PREMISES LIABILITY

If you have sustained an injury due to the defective conditions of the property owned by some other individual or business, you have a defective premises case or what is also called a "premises liability" case. This includes any dangers which are present which pose a serious risk to you when you have no previous knowledge of the danger. Not only does this include dangers known by the individual or company who owns or maintains the property, but also those dangers that they should have known of, or they created.

Most buildings and surrounding areas are controlled by building and safety codes which requires the property to meet these specific safety standards. If the property fails to meet code, and poses a threat to you, and you are injured, you are entitled to be reimbursed for your injuries, including, but not limited to:

• Medical Costs
• Missed work wages
• Pain & Suffering
• Permanent Disability

South Carolina premises liability law requires you to file claims within a certain time period. Acting quickly after an injury is also critical to a successful claim since dangerous surfaces or environments can be cleaned or fixed, leaving you with no proof of negligence on the property owner's part.

Slip and Fall

Property owners have the responsibility to its guests, to keep the property in a reasonably safe condition for those who are permitted and invited on to the property. When a property owner does not properly maintain the property, and an injury is sustained by a guest, the property owner is liable, and in many cases the most common liability is due to slip and falls.

Slip and fall injuries are often caused by direct contact with an unsafe surface, and in most cases due to wet floors, stairs, or changes in flooring elevation. A property owner has the legal obligation to ensure a safe environment for i's guests, or at least notify them of dangers within their property. If an owner fails to do so and a guest is subsequently injured in a slip and fall, the guest may have a premises liability claim.

Negligent Maintenance

Many cases also occur when a property, business, or private resident do not take the proper measures to ensure a guest's safety, and when a guest is injured due to this negligence, the guest could be entitled to a monetary compensation. Negligent maintenance cases can include improperly cleaned walkways, merchandise which may have fallen from shelves, sidewalk or parking lot defects, slippery surfaces, and many other situations. These cases and claims require careful investigation and require an attorney's knowledge to allow you the ability to gain that which is yours by properly documenting and preserving the evidence. Claims can be taken against large conglomerates, department stores, restaurants, small businesses, as well as homeowners and landlords. This includes golf courses, parking lots, stairways, hallways, and floors.