Under South Carolina law, property owners have a duty of care towards visitors on their property. This includes warning visitors of dangers that might cause them harm and generally maintaining a safe environment. In some cases owners might be careless by failing to warn visitors of hazards or allowing dangerous conditions to remain on their property. Other times, the property owner may not have known of the dangers on their property. In either case, a property owner may be held liable for damages in a South Carolina court when someone injures themselves on their property.
If you were injured on another party’s property in Florence, the law might entitle you to compensation for your injuries. Contact the experienced legal team at Hughey Law Firm at (843) 881-8644 to take legal action before South Carolina’s legal window closes. At a free case review, one of our knowledgeable attorneys will determine your eligibility for seeking compensation and advise you on the best course of action for your situation.
Hughey Law Firm’s Results in Premises Liability Cases
Hughey Law Firm’s experienced personal injury attorneys have ample experience representing personal injury victims, including those who were injured because of a property or business owner’s negligence. The legal team has recovered millions of dollars for former clients including some of the following recent premises liability cases:
- $250,000 verdict in our client’s favor after they fell on a stairwell;
- $350,000 settlement after a client was injured from falling on slippery steps;
- $350,000 verdict for a child who was trapped in a fire at a friend’s home;
- $650,000 verdict after a client required an amputation from an injury on another party’s property;
- $1,500,000 settlement after a client crushed her leg in a dock accident at a vacation rental home; and
- $1,500,000 settlement after our client was injured at a South Carolina nightclub.
These past examples can’t guarantee an outcome in any specific case, but Hughey Law Firm will diligently pursue the best-case scenario for your premises liability accident.
Common Premises Liability Accidents
Many different circumstances might lead to an injury on another party’s property that gives rise to a premises liability lawsuit. Some common premises liability accidents handled by Hughey Law Firm include:
- Slip and fall accidents;
- Elevator and escalator accidents;
- Poor building maintenance;
- Poor building security;
- Swimming pool accidents, including drowning;
- Theme park accidents; and
- Fires and explosions.
Visitor Status in South Carolina Premises Liability Cases
The likelihood of a South Carolina court returning a verdict in your favor in a premises liability case often rests on your visitor status when you were injured. Like most states, South Carolina divides visitors into three broad types: invitees, licensees, and trespassers.
Invitees
When a property owner explicitly or implicitly invited others on their property, the law considers them as invitees. This includes retail shoppers at the mall, those dining in a restaurant, community members attending a concert at a public park, and many more. Property owners have the highest duty of care towards invitees under South Carolina law.
Licensees
Protection for licensees varies from state to state based on whether the state recognizes the difference between invited and uninvited licensees. South Carolina law recognizes both types. Invited licensees typically include family, friends, neighbors, and anyone else who might qualify as a social guest. Uninvited licensees have implied consent to visit another party’s property. Examples include postal workers and other package delivery people, the technician from the electric company that reads your meter each month, door-to-door salespeople, and more.
Trespassers
Those who don’t have permission to enter another party’s property have little protection under the law if they get injured. Property owners cannot set traps or intentionally harm trespassers, but they are otherwise not required to warn them of dangers. South Carolina, like many other states, makes an exception for child trespassers. A child’s visitor status remains irrelevant until they are a teenager. Owners must maintain a safe property for children that might trespass and get hurt. Common things that attract children to another party’s property include trampolines, swimming pools, construction sites, and more.
Seeking Damages in South Carolina Premises Liability Cases
Victims who have suffered injury on another party’s property have the legal right to seek damages in civil court under South Carolina law. Here are some of the common damages that a victim might recover if the court finds a verdict in their favor:
- Medical costs including ambulance services, emergency room visits, hospitalization, follow-up visits, x-rays, surgery, medication, and more
- Future medical costs when a permanent disability requires long-term, around-the-clock health care or a severe injury requires multiple surgeries and/or a long recovery time
- Lost wages for time away from work related to the injury
- Lost future wages if a severe or catastrophic injury prevents an accident victim from returning to work or requires them to change professions because of their injury
- Rehabilitation costs including physical therapy services, assistive devices like walkers, wheelchairs, canes, and prosthetic limbs, and assistive technology for those who have lost vision, speech, or other functions
- Home modification costs to make the victim’s home more accessible by adding ramps, handrails, and any other special equipment
- Cost of replacement services when an injury prevents a victim from doing certain daily activities. Examples include help with cooking, cleaning, grocery shopping, mowing the lawn, driving, and more.
- Non-economic damages related to the injury including pain and suffering, loss of consortium, scarring and disfigurement, and others that might be applicable to your individual circumstances
Get the Legal Help You Need from a Florence Premises Liability Lawyer
If you or a loved one have been injured on another party’s property in Florence, you might need an experienced premises liability attorney to navigate the complexities of the legal process, advocate for your right to full and fair compensation, and protect you from counterclaims from the defense. Your focus needs to be on recovery, while your lawyer handles the minute details. Contact one of the experienced premises liability lawyers at Hughey Law Firm online or call our office at (843) 881-8644 to schedule a free consultation to discuss your case.