[Transcript]
There's this bar over in West Columbia, and everybody knew if you wanted to go to a place where anything goes, this was the spot. Sure enough, a fella shows up there one night. He knows no one's going to cut him off, so he starts shooting liquor and chasing his shots with beer. He gets wasted. No one checks on him, offers him a ride home, offers him food, or provides any safe alcohol service. They do the opposite; this is pure danger.
At the same time, this guy's leaving the bar, there's a woman named Edna Wler. We had a birthday party for my three-year-old great-grandson. I was taking my granddaughter home, dropped her off, and was going back home. I pulled up to a red light. The next thing I know, I had been slammed in the rear. What Edna doesn't know is the fella who got so wasted at that bar is so drunk he actually passes out behind the wheel. Right as he comes to, he sees the brake lights on Edna's vehicle, but it's way too late. Life's changed.
I guess I was just in shock. The first thing I did was call my son, and he says, "Mom, where are you?" I told him I didn't know; I didn't know where I was. I was just so dazed. He said, "Mom, hang up and call 911." They got me in the ambulance and took me to the hospital. I was there all night. I wound up going to doctors, and then they sent me to Atlanta to Dr. Re. He had to do surgery on my neck. My niece told me, she says, "Aunty, you've got to call a lawyer." I said, "I don't know. I just don't know what to do." She said, "Call a lawyer." So, I got on my phone and looked up the top 10 lawyers. Kenny had the highest rating, so I called him.
It was just like talking to a person in your family. They were so good, just like they'd known me all my life. It was great. I was still scared because you hear things about people getting lawyers to sue people, and I'm not that type of person. Kenny made me feel comfortable because he explained a lot of things to me. He had worked a lot of cases. He gave me relief just by talking to him.
When we resolved Edna's case, it couldn't just be based on what she'd gone through up until the surgery. It had to be based on what she was going to live with the rest of her life because an irresponsible bar over-served a guy who chose to get behind the wheel so intoxicated that he passed out and crashed into her. That should not happen. This was totally preventable. People know you don't get on the road drinking; you just don't do that.
I think a lot of Kenny and his staff. I really do. He's an awesome person, and I let everybody know it too.
What is considered driving under the influence in South Carolina?
In South Carolina, driving under the influence is defined as operating a vehicle while under the influence of:
- Alcohol;
- Narcotics;
- Prescription pain killers; or
- Marijuana
It is illegal to drive in our state if your blood alcohol content (BAC) is 0.08 or higher. However, if you are under the age of 21, the limit is 0.02 percent or higher, and if you are driving a commercial vehicle, the limit is 0.04 percent or higher.
Drunk Driving Statistics
- South Carolina has the 3rd highest rate of people killed in crashes involving a drunk driver. SC also has the 6th highest rate of drunk drivers under the age of 21.
- Drivers with a BAC over .10 are 7 times more likely to be in a fatal crash.
- Over 10,000 Americans are killed by drunk drivers each year, according to the CDC.
- Nearly 22,000 DUI arrests were made in SC last year.
- There were 291 fatalities in 2023 as a result of drunk driving in South Carolina.
Dram Shop Laws & Overserving Alcohol in South Carolina
In South Carolina, “dram shop liability” refers to the idea that if an establishment is responsible for getting a person drunk, they are responsible for that person’s actions after the person leaves the establishment. This means that bars and restaurants have a responsibility not to over-serve alcohol to their patrons. If a drunk driver injures or kills another person after leaving an establishment that served them alcohol, both the establishment that served them and the drunk driver can be held responsible.
Our South Carolina drunk driving attorneys work hard to help the victims of drunk driving accidents hold all the at-fault parties accountable. Our goal is to help injured people receive full compensation for their losses. If you believe the South Carolina Dram Shop laws may be applicable to your case, don’t hesitate to reach out to our attorneys with questions or to schedule a free consultation. We are dedicated to serving as a resource for drunk driving-related incidents in our community.
How can a personal injury attorney help me after a crash with a drunk driver?
The right accident lawyer will allow you to focus on healing while they take care of all the other factors of your case, such as dealing with the insurance companies, securing evidence, uncovering all potential defendants and insurance policies, identifying skilled doctors to provide medical treatment, and negotiating with healthcare providers to reduce your medical bills.
Additionally, our law firm handles all cases on a contingency fee basis, meaning you do not pay anything unless we recover money for you.