Slip and fall–or trip and fall–cases are among the most common types of premises liability claims in South Carolina. They can happen in an instant, but the impact can last much longer. From painful injuries and unexpected medical bills to time away from work, what seems like a simple accident can quickly become overwhelming. If your fall was caused by unsafe conditions on someone else’s property, you may have the right to pursue compensation.
You don’t have to deal with that process alone. With the right legal guidance, you can hold negligent property owners accountable and seek compensation for your medical expenses, lost wages, and the lasting effects of your injury—so you can focus on your recovery.
If you’ve been injured in a slip or trip and fall on someone else’s property, you may be entitled to compensation—but these cases can be more complex than they appear. Property owners and insurance companies often argue that the hazard wasn’t their responsibility or that it should have been avoided. Proving liability requires a clear understanding of South Carolina law and the specific standards that apply to your situation.
That’s where having the right attorney matters.
Attorney Frank Hartman has extensive experience handling premises liability claims, including slip and fall cases involving unsafe conditions, negligent property maintenance, and preventable hazards. He understands how to investigate these claims, gather the right evidence, and push back against insurance companies that are focused on minimizing payouts.
When you work with Frank Hartman, you’re not just getting legal representation—you’re getting an advocate who is committed to protecting your interests, keeping you informed, and pursuing the full compensation you deserve. The Hartman Law Firm offers free consultations to injured individuals in and around North Charleston, so you can get answers and move forward with confidence.
Slip and fall claims can be difficult to prove—and insurance companies know it. They often argue that the hazard wasn’t their responsibility, that it didn’t exist long enough to fix, or that you were somehow at fault. Building a successful case takes strategy, evidence, and persistence.
Attorney Frank Hartman takes a hands-on, results-driven approach by:
✔️ Acting quickly to preserve evidence – securing incident reports, surveillance footage, maintenance records, and witness statements before they disappear
✔️ Investigating the cause of your fall – identifying unsafe conditions and determining how they should have been prevented
✔️ Applying South Carolina liability standards – building a case that meets the specific legal requirements for premises liability claims
✔️ Handling all insurance communication – protecting you from tactics designed to delay, deny, or undervalue your claim
✔️ Calculating the full value of your case – including medical bills, lost wages, and the long-term impact of your injuries
✔️ Negotiating aggressively—and litigating when necessary – pursuing the maximum compensation you deserve
When you work with The Hartman Law Firm, you’re not just another case file. You get direct access to an attorney who stays involved, keeps you informed, and is committed to helping you move forward with confidence.
Choosing the right attorney after a fall can feel overwhelming. With so many law firms making big promises, it’s important to focus on experience, results, and how you’re treated as a client.
Attorney Frank Hartman stands out because he offers:
✔️ Focused experience in slip and fall cases – years of handling premises liability claims in and around North Charleston
✔️ Knowledge of local courts and procedures – extensive experience navigating the legal system in your area
✔️ Trial readiness – prepared to take your case to court if a fair settlement isn’t offered
✔️ Proven results – a history of successful outcomes, which you can review on the settlements and results page
✔️ Positive client experiences – real feedback from people he’s helped, available on the client testimonials page
✔️ Clear, responsive communication – always listening, explaining your options, and keeping you informed
✔️ A personalized approach – an attorney you can trust with the personal and sometimes stressful aspects of your case
Frank Hartman takes the time to understand your situation, build a strategy tailored to your case, and focus on achieving the best possible outcome—so you can concentrate on recovering from your injuries.
You may know that in most North Charleston slip and fall cases, you have three years to file a personal injury lawsuit. However, there are many reasons you should seek out a slip and fall attorney as soon as possible after your injury. These include:
The sooner you get advice from an experienced North Charleston slip and fall attorney, the better.
Many falls cause no more harm than a scraped knee or a momentary shortness of breath. But, a slip and fall, trip and fall, or fall from a higher level can cause serious injury. Tens of thousands of Americans die from falls each year, and others suffer significant injuries. The risk is greatest for older Americans. Among those aged 65 and older, falls are the most common cause of accidental injury and death.
Some of the most common types of slip and fall injuries requiring treatment include:
If you’ve suffered injuries in a slip and fall accident on someone else’s property, you owe it to yourself to talk to find out whether you are entitled to compensation. The information below provides an overview of when a property owner may be liable for a fall or other injury on the property, the types of damages that may be available, and the factors impacting the value of your claim. The best source of information about your specific case is an experienced slip and fall lawyer in North Charleston.
While there are many possible causes of a slip and fall or trip and fall injury, the property owner or operator is often legally responsible for the injury. Of course, simply having been injured on someone else’s property isn’t sufficient to make them liable for your damages. But, property owners and those in possession and control of property have a legal obligation to others on the property.
