Are You Suffering From Slip and Fall Injuries in SC?
At David W. Martin Accident and Injury Lawyers, our South Carolina slip and fall lawyers know that our state’s dependency on tourism revenue requires an exorbitant number of hotels, motels, grocery stores, surf shops, malls, retail outlets, restaurants, bars, and nightclubs, entertainment venues, and waterparks to be fully operational year round to produce the optimum income for the corporations and business owners that run them.
Unfortunately, many of these companies place profits over safety, which can lead to severe injuries and even fatalities during slip and fall and other premises liability accidents.
Slip and fall accidents can occur on both public and private premises, and the owner of the property — or another responsible party, including a property manager — can be held liable for the resulting injuries and damages that may arise when dangerous conditions go unrepaired or continue to exist without proper warnings.
If the owners or managers of the property were negligent by creating the problem, failing to fix it, or failing to warn guests about the danger, they may be held liable for an accident victim’s injuries in South Carolina.
What are the Basic Rules for South Carolina Premises Liability Accidents?
The first rule of premises liability is that the owner or operator must keep the property safe from hazards and dangers as part of their legal duty to protect visitors whether they are a personal visitor, shopper, or tenant from any unreasonable risk of injury due to its design, construction, or condition.
Simply put, if the property owner is aware that several tiles are missing from their entrance, and that causes a significant tripping hazard but does nothing about it — including warning guests the danger exists — they may be liable for the injuries that result.
The second part of a premise’s liability claim is that the visitor must have been injured while using the property as it was intended.
If there are adequate warnings — say, near a swimming pool — that outline potential hazards associated with running near the pool, but the guests continue to run, only to slip and fall, the property owner may not be responsible for the injury.
If the same visitor slips, falls and is injured in a wet area, with no warning of potential danger, and they were walking normally, the property owner may be liable for the damages because that particular hazard should not have existed in that particular area of the property.
Slip and fall injuries are often severe, and proving liability requires an experienced personal injury attorney to outline the laws associated with the accident and the best legal approach to pursuing the property owner for damages. At David W. Martin Accident and Injury Lawyers, our South Carolina slip and fall attorneys can help build your case for success, beginning with a consultation today.
Our South Carolina personal injury lawyers represent individuals and families who have been hurt or have lost a loved one in:
- Auto Accidents
- Bicycle Accidents
- Boat Accidents
- Dog Bites
- Medical Malpractice
- Motorcycle Accidents
- Negligent Security
- Nursing Home Negligence
- Pedestrian Accidents
- Sexual Abuse
- Truck Accidents
- Workers’ Compensation
- Wrongful Death
- Rideshare Sexual Assault
Who Can Be Held Liable for a Slip and Fall Accident Injury in South Carolina?
Partnering with a skilled slip and fall attorney in South Carolina will allow you to determine who is liable for your injuries.
That may include the property owner, the occupier, or both.
If the property owner knew about or negligently created an unsafe condition on the premises, they can be held liable for any resulting injuries from the unsafe condition.
Often, the company or individual that occupies the premises may not be the property owner. That means we may investigate whether the occupier took reasonable steps to keep the property safe and/or to prevent your accident from occurring.
While it may be difficult to determine who should bear the brunt of the responsibility — the owner or the occupier — our South Carolina premises liability lawyers recommend filing a claim against both parties. We can help outline your case to ensure all parties are included, to maximize the outcome.
Where Do Most Slip and Fall Accidents Occur in South Carolina?
When negligence is a factor, slip and fall injuries can happen anywhere. This is especially true at large resorts, restaurants, and other highly trafficked locations where the owners rely on employees to maintain their properties.
This is typically where safety, maintenance, and cleaning protocols are important, as they can identify potential dangers and fix the problem before someone gets hurt. When these practices are neglected, injuries will follow.
Common premises liability claims may arise from:
- Actual Slips & Falls
Spilled liquids, wet floors, torn mats and rugs, and other hazardous conditions can cause someone to literally slip, trip, or fall on the premises, which can cause severe injuries.
Slip and fall accidents are common in hotel lobbies, restaurants, grocery stores, and retail outlets when the hazard is not immediately cleaned up or identified by a warning sign until it can be corrected.
- Obstructed or Poorly Lit Walkways
Trip and fall accidents are equally as injurious when cluttered stairwells and walkways, broken and uneven paths or stairs, or poorly lit areas obstruct a guest’s ability to walk safely throughout the premises.
- Falling Debris or Merchandise
Overstocked or poorly stocked retail or grocery store shelves can easily send merchandise or other debris toppling onto customers without notice.
But they are not the only culprit. As tourist-focused cities in South Carolina continue to expand, areas that are under construction at hotels, restaurants, and entertainment venues create the potential for heavy objects to fall from above and strike someone below.
- Faulty Escalators & Elevators
Millions of people visit South Carolina each year, which puts a significant strain on our resort, shopping mall, and entertainment venues’ elevators and escalators.
When escalators and elevators are not properly designed, installed, and maintained, people can get hurt. When property owners allow guests to continue using these hazards, the result can be disastrous.
- Inadequate Security
Hotels, retail stores, bars, nightclubs, and other entertainment venues – or organizers and sponsors of large events – must provide enough security to keep the attendees safe from harm. That means blocking traffic when necessary, providing crowd control, or minimizing a violent threat by diffusing potential dangers before people can get hurt.
- Playground or Amusement Park Dangers
Rides and equipment must be designed, constructed, maintained, and operated safely throughout parks to ensure guests have a safe experience throughout their visits.
- Swimming Pool Accidents
The obvious danger near water is a drowning hazard, however, pools and waterparks can be dangerous to even the best swimmers when they are operating with defective parts or are poorly maintained.
Contact Our Skilled Slip and Fall Injury Attorneys in South Carolina for a consultation
If you have been injured while on public or private property because of dangerous conditions that could have been prevented, contact our skilled premises liability lawyers in South Carolina at David W. Martin Accident and Injury Lawyers today at 803-258-6199. We provide consultations for all South Carolina residents, and never charge any legal fees unless we deliver a positive outcome for your unique case.