Premises Liability / Slip-and-Fall

Have you been injured due to dangerous conditions on another person’s property?

South Carolina law requires that property owners take necessary precautions to ensure that their premises are safe for guests, customers, clients, employees, and other visitors. When injuries to visitors or customers are caused by unsafe conditions, there is often a premises liability case to be made.

If you are injured while on someone else’s property, the property owner can be held responsible if the accident was caused by the owner’s negligence.

What are the most common types of premises liability cases?

Slip-and-fall

Falling while on another’s property due to unsafe conditions may set the stage for a premises liability case. If you were injured by any of the following, you may have a claim:

• Flooring slick from rain or other liquids
• Loose or cracked flooring or unsecured carpeting or rugs
• Tripping hazards such as hidden cords
• Stairs, railings, or ramps that weren’t built to code
• Unsafe accumulations of snow, slate, or water

Negligent security

Negligent security is a type of premises liability claim where an individual is harmed by the criminal and violent acts of a third party due to a lack of adequate security.

To successfully prove negligent security, the plaintiff must show that the crime that occurred was foreseeable, and that the property owner should have been been able to prevent it. This is often done by showing the crime rate in the area around the property, and making the case that more security should have been in place.

While security requirements do vary from property to property, property owners are typically required to protect their visitors and customers in some way.

Some commonplace examples of negligent security include:

• Improperly trained security guards
• Poor or missing lighting
• Missing security cameras

Dangerous animals

An animal on the premises can be a liability even if it’s an otherwise friendly pet. Property owners are often responsible for restraining their pets or warning visitors that their pet might be dangerous.

When a property owner fails to control their animal, and a visitor is injured as a result, there may be a property liability claim.

Do I have a claim?

Not all injuries that result from dangerous conditions meet the requirements for a claim. If you think you may have a claim, consider these factors:

• Were you hurt while on someone else’s property?
• Was your injury caused by a dangerous condition on someone else’s property?
• Did the property owner know about the dangerous condition?
• Did the property owner cause, fail to fix, or fail to warn visitors about the dangerous condition?

If some or all of these conditions are true, you may have a premises liability claim.

When should you call an attorney?

Right away. If you or a loved one was hurt due to dangerous conditions on someone else’s property, our experienced team can help you investigate the situation, build a persuasive case, and receive fair compensation.

How can Williams & Williams help?

Receiving the compensation you deserve depends largely on demonstrating the knowing negligence of the property owner while showing that you yourself were not negligent ahead of the accident.

This can be difficult to do on your own, but the experienced attorneys at Williams & Williams can help to investigate, build your case, and aggressively fight for what you’re owed.

Since 1936, we’ve recovered millions in damages for clients in Orangeburg County and across South Carolina. We will relentlessly advocate for your full and fair compensation.

What will it cost for Williams & Williams to handle my case?

We operate on a contingency fee, which means we don’t charge anything unless you recover damages.

Call or schedule a free consultation today.

Contact a lawyer at Williams & Williams Attorneys at Law in Orangeburg, South Carolina by calling (803) 534-5218 to schedule a free consultation.

Your consultation will always be handled by one of our experienced attorneys.