That obligation is different depending on the reason the injured person was on the property. The information below provides an overview of the different obligations a landowner may have. But the best source of information about how South Carolina premises liability law applies in your case is an experienced North Charleston slip and fall attorney.
Under South Carolina premises liability law, the duty of care owed by a landowner or operator is different depending on the circumstances surrounding the injured person’s presence on the property. The highest duty of care is owed to business invitees. One common example is a shopper in a retail store. The business owner has invited the public–or certain members of the public–onto the property for the company’s benefit.
In this situation, the property owner has a duty to exercise reasonable care to keep the premises safe for the invitees. That means not just refraining from creating dangers, but also actively maintaining the premises in safe condition.
Property owners may be liable for injuries to an invitee in circumstances such as:
Note, though, that the property owner is generally not responsible for the actions of a third party. This can sometimes make the issue of liability complicated. Imagine, for example, that a shopper dropped a cup of fruit punch in the doorway of a retail store and walked away. If another shopper entered the store 45 seconds after the spill and slipped on the liquid, the property owner likely wouldn’t be held responsible. In most situations, it would not be reasonable to expert the store owner to identify and correct the hazard in less than one minute.
On the other hand, if the spill had been in the doorway for 45 minutes and three customers had separately notified employees before another shopper slipped on the spill, the store would likely be liable. By that point, the store (through its employees) was aware of the dangerous condition and should have taken action to correct it.
Of course, there are a wide range of scenarios in between these two. Is 10 minutes too long for the spill to have gone unattended? How quickly would store employees be expected to identify the risk? Would putting up wet floor signs but not cleaning up the mess suffice? Ultimately, it will be up to a jury to decide whether the property owner exercised reasonable care for the safety of those visiting the premises.
If the injured person is a licensee–someone who is on the property with permission, but not for the property owner’s benefit–the owner has an obligation to exercise reasonable care not to harm the visitor and to make the visitor aware of known, non-obvious hazards. One common example of a licensee is a social guest in the property owner’s home.
Imagine that a homeowner invites a friend over for dinner. The friend uses a small stairway on the side of the house rather than entering from the front. One of the wooden steps leading up to the side porch is broken, and when the guest steps on it she falls and breaks her arm. The homeowner, who always enters and exits the house through her garage and typically receives visitors and deliveries at the front door, was unaware of the broken step. Because the injured person is a licensee and the homeowner didn’t know about the broken step, the property owner isn’t responsible unless the injured person can establish that she reasonably should have known of the defect. On the other hand, if the homeowner knew about the broken step and didn’t warn her dinner guest about it, she likely would be legally responsible for the injury.
In the real world, the situation may not be as clear-cut. For example, the homeowner may say that she didn’t know the step was broken. But, that may or may not be true. In that situation, the visitor’s trip and fall attorney would have to investigate to determine whether there was evidence that the host had known about the stairs in advance. That evidence might take the form of a conversation with a neighbor prior to the injury, a social media post, an inquiry about having the step repaired, or a warning to a previous guest. If you’re unsure about whether or not a property owner may be liable, the best source of information is an experienced North Charleston premises liability lawyer.
In South Carolina, a property owner’s responsibility to trespassers is quite limited. The landowner must refrain from causing willful or wanton injury, but this doesn’t apply to most situations that would arise naturally. A landowner might be liable to a trespasser for injuries if, for example, the property owner suspected that someone was trespassing on the land and so dug holes and concealed them with brush to injure the trespasser. However, the standards are somewhat stricter if the trespasser is a child or an adult with intellectual disabilities and certain other criteria are met.
In most circumstances, an employee who is injured on the job will be entitled to workers’ compensation benefits. That includes employees who fall in the workplace or elsewhere while on the job. Workers’ compensation is usually an exclusive remedy as to the employer, meaning that an employee usually can’t sue the employer for their injuries, not even if the employer’s negligence caused the fall.
However, in some circumstances, there may be a third party who is responsible or partly responsible for the injury. For example, if a supplier making a delivery to a business spills oil on the warehouse floor and leaves it there without notifying anyone, a worker who slips and falls on the oil patch may have a personal injury claim against the supplier in addition to their workers’ compensation claim. If you’re injured at work, it is usually best to work with a Charleston personal injury lawyer who is experienced with both workers’ compensation claims and personal injury claims, to ensure that you don’t miss out on compensation.
“How much is my case worth?” is often one of the first questions we hear. That’s understandable. When you’ve been injured, have lost work time, and are watching medical bills pile up, you are likely feeling the financial pressure.
