Greenville Slip & Fall Attorney
Experienced Legal Help After a Slip & Fall Injury
A slip or trip that sends you to the ground can change your life in a moment. Broken bones, torn ligaments, or a head injury often follow what others might dismiss as a simple fall. If you were hurt in a fall in or around Greenville, you may be facing pain, missed work, and medical bills you did not plan for.
At Smith Born Leventis Taylor & Vega, LLC, we help people in this situation every day. Our attorneys draw on more than 100 years of combined experience handling South Carolina injury and workers' compensation cases, including high-stakes claims where property owners or insurers deny responsibility. We listen carefully to what happened, then explain your options in clear, plain language so you can decide what comes next.
Our firm has secured multimillion-dollar verdicts and settlements in complex injury cases, and we are known for staying in close contact with clients from the first call to the final resolution.
If you are wondering whether you should talk with a slip and fall attorney in Greenville, you can reach us for a free consultation by calling .
Common Causes of Slip & Fall Accidents
Slip and fall accidents are often preventable. Many occur because property owners or managers fail to maintain safe conditions or address hazards promptly. Some of the most common causes include:
- Wet or slippery floors without warning signs
- Uneven sidewalks or flooring
- Loose carpets or rugs
- Poor lighting in stairwells or walkways
- Spilled liquids in stores or restaurants
- Broken handrails or steps
- Debris, clutter, or obstacles in walkways
- Ice or water accumulation near entrances
Even minor hazards can lead to serious injuries. Property owners have a duty to inspect their premises and correct dangerous conditions. When they fail to do so, injured victims may have grounds for a premises liability claim.
Where Do Slips & Falls Occur?
Slip and fall accidents can happen almost anywhere, but some locations are more common than others due to heavy foot traffic and frequent hazards. In Greenville, these incidents often occur in:
- Grocery stores and retail shops
- Restaurants and bars
- Hotels and apartment complexes
- Office buildings and workplaces
- Parking lots and garages
- Sidewalks and public walkways
- Schools and universities
Each location involves different responsibilities for property owners, tenants, or management companies. Our Greenville slip and fall lawyer can investigate the circumstances of your accident to determine who may be liable.
Injuries Commonly Caused by Slip & Fall Accidents
While some falls result in minor bruises, others lead to severe and life-changing injuries. Victims may experience:
- Broken bones or fractures
- Traumatic brain injuries (TBI)
- Concussions
- Back and spinal cord injuries
- Soft tissue injuries
- Hip injuries, especially among older adults
- Cuts and lacerations
These injuries often require medical treatment, rehabilitation, and time away from work. In serious cases, they can lead to long-term disability or chronic pain.
Proving Liability in a Slip & Fall Accident
To recover compensation in a slip and fall claim, you must show that a property owner or responsible party was negligent. This typically involves proving:
- A dangerous condition existed – Such as a wet floor, broken step, or unsafe walkway.
- The property owner knew or should have known about it – They either created the hazard or failed to address it within a reasonable time.
- They failed to fix or warn about the hazard – No repairs or warning signs were provided.
- The hazard caused your injuries – Your fall directly resulted from the unsafe condition.
Evidence plays a key role in establishing liability. This may include:
- Photographs or videos of the hazard
- Incident reports
- Surveillance footage
- Medical records
- Witness statements
- Maintenance or inspection logs
Our Greenville slip and fall attorney at Smith Born Leventis Taylor & Vega, LLC can gather and preserve this evidence to build a strong case on your behalf.
South Carolina Premises Liability Laws
South Carolina law requires property owners to maintain reasonably safe premises for lawful visitors. The level of responsibility can depend on why you were on the property, such as:
- Invitees: Customers or guests invited for business purposes receive the highest duty of care.
- Licensees: Social guests must be warned about known hazards.
- Trespassers: Property owners generally owe limited duties, though exceptions may apply.
South Carolina also follows a comparative negligence rule, meaning your compensation may be reduced if you are found partially responsible for the accident. For example, if you were distracted or ignored warning signs, this could impact your recovery. However, you may still recover damages if you were less than 51% at fault.
Compensation Available After a Slip & Fall
Victims of slip and fall accidents in Greenville may be entitled to compensation for both economic and non-economic damages, including:
- Medical expenses
- Future medical treatment and rehabilitation
- Lost wages and reduced earning capacity
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Loss of enjoyment of life
Every case is different, and the value of your claim will depend on the severity of your injuries and the impact on your life.
Slip & Fall Claim FAQs
How long do I have to file a slip and fall claim in South Carolina?
In most cases, you have three years from the date of the accident to file a personal injury lawsuit. Missing this deadline could prevent you from recovering compensation.
What should I do immediately after a slip and fall accident?
Seek medical attention, report the incident to the property owner or manager, document the scene with photos if possible, and gather contact information from witnesses.
Can I still file a claim if I was partially at fault?
Yes. South Carolina’s comparative negligence laws allow you to recover damages as long as you are less than 51% responsible.
What if the hazard was temporary, like a spill?
Property owners can still be liable if they failed to clean the spill within a reasonable timeframe or provide adequate warnings.
Do I need a lawyer for a slip and fall case?
While not required, working with a Greenville slip and fall lawyer can significantly improve your ability to prove liability and negotiate a fair settlement.
How We Help After a Fall
Once you have taken care of your immediate medical needs, you may still be unsure what to do about the accident itself. Property owners, store managers, or landlords may already be asking questions, and an insurance adjuster may be calling to get your version of events on a recorded line. This can feel overwhelming when you are simply trying to heal.
When you contact our firm, we start by listening. We want to understand where you fell, what you remember seeing, how you were injured, and how this is affecting your life. Our attorneys then walk you through how a claim might work, answer your questions, and outline reasonable next steps without pressure or legal jargon.
We know that communication is a major concern for many clients. Our team makes it easy to reach us by phone, text, or email, and we check in regularly instead of letting weeks pass without news. During key points such as negotiations with an insurance company, we keep you updated on what is happening and what choices you have, so you are never left wondering about the status of your case.
Our attorneys are comfortable facing large insurers and corporate defense teams. We have obtained multimillion-dollar results in cases where liability was denied or facts were disputed, and we carry that same determination into slip and fall claims. If you decide to move forward after your consultation with a slip and fall lawyer in Greenville, we work to lift as much of the legal burden from your shoulders as we can, so you can focus on your recovery.
Our Satisfied Clients
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“Being involved in a life-changing event is when you realize that we are really not in control of our lives and how we choose to handle it is where we find our character. Thank God for my legal team, Jacob and Erica, and everyone else involved.”- Former Client
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“George kept me informed and gave loving advice all the way through. I could call him when I needed. He recognized my personal, mental and physical struggles. You can trust in him. GOD knew EXACTLY what he was doing when he made him.”- Former Client
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“He was patient, listened, considerate, explained things to me that my previous attorney did not, and broke every part of my case down so I was sure to understand every aspect of my case before leaving his office.”- Cassandra J.
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“Promises were kept and interactions were both personal and professional. I would highly recommend Mr. George and his firm to anyone in need of legal help.”- Former Client
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“I had a workers compensation claim that my wonderful lawyer Lawton Harper was able to help me with. He was very attentive to detail and was able to get me the maximum claim I deserved!”- Former Client
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“When my case took a hit from the doctor’s final impairment rating, Danny didn’t give up – he went full force and earned me a fair settlement!”- Former Client
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“Lawton Harper has been amazing helping me with my works compensation case. He explained everything about what to expect throughout the case and was there for any questions or concerns I had.”- Kai P.
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“He was very attentive to detail and was able to get me the maximum claim I deserved!”- Former Client