Getting hurt on someone else’s property is not just painful. It can feel unfair, confusing, and isolating. One moment, you are walking into a store, apartment complex, or job site. The next, you are dealing with severe injuries and an insurance company that seems more interested in protecting profits than doing what’s right.
At Joye Law Firm Injury Lawyers, we represent injury victims across South Carolina who were hurt because a property owner failed to keep their premises safe. Our firm has seen firsthand how dangerous property conditions change lives, especially when those dangers could have been prevented.
Our results reflect that commitment. We secured a $2 million settlement for a U.S. Marine whose military career was cut short after he suffered a devastating foot injury from broken glass at a Myrtle Beach resort. We also recovered $750,000 for a man who suffered a serious spinal injury after a restaurant in Moncks Corner ignored repeated warnings about a dangerously malfunctioning door. In another case, we obtained a combined $1.26 million in workers’ compensation and third-party recovery for a construction worker struck by a scissor lift on a job site. And we secured $430,000 from a homeowner’s insurance policy for a woman who suffered severe ankle fractures after being knocked down by an uncontrolled dog on a friend’s property in West Columbia.
These are just a few examples of the premises liability cases we’ve handled. Every situation is different, and outcomes depend on the specific facts and injuries involved. What these cases share is one thing: they were not random accidents, but preventable incidents caused by unsafe conditions, poor oversight, or failure to follow basic safety rules.
If you were injured on another’s property, let our premises liability lawyers at Joye Law Firm Injury Lawyers guide you through your legal options, deal with the insurance companies, and gather the evidence needed to prove what happened. We’ll fight for the full compensation you deserve for your injuries.
Common Premises Liability Accidents in South Carolina
Premises liability accidents occur in everyday places. National safety research shows that falls are one of the leading causes of serious injury among adults, particularly in workplaces and at home. Many of these injuries happen on poorly maintained property.
Many of these incidents trace back to dangerous property conditions that should have been repaired or clearly warned about. Common premises liability accidents include:
- Slip and fall accidents caused by wet floors, uneven pavement, or debris
- Trip and fall incidents involving broken steps or loose flooring
- Escalator and elevator accidents linked to a lack of maintenance or inspections
- Swimming pool accidents involving missing barriers or safety violations
- Dog bites and animal attacks on a person’s property
- Injuries caused by poor lighting in stairwells, hallways, and parking areas
- Structural failures such as collapsing ceilings, decks, balconies, or shelving
- Falling merchandise in retail stores due to unsafe stacking or unsecured displays
- Injuries resulting from negligent security, including assaults that occur because a property owner failed to provide reasonable safety measures
- Excessive force or misconduct by security guards or bouncers on commercial property
When property owners cut corners on maintenance or fail to protect visitors from dangerous situations, the consequences can be devastating. Victims of these accidents often face mounting medical bills, time away from work, and long-term pain, all because a hazard that should have been addressed was ignored.
Visitor Status and Legal Duty on Someone Else’s Property
Not every visitor is treated the same under South Carolina law. A property owner’s legal duty depends on why the injured person was on the property. The law generally places visitors into four categories, and each comes with a different level of protection:
Invitees
Invitees are people who enter property with the owner’s express or implied invitation, often for a business purpose. Common examples include store customers, restaurant patrons, hotel guests, and clients visiting an office. Property owners owe invitees the highest duty of care. They must regularly inspect the property, fix hazardous conditions, and warn about dangers that are hidden or not obvious, especially those the owner knew about or reasonably should have discovered.
Licensees
Licensees are individuals who enter property with permission but for non-business reasons. Social guests, friends, and neighbors typically fall into this category. Property owners are not required to inspect the property for unknown hazards, but they must warn licensees about hidden dangers the owner knows about or should reasonably be aware of. They also must avoid creating unsafe conditions that could harm their guests.
Adult Trespassers
Adult trespassers enter property without permission. In most cases, a property owner does not owe them the same duties as invited guests. However, the owner still cannot intentionally, recklessly, or wantonly cause harm. Setting traps or creating deliberately dangerous conditions that could injure someone, even a trespasser, can still lead to liability.
Children
The law provides special protection for children, even if they enter property without permission. If a property owner has a dangerous man-made condition on the property that could attract children, such as a swimming pool, construction equipment, or abandoned machinery, the owner may be required to take reasonable steps to secure it. This is because children may not fully understand the risks. The law recognizes a higher duty to protect them from certain hazards.
Because visitor status affects what a property owner is legally required to do, it plays a critical role in any premises liability case. Determining which category applies can help establish whether the owner failed to meet their legal duty and may be responsible for your injuries.
How Insurance Companies Handle Premises Liability Claims 
