Premises Liability Lawyers in Myrtle Beach

Myrtle Beach Premises Liability Attorneys

Property owners have a legal duty to ensure that their premises are reasonably safe for legal visitors or, when hazards exist, to adequately warn visitors of the danger. As such, South Carolina premises liability law provides that a person who has been injured because a property owner neglected this duty may seek compensation for damages.

At Mickle & Bass, our Myrtle Beach premises liability attorneys can help you fight for the compensation you deserve after a slip-and-fall accident, dog attack, swimming pool accident, assault or robbery, or other property-based incidents. You should know that many property owners and their insurers will work quickly to obscure facts and deny valid premises liability claims, particularly in cases of serious (and expensive) injury. Without qualified legal help, you may never receive full and fair compensation for your loss.

Don’t try to take on a deep-pocketed insurance company on your own. Let Mickle & Bass take that burden off you so you can focus on healing. Meet with us for a free, no-obligation legal consultation. If we can pursue a claim for you, we work on your case at no charge unless and until we obtain compensation for you.

Understanding a Property Owner’s Legal Obligation for Your Safety

Property owners and their insurance companies frequently try to argue that they are not responsible for injuries you suffered on their premises. However, the law requires property owners (often through managers and staff) to:

• Ensure their premises (building and grounds) are safe for visitors who are there lawfully;
• Inspect their premises with reasonable frequency for hazards;
• Remove or mitigate hazards on their premises in a timely manner; and
• Post warnings that would sufficiently alert a reasonable person to any hazardous condition that cannot be mitigated in a timely manner.

Property owners who fail to perform these duties can be held liable for the injuries that result. If you’ve been hurt on someone else’s property, contact us today to discuss your legal options.

Note: For a premises liability case to proceed, the injured person must establish that he or she was not trespassing and had a legal right to be on the property. Premises liability claims are also subject to the “open and obvious” rule. This holds that property owners should not be held responsible for injuries caused by certain hazards, such as an open pit, which a reasonable person knows to stay away from.

Compensation in a Premises Liability Claim

Every case we handle is unique. And the amount of compensation our Myrtle Beach premises liability attorneys demand will be based on the specific circumstances of your case. In many claims, we seek compensation for:

South Carolina’s “contributory negligence” rule also could affect compensation in your claim, as the insurance company will try to argue that you in some way contributed to your injury. It is crucial to speak with an experienced Myrtle Beach premises liability lawyer as soon as possible after an accident so your legal team can start the work of establishing fault.

Common Types of Premises Liability Claims

In an area as active as Myrtle Beach, there are many potential hazards if buildings and grounds are not properly maintained. The premises liability lawyers of Mickle & Bass represent people who have suffered injuries in a variety of accidents, including:

• Slip-and-fall or trip-and-fall accidents. Falls occur on the premises of retail stores, office buildings, restaurants, hotels, resorts, stadiums, etc., due to hazards that include but are not limited to:
  • Wet floors, whether due to spills, tracked-in rain or snow, wet and dripping swimsuits, etc.
  • Slippery floors, that were recently mopped, buffed, or waxed surfaces
  • Potholes in parking lots, walkways, yards, or other landscaping
  • Damaged walkways, including torn carpet and loose and/or damaged area rugs, paving stones, tile, etc.
  • Loose or damaged stair treads and handrails
  • Insufficient lighting at night or in dark areas like stairwells and parking garages
  • Faulty elevators and escalators
• Swimming pool accidents. In addition to a drowning or near drowning, swimming pool accidents may include:
  • Entrapment by defective or improperly installed drains, which create suction that can trap swimmers and cause injuries
  • Illness from contact with bacteria or other infectious materials in pool water
  • Chemical burns from contact with chemicals used to treat pool water
  • Diving accidents in water not labeled as too shallow for diving
• Dog bites or maulings. Dogs typically bite more than once in an attack and can cause serious wounds and broken bones, particularly of the hands and feet. A person attacked by a dog may also fall, which can cause head injuries, a traumatic brain injury (TBI), broken bones, back injuries, etc. Young children and the elderly are particularly susceptible to dog bites because they are less likely to be able to fend off or escape an attacking animal.
• Negligent security crimes. Security lapses at hotels, motels, B&Bs, apartment complexes, and similar places can allow intruders who commit such crimes as assault (including sexual assault and rape) and larceny or theft. Property owners may be held liable if such a crime was caused by inadequate lighting that allowed perpetrators to go undetected; doors and/or windows that did not lock; security cameras that did not function or exist; and/or security guards or other staff who neglected duties pertaining to residents’ safety.
• Amusement park or playground accident. Equipment at playgrounds, parks, amusement parks, waterparks, and similar attractions must be properly installed, maintained, and operated. Park owners offering amusement rides are responsible for training ride operators and ensuring enforcement of policies for passenger height, weight, allowable activities, etc. In some cases, an equipment manufacturer or ride vendor may be liable for faulty design or manufacturing that led to an accident.

It is a mistake to decline to seek the compensation you deserve after being injured at a home or business owned by friends, coworkers, acquaintances, or friendly proprietors. Businesses and individuals buy liability insurance, including homeowners’ insurance, to pay for injuries and other loss when accidents happen.

If you or a loved one has been injured because of negligent conditions like those outlined above, our Myrtle Beach attorneys may be able to help you get compensation for your losses.

Contact Our Myrtle Beach Premises Liability Lawyers

If you have suffered serious injury while visiting someone else’s home or business, contact our dedicated personal injury attorneys today. Our team is committed to fighting for the rights of those who have been injured in accidents caused by others.

Our Myrtle Beach premises liability lawyers move quickly to investigate accidents caused by property owner negligence, and we aggressively pursue full and fair compensation from insurers.

Contact Mickle & Bass in Myrtle Beach today to set up a free, no-obligation legal consultation. All of our personal injury legal services are on a contingency-fee basis. You will not be charged a fee for our assistance unless we recover money for you.