Mount Pleasant Dram Shop Liability Lawyer

Mount Pleasant Dram Shop Liability Lawyers

When a drunk driver causes a serious accident, most people know to look to the driver for accountability. But in many cases, that driver was served alcohol at a bar, restaurant, or other licensed establishment long after they were visibly intoxicated. South Carolina law recognizes that alcohol vendors bear responsibility when they continue to serve someone who is clearly drunk and that person goes on to injure others.

At Berly Rouse, our Mount Pleasant dram shop liability lawyers help victims of alcohol-related accidents pursue claims not just against the driver, but against the establishments that contributed to the harm. When a bar or restaurant's decision to keep serving becomes part of what caused your injuries, you may have a path to additional and more substantial compensation.

What Is Dram Shop Liability?

Dram shop liability refers to the legal responsibility of a business that sells or serves alcohol when that service leads to an injury or death. In South Carolina, S.C. Code § 61-6-2910 makes it unlawful for any licensed alcohol vendor to knowingly sell or give alcohol to a person who is visibly intoxicated or to a person under the legal drinking age of 21. When a vendor violates this statute and someone is injured as a result, the vendor may be held civilly liable for the damages caused.

This means that if you were injured by a drunk driver in Mount Pleasant, you may have a claim against both the driver and the bar, restaurant, club, or liquor store that continued to serve them despite visible signs of intoxication.

Who Can Be Held Liable Under Dram Shop Laws?

South Carolina's dram shop liability laws apply to licensed alcohol vendors, including:

Bars and nightclubs
Restaurants and breweries
Hotels and event venues that serve alcohol
Liquor stores and convenience stores
Catering companies and event services with alcohol licenses

Liability generally requires showing that the establishment served a person who was visibly intoxicated or under age 21, and that this service was a contributing cause of the subsequent accident and injuries. Building that case requires prompt investigation — witness accounts, security footage, sales and transaction records, and evidence of the driver's condition at the time of service.

Common Scenarios Where Dram Shop Claims Arise

Mount Pleasant's busy restaurant and bar scene along Shem Creek, Highway 17, and Coleman Boulevard sees a high volume of alcohol service. Dram shop claims commonly arise when:

A patron is served drink after drink at a bar despite showing clear signs of intoxication, then drives and causes a crash
A restaurant continues to serve a visibly drunk customer who later injures someone in the parking lot or on the road
A liquor store sells alcohol to an underage person who causes an accident
A hotel bar or event venue serves an intoxicated guest who goes on to harm another person

If any of these situations apply to your case, our team can evaluate whether a dram shop claim is viable alongside your claim against the intoxicated driver.

Why Dram Shop Claims Matter

Dram shop claims serve two important purposes. First, they create a path to additional compensation. Individual drivers often carry minimum auto insurance limits that fall well short of covering catastrophic injuries. A licensed alcohol vendor's commercial liability policy may provide significantly more coverage, making it possible for seriously injured victims to actually recover what they've lost. Second, holding establishments accountable creates a direct incentive for responsible alcohol service.

At Berly Rouse, we pursue these claims because we believe the full chain of negligence — including the businesses that profit from alcohol sales — should be held responsible when lives are damaged.

Why Choose Berly Rouse?

Dram shop cases require moving quickly. Surveillance footage gets overwritten. Employees change jobs. Records disappear. The moment you suspect an establishment's over-service contributed to your injuries, having a lawyer begin preserving evidence can make or break your case. When you work with our team, you get:

Immediate steps to preserve video footage, transaction records, and witness contact information
Investigation into the driver's history at the establishment and their visible condition at the time of service
Coordination with accident reconstruction experts and toxicologists when needed
Pursuit of both the at-fault driver's insurance and the vendor's commercial liability policy
Full management of your claim through settlement or trial

We know the Charleston County courts and have represented clients throughout Mount Pleasant and the Lowcountry in complex personal injury cases involving multiple liable parties. Our Charleston dram shop lawyers handle these cases across the region.

Get a Free Consultation Today

If you were hurt by a drunk driver in Mount Pleasant, you may be entitled to more than the driver's insurance will pay. An establishment that kept serving a visibly intoxicated person shares responsibility for what happened, and the law gives you a way to hold them accountable.

At Berly Rouse, we work on a contingency fee basis. You don't pay us unless we recover compensation for you. Contact us today for a free consultation. We'll review your case, explain your options, and tell you whether a dram shop claim could be part of your recovery.