Do Drunk Drivers Leave the Scene of an Accident?
Drunk drivers who flee the scene of an accident in South Carolina usually do so to avoid punishment. They may know their blood alcohol content is over the state’s legal limit of 0.08 percent and want to avoid arrest. Drunk drivers may also drive away after an accident for several other reasons, including:
- They are too drunk to realize they struck another vehicle
- Their vehicle’s insurance may have expired
- They may have prior DUI charges
In South Carolina, leaving the scene of an accident is a misdemeanor crime in most cases, but as a victim seeking compensation for injuries resulting from a drunk driving hit and run, understanding some of the possible charges the offender may face can help you prepare for legal action as our attorneys build your case.
Understanding DUI Hit-and-Run Charges
South Carolina laws related to drunk driving hit-and-run incidents note that several actions constitute possible charges for those who leave the scene of an accident.
Knowingly fleeing the scene
Drunk drivers may flee the scene of an accident purposely to avoid questioning by authorities or to hide their drunken condition. They may try to return to their homes and hide the vehicle.
Failing to render aid
When accidents occur, most people attempt to call for help for those injured. Drunk drivers may avoid this to hide their drunkenness from the authorities.
Giving false information
Some drunk drivers may provide authorities with a fake name or the name of a friend or family member to avoid punishment when questioned later on. This may delay your hit-and-run case, but our attorneys will work with you to ensure you understand all your legal options as authorities work to discover the facts.
Obtaining Reimbursement Following a DUI Car Accident in South Carolina
Leaving the scene of an accident to avoid a DUI hit and run in Greenville, SC, can result in fines and jail time for the offender, but you may wonder how you can gain compensation for a variety of damages, including:
- Loss of wages
- Medical costs, both past and future
- Pain and suffering
Our attorneys will review the details of your accident and take a variety of actions to build a case that meets the burden of proof you require in court. We will also gather documentation that proves your losses resulting from the hit-and-run wreck. Medical bills, doctor reports and proof that you require physical therapy in the future may make up the bulk of your lawsuit.
As our lawyers build your case, they will also speak to witnesses to a hit-and-run drunk driving accident and provide our attorneys with accounts of the accident, which direction the other driver was traveling when the wreck occurred and what actions that motorist took that directly caused the accident.
What Are the Consequences of a Hit-and-Run DUI Conviction in SC?
When a judge hands down a guilty verdict in a drunk driving hit-and-run case, the guilty party may face a variety of charges. These charges may vary depending on the severity of the crash and the actual damages.
Jail time
Depending on the degree of the DUI accident where the drunk driver leaves the scene, the convicted individual may spend at least a month in jail or up to 25 years in prison. The length of the sentence may depend upon whether the drunk driver had any prior convictions.
Fines
South Carolina drivers facing a hit-and-run conviction may have to pay a fine along with any other damages our attorneys earn for you. Depending on whether they committed a misdemeanor or a felony, they may have to pay anywhere from $100 to $25,000.
Loss of license
Depending on prior convictions, drunk drivers in South Carolina may have their driver’s license permanently revoked. This can affect their ability to keep a job and provide their families with necessary transportation for medical appointments and childcare needs.
A damaged reputation
Individuals who earn a conviction for a drunk driving hit and run charge may face a damaged reputation in both their professional and personal lives. They may even lose their jobs or severely damage their family relationships.
What Types of Compensation Can You Receive in a DUI Hit-and-Run Case?
After you get injured in an accident where a drunk driver flees the scene, our attorneys can request a variety of different damages to place a dollar amount on your losses.
Compensatory losses
These are damages that have a definite monetary value. The cost of your medical treatment, medications and damaged property that insurance does not cover. These damages include the need for any medical equipment you may need at home while you recover.
Non-compensatory losses
When our attorneys determine a value for these types of losses, they consider damages that include your pain and suffering, mental anguish and any disfigurement resulting from a drunk driving hit-and-run crash.
Punitive damages
While our attorneys can request these damages, the judge or jury determines whether the defendant acted with willful neglect or recklessness that breached a duty of care. Punitive damages punish convicted hit-and-run drivers and may prevent such behavior in the future.
Contact Us With Your SC DUI Hit-and-Run Case
When someone decides to drink and drive in South Carolina and flees from the resulting scene of an accident, the pain, suffering and monetary damages can change your life forever. Contact our attorneys at Dan Pruitt Injury Law Firm today and let us fight for you.