Slip and Fall Attorneys Bamberg SC
If you have a Bamberg Slip And Fall case, contact an experienced Bamberg Slip And Fall Lawyer like Bakari Sellars can help you navigate your case.
Often, a fall on property sometimes referred to as a “slip and fall,” may be caused by the negligence of a property owner or other party. Businesses and homeowners have certain duties to keep their property safe for visitors, and when they fail to live up to that duty, accidents happen. A slip and fall often result in a violent collision between your body and the ground, which can lead to serious injury.
It is important to speak with an attorney following a slip and fall, because, at the time of the accident, you may not even realize the fall was the fault of somebody else. We can investigate the matter further to determine the facts. Whether you’ve slipped on a wet floor at a grocery store, tripped over a raised sidewalk, or suffered from a slip and fall in any number of ways, contact the Bamberg Slip And Fall Lawyer at Strom Law Firm immediately.
Typical Causes of Bamberg Slip and Fall Accidents
Slip and fall accidents occur due to a variety of reasons. Some of these may implicate the fault of another and can be caused by a variety of conditions, including:
- Faulty stairs
- Broken or raised pavement
- Absence of handrails
- Inadequate or faulty lighting
- Uncovered wiring
- Debris on the ground
- Hidden or unclearly marked steps
- Uneven and/or slippery floors
- Worn down and torn carpet
How Much Is My Slip and Fall Accident Case Worth?
After you’ve suffered an injury in a slip and fall accident, you may wonder how much your case is truly worth. Each case is unique and each accident victim requires different levels of compensation.
To better assess your case, the slip and fall accident lawyers at Strom Law Firm will meet with you to learn more about your accident. We will then work with your medical team to determine how your injuries personally affect you and your overall quality of life.
While each case is unique, there are common types of damages you may be entitled to pursue. These damages include economic, non-economic, and, in some instances, punitive damages.
Economic Damages
These verifiable losses resulting from an accident may include:
- Past, current, and future medical expenses. These can consist of emergency medical treatments, ambulance rides, surgeries, doctor visits, and prescription medications
- Past, current, and future lost wages resulting from not working following the slip and fall accident.
- Lost earning capacity
- Rehabilitative services including vocational and physical therapy
- At-home nursing care
- Replacement services such as house cleaning or child care services
- Medical devices such as crutches or wheelchairs
- Other out-of-pocket expenses
Non-Economic Damages
These losses resulting from the accident are not easy to quantify and include:
- Pain and suffering
- Mental Anguish
- Loss of companionship
- Loss of consortium
- Loss of reputation
- Loss of a limb
- Disfigurement
- Scarring
- Loss of enjoyment of life and activities
Punitive Damages
In rare instances, South Carolina courts may award punitive damages. However, unlike compensatory damages, which compensate the victim for their losses, punitive damages are instead intended to punish the defendant for their willful, wanton, or reckless actions and deter them from committing these actions in the future.
South Carolina’s Premises Liability Laws
Filing a Slip and Fall Accident Lawsuit in Bamberg
Under South Carolina law, different property owners have different responsibilities when it comes to protecting people on their properties. The extent of a duty that the owner might owe an injury victim depends on the reason that person was present on the property.
Property owners owe the highest duty of care to invitees.
- Invitees: Invitees enter the land of another individual at the express or implied invitation of the occupant of the land. For instance, a customer is generally considered an invitee.
Property owners owe a duty of reasonable care to an invitee, which carries the duty to warn of any “latent” or hidden defects or dangers.
- Licensees: Licensees are allowed entry to a property by the consent of an owner or occupant. For example, house guests are often considered a licensee.
The duty of care owed to a licensee is not quite as high as that owed to an invitee. Property owners have a duty to warn licensees of conditions that are actually known by the owner or occupant. There is not a requirement to actively inspect and discover dangerous conditions or to make any unknown conditions safe.
- Trespassers: Trespassers enter land belonging to another without any invitation, right, or lawful authority. They enter exclusively for their own purposes. An owner ordinarily does not owe a duty to a trespasser, although they cannot intentionally harm the person. Exceptions do exist for children who trespass on your property.
Proving Negligence in a Slip and Fall Case
If you were hurt in a slip and fall accident in Bamberg, you need to prove that the defendant was negligent and their actions resulted in your injuries.
To prove this negligence, you need to show:
- The liable party owed you a duty of care.
- The liable party breached this duty through a negligent omission or act.
- This breach was a direct cause of your injuries and damages.
When you work with a knowledgeable Bamberg slip and fall accident attorney from the Strom Law Firm, we can promptly investigate the accident and start gathering the necessary evidence needed to establish negligence.
