Premises Liability Lawyer Information in Greenville, SC

Premises liability is a general term for civil claims that may arise when someone is hurt because of a condition on property, or because of how the property was maintained or secured. This page is not a diagnosis of any claim and is not legal advice.

Situations this topic can include

Besides slip-and-fall incidents, people sometimes look for information after injuries involving unsafe stairs or railings, falling objects, inadequate lighting, swimming pools, or questions about security on a property. Dog bite incidents on someone else’s property can raise both animal-liability and premises questions.

Whether a property owner, occupier, or another party owed a duty, and whether that duty was breached, depends on the facts and on South Carolina law, much of which is found in court decisions rather than a single statute. This site does not attempt to classify a visitor’s legal status or to say what duty applied in a given case.

Property in Greenville and the surrounding area

People in Greenville County encounter these questions in grocery stores and shopping centers, apartment and rental properties, restaurants, parking lots, hotels, office buildings, and other public or private places. Ownership, a lease, or a maintenance contract can affect who, if anyone, was responsible for a condition. This site does not decide who controlled a particular property.

Duty and the injured person’s status

South Carolina court decisions often consider the injured person’s relationship to the property — for example, whether the person was there as a customer, as a guest, or without permission — when discussing what duty, if any, an owner or occupier owed. Those are legal questions that depend on the facts. This site does not classify any visitor or state what duty applied in a given case.

Fault sharing

Even when another person or business may share responsibility, South Carolina’s modified comparative negligence rule can reduce a recovery, or bar it, depending on the plaintiff’s percentage of fault. The home page summarizes the South Carolina Supreme Court’s decision in Nelson v. Concrete Supply Co. and points to S.C. Code Ann. § 15-38-15. Nothing here predicts how fault would be assigned after a particular incident.

Documentation people often keep

After medical needs are addressed, people sometimes keep photographs of the condition, the names of witnesses, incident reports, and records of who owned or managed the property. The What to Do After an Injury page is a general checklist. This website does not investigate properties or contact businesses on your behalf.

Time limits

Under S.C. Code Ann. § 15-3-530(5), many actions for injury to the person must be commenced within three years. S.C. Code Ann. § 15-3-535 provides that, except for actions under § 15-3-545, those actions must be commenced within three years after the person knew, or by the exercise of reasonable diligence should have known, that they had a cause of action. Other rules can apply, including different periods for medical malpractice, wrongful death, and workers’ compensation. Only a licensed attorney who reviews your facts can assess a deadline that applies to you. Sending a form on this website does not extend or satisfy a filing deadline.

If a premises incident caused a death, the wrongful death page explains a different set of statutes, including a period that generally runs from the date of death.