Charleston Slip & Fall Injury Attorney

Helping Victims of Slip & Fall Accidents Recover Compensation

Slip (or trip) and fall injuries are some of the most common personal injury and premises liability claims. In these claims, the injured victim must prove that they were welcome on a particular property and that the property owner exposed them to dangerous conditions that caused them to fall and sustain an injury. While these claims are often associated with minor injuries, they can be as dangerous as nearly any other kind of injury claim and deserve to be accounted for under the law.

At Pierce, Sloan, Kennedy & Early LLC, our dedicated and proven Charleston slip and fall lawyers know what it takes to effectively pursue these claims. These cases do not just require filing legal documents, but investigation, interviews, research, and other tasks necessary to proving the liability of the property owner. We work tirelessly to ensure that we present a compelling and undeniable argument for compensation on your behalf both in and outside the courtroom.

Examples of Slip & Fall Accidents

If you are a welcome visitor to a residential or commercial property, then property owners are obligated to provide you a reasonably safe environment. When it comes to slip and fall cases, wrongdoing can usually be established by noting poor or questionable conditions anywhere on the property where foot traffic is meant to take place.

Common dangerous conditions cited in slip and fall claims include:

• Wet and slippery flooring
• Cracked or uneven flooring or pavement
• Unstable or cluttered stairways
• Cabling that snakes in the path of foot traffic
• Any undue or unexpected clutter or debris
• Low interior lighting where any of these conditions exist

In most cases, property owners will be covered by insurance companies for these kinds of accidents, but insurance providers are not always ready to provide relief to victims. Our team of Charleston slip and fall attorneys know how to take these companies on and ensure that every viable avenue towards recovering rightful compensation is explored to its fullest extent.

• Related: What Are The Common Causes of Slip & Fall Accidents?

Proving Liability in a Slip & Fall Accident Case

To establish liability in a slip and fall accident claim, you must show 3 elements of negligence:

• The owner of the property had a duty to protect you from harm
• The property owner breached their duty to protect you from harm
• You were injured directly as a result of their breach of duty

Were you injured on a premises due to the negligence of the owner? Call (843) 968-0886 for a free case evaluation with a slip & fall accident attorney in Charleston at Pierce, Sloan, Kennedy, & Early LLC.

Common Places for Slip and Fall Accidents

Although slip and fall accidents can occur in any location, there are some locations that are much more common than others. Below are some of the most common locations as well as some issues associated with them:

• Grocery Stores or Big Box Stores: Slip and fall accidents are common in these locations, but are also often complex when it comes to proving responsibility as well as working with insurance companies. Given the numerous obstacles one may face, it is best to work with an experienced attorney in such cases.
• Hotels and Resorts: Like grocery stores, hotels and resorts will also make it difficult for victims of slip and fall accidents to prove responsibility and will also require a notice of the incident.
• Small Businesses: Small businesses generally do not require the same formal processes that bigger businesses do, but that should not detract you from aggressively pursuing the necessary steps for your claim.
• Private Homes: If you are a friend of the homeowner, this will undoubtedly be a little difficult, but as with any type of slip and fall claim, compensation will usually come from the at-fault party’s insurance company, so be prepared for your dealings with them and hire legal representation to guide you through it.
• Rented Homes or Apartments: These accidents can either be the fault of a landlord, tenant, or both, so be sure to note the circumstances of your accident. It will be necessary to establish who was responsible for the dangerous conditions that lead to your fall.
• Public Places: This includes public parks, public buildings, or even a street or sidewalk that the government had a duty to maintain. Claims and lawsuits against a public entity present a serious challenge in terms of procedure, so this should not be handled without an attorney.
• Work: Workplace accidents are generally covered by workers compensation, but may sometimes require legal action against an employer.

Where Your Accident Happens Matters

Where a slip and fall accident occurs dictates who is responsible and how to go about filing a claim for compensation. The factors a court will examine to identify who is responsible include:

• Maintenance Expectations: Does the law expect the defendant to react quickly to unsafe conditions? For example, if something spilled in an isle at a grocery store, they should quickly clean it up, or at least provide a sign for customers to exercise caution. For a homeowner, the expectation is not as strict.
• Control of Conditions: Did the party have control over the conditions that caused your fault? Stores have employees to tend to hazards, but a landlord might have less control if the condition is caused by a guest.
• Individuals Involved: If a person contributed to a slip and fall accident, depending on whether or not that individual is an employee at a business can impact liability for injuries someone sustained in an accident.

Contact a Charleston Slip and Fall Injury Attorney

If you have been injured in a slip and fall accident, it is important to contact a skilled attorney who is equipped with the knowledge required to effectively handle your claim and, if necessary, take it to court. At Pierce, Sloan, Kennedy & Early LLC, our Charleston slip and fall accident lawyers will work tirelessly to ensure that we present a compelling and undeniable argument for compensation on your behalf.