ESPANOL
If you were attacked on a property in South Carolina, you could start the legal process in pursuit of compensation. Any kind of attack on your or someone else’s property can be devastating. Not only has the attacker violated you, but they have also broken your trust in a location that should otherwise have been safe.
Even if you successfully overcome the attacker, you could have still been physically injured and psychologically scarred.
The Kinds of Situations That Could Entitle You Premises Liability Injury Damages
Many kinds of attacks and similar situations could make you eligible to file a claim or lawsuit. These could include the following:
- Physical assault or battery
- Sexual assault
- Being mugged
- Witnessing or being injured because of a robbery or other criminal act
An attack could harm you in different ways. These could include:
- Medical bills, current and future
- Mental anguish, like anxiety or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Pain and suffering
- Lost wages
- Reduced earning capacity
- Disfigurement
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Loss of limb
How Does the Law View an Attack on Another Person’s Property?
It is considered a premises liability case when you’re attacked on someone else’s property. When determining who is liable for the attack, we can easily assume that the attacker holds much of the responsibility. However, the property owner(s) could also be at fault if it happened partially due to their negligence.
Determining Property Owner Liability
Your attacker will mainly be responsible for your injuries. Still, if a property owner neglected to implement safety measures that could have prevented the attack, they could also be held liable. This could look like an apartment building manager replacing a broken padlock on an entrance gate, for instance.
As you discuss your case with your premises liability lawyer, be sure to keep these questions in mind:
- Were there safety measures in place that could have prevented the attack?
- Were legal authorities contacted following the incident?
- How soon after the attack were the police contacted? By whom?
- Did the property owner do what they could to stop the attack?
- How did the property owner address your attack (did they administer first aid, offer to cover any damages, etc.)?
Your Choices if Your Attack Happened on Public Property
Public property includes streets, parks, courthouses, etc.—anything the government owns.
However, filing a suit against a government entity may be a bit more challenging. You’ll need to prove that they should have known or did know about your attack. You will also need to establish that they did nothing to prevent/stop it.
What You Should Do After an Attack on Someone Else’ Property?
The first thing you should do after you’ve been attacked is to take care of yourself. Call 9-1-1 immediately, file a report, and seek the medical attention you need. Doing so will create official legal and medical documents that your premises liability lawyer can use for your personal injury claim. Next, consult a personal injury lawyer.
Stay off social media and limit how much you tell people about the incident. This is because you don’t want information to fall into the hands of the liable party’s insurer. The company could use a selfie of you smiling posted after the attack and claim you are not as injured as you are.
Next, gather as much information as possible. Your lawyer will take care of most of this aspect of your case. However, compiling everything you already have in one place can make their job easier (photos of you injuries, receipts from the E.R., etc.). They can then use the time this saves them doing other things to benefit your case. This could include researching legal precedents to secure your damages.
How Paying Many Personal Injury Lawyers Works in South Carolina
We want you to focus on healing, catching up on work, looking for a new job, or paying accident-related expenses. That’s why many personal injury firms (including ours) work on a contingency-fee-basis.
You don’t have to worry about paying for legal services up front. You owe us nothing until we win your premises liability case. The amount we take out of your award for our fee will be previously agreed upon by you and your lawyer.*
Retain a Premises Liability Lawyer From Our Firm Serving South Carolina
Contact George Sink, P.A. Injury Lawyers today. We will help you attain the compensation you need while you recover from your experience. Call us today to talk to our team members. Obtain your free consultation.
Our team can guide you to accepting a fair settlement from the insurance company or securing a judgment in court.