Is my injury serious enough for a slip and fall case?
It is important to consider the extent of your injuries. You probably do not want to deal with the troubles of a lawsuit over minor scrapes and bruises. But, if you suffered a significant injury to your head or any other part of your body, it may be worth doing whatever you can to recover compensation for your expenses and injuries, both present and future.
Seeking compensation for any injury, whether through an insurance claim or a lawsuit, can be difficult. Slip and falls, believe it or not, can be even more difficult than most claims. Extensive fact-finding and significant finger-pointing follow. Slip and falls often end up in litigation, which can be stressful and frustrating.
Slip, and falls can be tough cases to prove, but you should not let that keep you from pursuing compensation when necessary. At Strom Law Firm, we always offer a free initial consultation where we can discuss the specific facts of your case and decide on the best path forward for you.
Premises Liability Analysis In Slip and Fall Cases
Under South Carolina law, the extent of an owner’s duty to an injury victim is determined by a person’s status on land:
- Invitees: Invitees enter the land of another individual at the express or implied invitation of the occupant of the land, and for a purpose for which the land is held open, or for the benefit of the landowner. An occupant or landowner owes a duty of reasonable care to an invitee, which carries the duty to warn of any “latent” or hidden defects or dangers. The owner must have actual or constructive notice of the defect to give rise to this duty. Constructive notice means that the occupant or owner has reason to believe that the condition exists, and the condition would be discovered with a reasonable inspection.
- Licensees: Licensees are allowed entry to a property by the consent of an owner or occupant. The duty of care owed to a licensee is not as high as that owed to an invitee. Owners and occupants have a duty to warn licensees of conditions that are actually known by the owner or occupant.
- Trespassers: Trespassers enter land belonging to another without any invitation, right, or lawful authority. They enter exclusively for their own purposes. Trespassers are merely owed by the owner of the occupant a duty to not be harmed by willful or wanton conduct or conditions.
Injuries Often Suffered in Slip and Fall Accidents
- Head Injury– Often, during a slip and fall, a victim’s head will strike the floor with the full momentum of the fall. Traumatic brain injury is yet another injury from a slip and fall that can alter a person’s life forever. When somebody falls backward, their momentum often causes their heels to swing over their head, leading to their head hitting the ground hard, with the full force of gravity. Traumatic brain injury often leads an accident victim with only one choice: pursue compensation for their altered lifestyle, lost income, and medical expenses.
- Broken Hips and Dislocations– Broken hips and hip dislocations are other common injuries resulting from slip and falls. Hip injuries can be completely debilitating. The CDC estimates that ~95% of hip injuries are caused by falls. Most often, this injury is suffered by elderly individuals. The consequences of fractured, broken, or dislocated hips can be devastating, sometimes deadly. A daunting statistic, 20% of those injured by a hip fracture pass away within a year of their accident.
- Shoulder Injuries– Shoulder damage is a common result of a slip and fall, given the way people naturally try to land on their side in a fall. Anybody that has suffered a shoulder injury knows that they can be painful, debilitating, and downright inconvenient. Many of those who suffer shoulder injuries never fully heal, resulting in chronic pain and disability. For significant shoulder injuries, surgery followed by a long course of physical therapy may be required. These procedures and follow-ups are time-consuming and expensive.
- Back Injuries and Spinal Cord Damage– Slip and fall accidents can sometimes result in herniated discs, broken backs, and spinal cord damage. Anybody who has suffered a back injury knows that it can affect every aspect of your life. The back and spine are central to the entire body, and an injury to them renders many activities impossible for an injured party. Aside from the effect a back injury has on your ability to perform certain actions, and back injuries are incredibly painful and sometimes permanent. If your injury requires back surgery, you will have a long and expensive road to recovery.
- Fractures, Sprains, and Strains– While fractures and sprains are not thought of as the most severe injuries, they can be painful and lead to short-term and long-term complications. Often, fractures or sprains can result in chronic pain, infection, and other issues in a slip and victim.
If you have had to pay the physical and financial costs of any of the above injuries or other slip and fall injuries, an attorney can help you seek the compensation you are owed.
Contact a Bamberg Slip And Fall Lawyer Today
If you have suffered the unexpected devastation of slip and fall injuries, it is important to be compensated by the responsible party. Injuries from slip and falls should be taken seriously, and those that cause them should meet their obligations to keep their property safe. Strom Law Firm is experienced in representing victims of slip and falls and other accidents. Our Bamberg Slip And Fall Lawyer are ready to meet with you in person at your convenience. You can also contact us online or by phone at 803-252-4800 to schedule a time to talk with a Bamberg slip and fall lawyer.
