Navigating sidewalks is a normal part of everyday life for many people, therefore it becomes a great danger when they are not properly maintained. As something that you are used to doing, it is not going to trigger a cautionary state of mind. Why would you have to be cautious and weary of something that is put there for your safety? That is what makes cracked sidewalks all the more dangerous because you don't expect them to be there. Under South Carolina Personal Injury Law the owner or responsible party can be responsible for injuries that result from a fall caused by an improperly designed or maintained sidewalk. Injuries that occur on sidewalks owned by private businesses, residences, and governmental entities may be eligible for compensation.
Cracked sidewalk claims are serious business; people need to be compensated for the damage incurred because of neglect on the part of the organization responsible for maintaining properly safe environments. Dangerous parts of sidewalks can form for various reasons, but there is only one fix for the issue. Maintenance is the only thing that can prevent this kind of issue. Properly maintained sidewalks are essential to public safety, in particular young children and the elderly. These two groups are commonly the most critically injured of all the people injured and need representation for cracked sidewalk claims.
Why would the city or business allow something so hazardous to not be corrected promptly? Money is one of the most likely answers, but this reason can certainly end up backfiring and costing much more money to the city or responsible insurance company. Many people who trip and fall from uncorrected sidewalks have serious injuries, and many of those can lead to other issues besides the fall itself. For instance, an elderly person walking their dog trips on a large cracked bulge in the sidewalk, and when they fall their hip is broken. While in the hospital for the broken hip, an infection is contracted, or perhaps a blood clot forms from having to be sedentary. It's not just a simple fall to many people, it can lead to death in extreme cases. In all cases of cracked sidewalk claims, however, there is one thing that is inherent, and that is a life that has been altered by the injury. That means loss of lifestyle including jobs, mobility, personal life interruption, and more. A broken ankle or neck and back injury from a fall can be debilitating, if only for a little while. The injuries incurred from the willful neglect of problems deserve, even demand, that the responsible party makes restitution in all possible forms.
When seeking to make a part of society habitable, it is a given that it should be made safe and maintained properly to keep that safe. There needs to be someone who will do their part in this progress, and when they don't, the consequences can be life-altering. Then, that responsible party must face the music of paying for an accident that could have been prevented.
Claims for injuries caused by defectively maintained sidewalks, or even parking lots, are called premises liability cases. The Law Office of James R. Snell, Jr., LLC, located in Lexington, South Carolina, handles these types of claims all over South Carolina. By working closely with our client, and engaging experts in the field or sidewalk or parking lot maintenance we can assist in recovering compensation for our client's medical bills, lost wages, and other legal damages. To discuss your case caused as a result of a cracked sidewalk or other poorly maintained walkway, parking lot or floor contact our office at 1-888-302-0714. There is no cost to have your South Carolina Premises Liability case reviewed by our office.