No slip and fall lawyer can tell you exactly what your case is worth. In fact, you should be very suspicious of any lawyer who makes promises about the outcome of your case. There are many factors in play, some predictable and some not. However, an experienced North Charleston slip and fall attorney will be able to give you general information about how cases similar to yours have been treated in the past, and about the types of damages you may be entitled to.
The damages available in a slip and fall case will depend on a variety of factors, including:
You may also be entitled to damages for intangible losses, also called “non-economic damages.” This type of damage compensates the injury victim for pain, loss of quality of life, and other losses that can’t be measured in dollars.
Your actual losses play a big role in the value of your claim, but there are many others. For example:
The best source of information about who may be liable for your slip and fall or trip and fall injury and what types of damages may be available is an experienced Charleston slip and fall attorney.
Attorney Frank Hartman has devoted his career to helping people in and around North Charleston secure fair compensation for their injuries. Frank takes the time to know each client well enough to determine the best approach for their particular situation. To learn more about how The Hartman Law Firm can help you after a fall-related injury, call 843-604-6397 right now.
Proving liability in a slip and fall case starts with understanding the property owner’s legal obligation to you. This duty varies depending on the reason you were on the property. Then, your slip and fall personal injury lawyer will investigate and gather facts and evidence to show that the property owner didn’t live up to that responsibility.
Your accident attorney can also help identify any other parties who may share responsibility for your injuries.
When in doubt, it’s best to consult an injury lawyer for your slip and fall case. While some small cases may not require an attorney, you can lose out on fair compensation simply because you don’t fully understand your rights or know all of the types of damages you may be entitled to. You cannot count on the insurance company to play fair.
The sooner you contact an attorney, the better prepared you will be to protect yourself and your claim.
Every slip and fall injury case is different. Some of the most common types of damages awarded in injury cases include reimbursement for medical expenses, compensation for anticipated future medical bills related to the accident, compensation for income lost due to the accident, and reimbursement for other expenses that were necessary because of the injury. You may also be entitled to compensation for non-economic losses like pain and suffering and loss of quality of life.
You shouldn’t assume you don’t need a slip and fall lawyer just because the property owner admitted fault. One reason you may still need an attorney is that the insurance company won’t necessarily agree, and you’ll have to establish that the property owner meets the legal standard for liability, not just that they feel responsible.
It’s also important to note that establishing liability is only half the battle. You will also need to present evidence to prove your damages, and to prove that they are related to your accident.
Different types of evidence will be important in your slip and fall case. For example, you will have to show evidence of the unsafe condition on the property that caused your injury. You may need an expert witness to establish that the condition of the property didn’t meet the standard of care.
You’ll have to show evidence of your injuries and that the slip and fall caused the injuries. It’s difficult to call one type “most important,” as all are critical to securing fair compensation.
For most slip and fall cases and other injury cases, you have three years from the date of the accident to file. However, it’s in your best interest to start looking for slip and fall injury lawyers right away. In some cases, you may need to act sooner. And, getting started as soon as possible after your accident gives your injury lawyer the best opportunity to gather evidence and build a strong case on your behalf.
The most common defendant in a North Charleston slip and fall accident case is the owner of the property where the injury occurred. However, in some cases, a third party may also be wholly or partly responsible. For example, if you slip and fall because someone spilled a drink on the floor in a hotel lobby and walked away and left it there, the property owner may be liable for failing to clean up the hazard or provide a warning. But, the party who spilled the liquid and left it there could also have some responsibility.
When you consult with a slip and fall lawyer in North Charleston, SC, the attorney can give you a better idea of people or entities who may be liable in your case.
In South Carolina, a person who is partly responsible for their own injuries may still be able to recover partial compensation. You won’t be able to recover damages if you were more than half responsible. However, if you were less than half responsible, you may be able to recover damages for your damages minus the percentage that was your fault. For instance, if your damages were $100,000 and you were 25% responsible, you may be able to recover up to $75,000. You’ll be responsible for the $25,000 that represents the 25% you were responsible for.
In general, workers’ compensation is an exclusive remedy in South Carolina. That means you usually can’t sue your employer for an on-the-job injury even if the employer was negligent. There are some limited exceptions, such as when the employer acted intentionally or if they don’t have workers’ compensation coverage.
In some cases, you may also have a claim against a third party. For example, if you’re a delivery driver and you slip and fall on a broken stair at a home you’re delivering to, you may have a claim against the homeowner in addition to your workers’ compensation claim.
Slip and fall injury lawyers generally work on a contingency fee basis. That means you don’t pay attorney fees unless/until the attorney settles your case or wins a verdict for you at trial. Then, your fees are based on a percentage of your settlement or award. When you consult a slip and fall lawyer in North Charleston, SC, the attorney can explain what percentage you can expect to pay and how expenses will work. This information must also be provided to you in a written contract.
