The Louthian Firm Accident & Injury Lawyers represents people who were injured by a drunk driver. Attorney Bert Louthian represents victims, including drunk driving accident victims. If you are the victim of a drunk driving crash, we can represent you to pursue financial compensation.
We are here for you when life goes wrong. Work with a Columbia injury lawyer with more than three decades of experience advocating for families in the Columbia, SC area. Call (803) 592-6231 to talk to Columbia drunk driving accident lawyer Bert Louthian about your situation.
Legal Representation for Columbia Drunk Driving Accident Victims
You were hit by a drunk driver and you’re injured. Medical bills are piling up and you may not be able to work. Each day, you endure physical pain and mental injury. It can be hard to know what to do.
Columbia drunk driving accident lawyer Bert Louthian focuses on your legal case and your financial recovery. He advocates for you while you take care of everything else.
You may deserve financial compensation – and drunk drivers should be held accountable. Our family-owned law firm works on behalf of families. We represent injured victims including drunk driving victims.
See how we can help you and what you may receive in compensation. Contact us today to talk about your case.
Drunk Driving Accident Compensation Claims
A drunk driving accident claim is a civil legal claim for compensation. It’s not a criminal charge – it’s a civil personal injury claim. The victim initiates the case, and the case is about the victim. A drunk driving accident case focuses on the offender’s liability to the victim.
The victim may receive financial compensation that represents the harm that has occurred including pain and suffering. In addition, because of the highly offensive nature of drunk driving, the defendant may be liable to pay punitive damages.
Types of Cases We Handle
Driving under the influence of alcohol
South Carolina law prohibits driving under the influence of alcohol to the extent that a person’s faculties to drive are materially and appreciably impaired. We gather evidence to show how alcohol influenced the person’s driving and ultimately caused the accident and injury to the victims.
Driving under the influence of drugs or a combination of substances
A person may be impaired because of drugs or a combination of drugs and other substances. The influence of drugs can make a person a drunk driver. When The Louthian Firm Accident & Injury Lawyers represents you, we work with experts to explain how drugs impacted the person’s driving and caused harm to the victim.
Driving with an unlawful alcohol content
South Carolina law has established a .08 alcohol concentration as the legal limit for lawful driving. When a person operates a motor vehicle with a bodily alcohol content of .08 or more, they are in violation of the law. A lawyer can assist you with the scientific evidence of proving the person’s alcohol level at the time of the crash.
With or without criminal charges
We can represent you in a drunk driving accident claim whether or not the state authorizes criminal charges against the offender. A solicitor or prosecutor decides whether to issue criminal charges. They control the decisions in prosecuting the case. You may bring your own claim for financial compensation whether or not there are criminal charges and regardless of how those criminal charges resolve. The burden of proof in a civil case is a preponderance of the evidence. It is a lower standard than is used in criminal trials.
Blood, breath or urine alcohol testing or no chemical testing
Drunk driving allegations often rely on scientific testing, including breath testing, a blood sample or urine testing. There may be questions about the timing of testing and the evidence chain of custody. Our law firm understands the technical aspects of a drunk driving accident case. We anticipate what to expect from the defense, and we carefully build the evidence to present and explain chemical testing as part of the case.
Commercial and professional drivers
Commercial and professional drivers should be held to a high standard when it comes to safety on the roads. We handle drunk driving cases involving commercial drivers, understanding the important considerations for building your case.
Contested fault, admitted fault
In a drunk driving case, the driver may admit to drunk driving, leaving open only the question of damages. In other cases, they may contest fault, denying that they were a drunk driver or that it was the cause of the accident and injuries. We handle cases involving both contested fault and situations where fault is admitted. Lawyer Bert Louthian can identify and address the issues that are present in your case. We can advocate for fair compensation that you are due under the law.
How a Columbia Drunk Driving Accident Lawyer Can Assist You
Ways drunk driving accident lawyer Bert Louthian can assist you include:
- Determining if you qualify to claim compensation
- Calculating your damages including non-economic damages like pain and suffering and disfigurement
- Seeking exemplary (punitive) damages, when appropriate
- Understanding technical and scientific elements of a drunk driving claim, including standardized field sobriety testing and chemical testing
- Evaluating additional parties that may have liability to pay compensation
- Drafting legal documents, pursuing your case and moving it forward through the legal system
- Negotiating a settlement or presenting your case at trial
- Taking care of everything legally while you recover from your injuries
Lawyer Bert Louthian has been advocating for victims in Columbia, SC since 1985. He was mentored in the law by his attorney father, quickly seeing the importance of having a capable legal advocate for victims in the community.
For anyone needing legal representation following a drunk driving accident, The Louthian Firm Accident & Injury Lawyers offers free consultations with no obligation. See what you may receive in compensation and how we can assist you to receive it.
Schedule a Free Consultation
For a free consultation with a Columbia drunk driving accident lawyer, contact Bert Louthian of The Louthian Firm Accident & Injury Lawyers. We are taking new cases representing victims of drunk driving accidents. If you or a family member has been harmed by a drunk driver, call (803) 592-6231 to discuss your case and begin.
