Northwoods Mall Injury Attorney

Injured in a Slip and Fall or Other Accident at North Charleston’s Northwoods Mall? Our Experienced South Carolina Injury Attorneys Can Help

Since 1972, Northwoods Mall has served as one of North Charleston’s premier shopping and entertainment destinations. With 101 stores, a food court, and over 833,000 square feet of space, Northwoods Mall has something for everyone – and poses many accident risks. 

If you’ve been injured in a slip-and-fall or other accident in Northwoods Mall, don’t wait. Talk to the team at the Steinberg Law Firm today. 

Premises Liability in South Carolina

South Carolina businesses have a duty to keep their premises reasonably safe for visitors. If a hazard cannot immediately be fixed, a business must warn visitors about it. One common example of a warning is a “wet floor” sign placed on a recently-mopped floor to warn visitors of a slip and fall risk. 

Premises liability is the area of law that handles a property owner’s responsibility for visitors’ safety while on the premises, or business property. Common types of premises liability cases include injuries due to violence from other visitors or workers, defective equipment, failure to warn, and slip and fall cases. 

Violence and Intentional Harm

One way businesses must keep visitors safe is to minimize the risk of injury through violence or intentional harm from others. Aggressive customers or workers can cause injuries to those visiting a business. 

If you are injured by someone else’s violent or aggressive behavior at Northwoods Mall, you can seek compensation from that person directly. You may also be able to seek compensation from Northwoods if the mall’s negligent or intentional acts caused or contributed to your injuries. Perhaps lax security was a factor, or the instigator was a known troublemaker. 

Defective or Broken Equipment and Materials

Another aspect of keeping a mall safe for visitors is ensuring that equipment, furnishings, and materials are in good working order. Broken, worn, or defective objects can cause injury to visitors. Because wear and defects can be difficult to detect, a visitor may be unable to identify the risk and avoid injury.

Examples of items whose wear, broken state, or defects might cause injury include:

• Floor coverings and floor tiles,
• Stair treads,
• Railings and banisters,
• Elevators and escalators,
• Lighting in walkways and other customer areas,
• Benches, tables, and other furnishings, 
• Kiosks, counters, and displays.

If you’re injured in any situation involving a defective, broken, or worn item, you may be able to seek compensation for your injuries. 

Slip and Fall Risks at Northwoods Mall

As a public business venue, a mall has a responsibility to minimize risks to visitors or to warn visitors about risks it cannot immediately address. Common slip and fall risks at Northwoods and other malls include:

• Spills or wet floors. From food court spills to tracked-in rain or snow to recently-mopped or waxed floors, slippery walkways can easily lead to a slip and fall accident.
• Debris or clutter in walkways. Patrons or staff may drop objects, dirt, or debris. Tracked-in dirt can also increase the risk of a fall. 
• Loose flooring. Loose carpets, broken treads on steps, and other problems with flooring can increase the risk of a slip and fall. 
• Malfunctioning escalators. Escalators can pose a fall risk if they are not working correctly or lack appropriate signs, handrails, or other warnings. 

Dim lighting, broken handrails, parking lot potholes, and other problems can also increase the risk of a slip and fall at Northwoods Mall. 

Failure to Warn

Like other South Carolina businesses, Northwoods Mall has a responsibility to keep its premises reasonably safe for visitors. When a problem can’t be fixed immediately, businesses like the mall have a duty to warn visitors about the risk. 

Examples of a failure to warn might include:

• A wet floor with no warning signs placed to indicate it is slippery.
• An escalator missing any warnings about holding handrails or monitoring children. 
• A broken bench or table with no sign indicating it should not be used. 
• Construction or maintenance areas that lack warning signs and barriers to indicate customers should stay out of the workspace.

The responsibility to warn is particularly vital when a hazard is hidden or difficult to detect. Speak to an attorney about your rights if you were injured.

Common Premises Liability Injuries That Can Occur

Slip-and-fall accidents are often played for laughs in slapstick comedies. In real life, however, these incidents and other premises liability accidents can cause serious injuries. 

Common injuries that can occur in a slip-and-fall or other premises liability accident include:

• Head, face, and brain injuries. A concussion or other traumatic brain injury may occur if a person’s head strikes the floor or another object during the fall. Facial injuries or damage to the skull can happen as well.
• Neck, back, and spinal cord injuries. Neck sprain or strain, herniated discs, fractured vertebrae, or damage to the spinal cord can happen in a premises liability injury. These injuries can be expensive, difficult to treat, and cause ongoing problems with pain, sensation, and motor function. 
• Broken bones. A broken arm, leg, or other bones can result from an accident. Some broken bones need surgery to treat and leave lingering problems with pain or mobility. 
• Soft tissue or organ damage. Lacerations that occur when the body strikes a sharp object, bruising, and damage to soft tissues or internal organs can result from a fall or other injury scenario. 

Other injuries may also occur. While medical treatment can address the immediate impact of these injuries, an injured person may be left with lingering problems even after reaching “maximum medical improvement.” Seeking compensation to help pay your medical bills is essential. 

How To Seek Compensation After a Northwoods Mall Injury

After a slip and fall injury, you may be struggling to manage your medical needs and meet the demands of daily life. Seeking compensation for your injuries would help – but knowing where to start can be difficult. 

Here, we discuss a few key guidelines for slip and fall injury claims in South Carolina. To understand how these rules apply to your specific case, talk to an experienced North Charleston injury attorney today. 

Time Limits on Premises Liability Injury Claims

South Carolina law sets a deadline for filing injury claims in state courts. An injured person has three years to file a claim. 

This three-year window starts to run on the date of the injury in most cases. If you couldn’t have known you were injured when it happened, the window may start to run when you first knew or could reasonably have known you were injured. 

If a case isn’t filed by the time this three-year window closes, it cannot be brought to court.

An attorney can help you determine exactly when the statute of limitations expires in your case. Your lawyer will ensure that your case is filed before the deadline. 

Compensation After a Premises Liability Injury

Compensation for an injury seeks to repay the losses caused by the injury. Common losses in a Northwoods Mall injury case may include:

• Medical bills, including bills for the injury and the costs of care you’ll need in the future,
• Lost wages, including both work you’ve already missed and wages you’ll lose if your injuries prevent you from ever working again,
• Repair or replacement costs for any damaged property.

Compensation can also cover other types of losses, like pain and suffering. Talk to an attorney to learn more about the compensation available in your case.

Talk to an Experienced North Charleston Injury Lawyer Today

If you’ve been injured in a Northwoods Mall slip and fall or other type of accident, don’t wait. Talk to an experienced attorney today. The team at the Steinberg Law Firm can help. Contact us today to schedule a free, confidential consultation.