843-636-TREY
A slip-and-fall accident can occur in an instant, but the resulting pain, medical expenses, and time away from work can last for months. If you suffered a fall because of a property owner in Charleston failing to maintain a safe environment, you shouldn’t bear the financial burden for their carelessness. Trey Harrell has assisted injured individuals throughout South Carolina in recovering from slip-and-fall accidents, and he can help you.
Call 843-636-8739 for a free consultation. You don’t pay Trey unless he wins your case.
Why slip-and-fall cases are more serious than most people think
Too many people brush off a fall as embarrassing. But slip-and-fall accidents send thousands of people to the emergency room every year, and the injuries they cause can be life-changing or fatal. Broken hips, fractured wrists, herniated discs, traumatic brain injuries, and torn ligaments are all common outcomes of falls on someone else’s property.
What makes these cases frustrating is that they’re almost always preventable. A wet floor without a warning sign. A cracked sidewalk that’s been reported but never repaired. A dimly lit stairwell in an apartment building. These are hazards that property owners have a responsibility to fix, and when they don’t, people get hurt.
If you were injured in a fall that wasn’t your fault, you have legal rights. Trey Harrell walks clients through the process step by step, so they understand their options and feel confident about the path forward. Remember, Trey helps.
Common slip-and-fall locations in Charleston
Slip-and-fall accidents can happen almost anywhere, but certain types of locations repeatedly arise in cases throughout the Charleston area.
Grocery stores and retail shops are among the most common. Spilled liquids in the produce aisle, recently mopped floors without proper signage, and cluttered walkways all create dangerous conditions for shoppers. Stores have a duty to inspect their floors regularly and clean up hazards quickly. When they fail to do so, they can be held responsible for resulting injuries.
Restaurants and bars also present frequent hazards. Grease on kitchen floors, spilled drinks near the bar, and uneven flooring between dining areas and patios are all problems that cause serious injuries to customers.
Parking lots and sidewalks are another major source of falls, especially across Charleston, where uneven pavement, potholes, and poor drainage are common. Property owners and businesses are responsible for maintaining their parking areas, including adequate lighting and smooth walking surfaces.
Hotels and rental properties can also be the site of dangerous conditions, from slippery pool decks to broken handrails on staircases.
Office buildings, apartment complexes, and government-owned properties like parks and municipal buildings round out the list. Trey regularly helps clients who’ve been injured in falls in all of these locations.
The bottom line is this: if you fell because someone else didn’t maintain their property, the location doesn’t matter nearly as much as the negligence that caused your fall.
What to do immediately after a slip and fall
The steps you take right after a fall matter. They can shape your ability to recover compensation later. Here’s what Trey recommends to every client.
First, seek medical attention the same day of your injury, even if it seems minor. Some serious slip-and-fall injuries, such as concussions, internal bleeding, and soft tissue tears, may not show obvious symptoms right away. Seeing a doctor immediately creates a medical record that connects your injuries directly to the fall. If you delay seeking treatment for days or weeks, the insurance company may argue that your injuries weren’t caused by the fall or that they are not serious.
Second, report the fall to the property owner or manager. If the incident occurred in a store, restaurant, or any commercial property, request that they create an incident report and obtain a copy for yourself. This will establish an official record that the fall took place on their property.
Third, document everything you can. Take photos of the hazard that caused your fall (such as a wet floor, broken step, or uneven pavement), as well as the surrounding area, and your injuries. Collect the names and phone numbers of any witnesses. If there were security cameras nearby, note their locations so your attorney can request the footage before it gets deleted or overwritten.
Finally, do not give a recorded statement to the property owner’s insurance company before consulting with an attorney. Insurance adjusters are trained to ask questions that can shift blame onto you. An attorney can handle all communication with the insurance company, allowing you to focus on your recovery.
Injured in a fall? Call Trey Harrell at 843-636-8739 for a free consultation. Trey handles the legal side so you can focus on healing.
How Trey proves liability in a slip-and-fall case
A slip-and-fall claim is a specific type of personal injury case. While it falls under the broader legal theory of premises liability, which covers all injuries on someone else’s property, slip-and-fall cases focus specifically on falls caused by hazardous conditions that the property owner knew about, or should have known about, and failed to address.
To build a strong slip-and-fall case, an attorney needs to establish four things. The property owner owed you a duty of care, meaning they had a legal obligation to keep the property reasonably safe. That duty was breached because the owner knew about the dangerous condition (or should have known about it) and failed to fix it or warn you about it. That breach directly caused your fall and your injuries. And those injuries resulted in real losses, such as medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering.
Evidence is critical. Trey investigates each case thoroughly, gathering surveillance footage, maintenance logs, inspection records, and witness statements. He also works to establish how long the hazardous condition existed before your fall. A property owner who let a spill sit on the floor for an hour has a much harder time claiming they didn’t know about it than one who had a spill occur moments before you walked through.
South Carolina follows a modified comparative negligence rule, which means you can still recover compensation even if you were partially at fault for the fall. This is the case as long as your share of fault doesn’t exceed 50%. Your recovery is reduced by your percentage of fault. For example, if you’re found to be 20% at fault and your damages total $100,000, you’d recover $80,000. But if you’re found to be 51% or more at fault, you’re barred from recovering compensation for damages. Insurance companies know this, and they’ll look for any reason to shift blame onto you. Trey’s experience can help protect you from those tactics.
What compensation can you recover after a slip and fall?
Every slip-and-fall case is different, but the types of compensation Trey pursues for his clients generally fall into a few categories.
Medical expenses are usually the largest, covering emergency room visits, surgery, physical therapy, medication, and any future treatment you’ll need.
Lost wages from time away from work and reduced earning capacity (if the injury limits your ability to do your job going forward) are also recoverable.
Beyond the financial losses, Trey also pursues compensation for pain and suffering and loss of enjoyment of life.
The value of your case depends on several factors: the severity of your injuries, the length of your recovery, the medical treatment required, the long-term impacts of the injury, and the strength of the evidence against the property owner.
How long does a slip-and-fall case take in South Carolina?
One of the most common questions Trey hears from clients is how long the process will take. While every case is different, most slip-and-fall cases in South Carolina follow a general process.
The first phase is treatment and investigation. Trey recommends that clients reach maximum medical improvement (the point where your condition has stabilized) before pursuing a settlement; settling too early can leave money on the table if additional treatment becomes necessary. Depending on the severity of the injury, this phase can last anywhere from a few months to over a year.
Once treatment is complete, Trey sends a demand to the insurance company with a full picture of your injuries, medical costs, lost wages, and other losses. The negotiation phase typically takes a few weeks to a few months. Many slip-and-fall cases settle during this stage without ever going to court.
If the insurance company refuses to offer fair compensation, Trey is prepared to file a lawsuit and take the case to trial. With his background as a former Federal Prosecutor, Trey has the courtroom confidence to go the distance if that is required to get you a fair result. Litigation can add several months to over a year to the timeline, but sometimes it’s the only way to hold a negligent property owner accountable.
In total, most slip-and-fall cases resolve within several months to two years. Trey keeps clients informed at every stage so there are never any surprises.
Don’t wait to get started. Call 843-636-8739 to schedule your free consultation today.
South Carolina’s statute of limitations for slip-and-fall claims
Under South Carolina law (S.C. Code § 15-3-530(5)), you have three years from the date of your injury to file a personal injury lawsuit. Miss that deadline, and the court will almost certainly dismiss your case, regardless of how strong it is.
There are some important exceptions to keep in mind. If your fall happened on government-owned property (e.g., a city sidewalk, public park, or government building), the deadline is shorter. Under the South Carolina Tort Claims Act, you generally have two years to file a lawsuit against a government entity, and there are additional notice requirements. Damage caps also apply to government claims.
Three years may sound like plenty of time, but evidence disappears faster than you’d expect. Surveillance footage can be recorded over, witnesses move away, and maintenance records are lost. The sooner you contact Trey, the better your chances of building a strong case.
Why Trey Harrell for your slip-and-fall case
As a third-generation Charlestonian with deep roots in the community, Trey knows the local courts, the area, and how property owners and their insurance companies operate. Trey, a father of two, understands what it means for a family when an injury disrupts your daily life, your income, and your ability to take care of the people who depend on you.
Before opening his own practice, Trey served as a Federal Prosecutor, which gave him the courtroom experience and confidence to take on tough cases. He’s not intimidated by insurance companies that try to deny or lowball valid claims, and he’s prepared to take your case to trial if that’s what fair compensation requires.
Trey gives each case the personal attention it deserves. He walks clients through every step of the process, explains things in plain terms, and makes himself available when questions come up. This isn’t a big corporate firm where your case gets passed around between associates. When you hire Trey, you work with Trey.
Your consultation is completely free, and Trey works on a contingency fee basis, which means you don’t pay anything unless he recovers compensation for you. No upfront costs, no hidden fees, no risk.
Remember, Trey helps. Call 843-636-8739 or contact Trey Harrell today to discuss your slip and fall case.
Frequently asked questions about slip-and-fall cases in South Carolina
How long do I have to file a slip-and-fall claim in South Carolina?
You have three years from the date of your injury to file a lawsuit under South Carolina’s statute of limitations (S.C. Code § 15-3-530(5)). If your fall occurred on government property, you may have as little as two years. Don’t wait until the deadline is approaching. The sooner you contact Trey, the easier it is to preserve critical evidence.
What if I were partially at fault for my fall?
South Carolina follows a modified comparative negligence rule with a 51% bar, meaning you can still recover compensation as long as your share of fault is 50% or less. Your award will be reduced by your percentage of fault. Insurance companies will try to blame you for the accident (e.g., not watching where you were going or wearing the wrong shoes). Trey knows how to push back against these arguments and protect your right to fair compensation.
How much is my slip-and-fall case worth?
There’s no one-size-fits-all answer. The value of your case depends on the severity of your injuries, the cost of your medical treatment, how much work you’ve missed, whether you’ll need ongoing care, and the strength of the evidence. Trey offers free consultations to evaluate your case and give you an honest assessment of what to expect.
Do I need a lawyer for a slip-and-fall case?
You’re not required to hire a lawyer, but slip-and-fall cases are more complex than they appear. Property owners and insurance companies will fight hard to avoid paying your claim. They’ll argue the hazard was “open and obvious,” that you should have been more careful, or that your injuries aren’t as serious as you say. Trey handles the investigation, paperwork, and negotiations so you can focus on recovery.
How much does it cost to hire Trey Harrell?
Nothing upfront. Trey works on a contingency fee basis, which means you don’t pay unless he wins your case. Your initial consultation is free, and there’s no obligation to move forward. Call 843-636-8739 to get started.
