What to Do After an Attack at a Business or Apartment Around Summerville
Whether it happened at an apartment complex off Dorchester Road or a hotel lot near the interstate, treatment comes first. A relative or friend can make most of these calls while you are in the hospital.
- Go to the ER. After that, the counseling sessions matter as much as the surgical follow-ups.
- Report it to police and write down the report number and which agency took it.
- Put a preservation request in writing. An email to the property manager naming the date and asking that video, guard logs and repair tickets be held is a start. Footage can be recorded over quickly, and a letter alone may not stop that, so early legal help can matter.
- Make notes on the property: burned-out lights, a gate propped open, no one at the desk, a camera pointed the wrong way.
- Get names of witnesses, staff on duty and anyone who helped.
- Don't sign a release before your questions are answered.
Many people find they can't sleep, avoid stores or relive the attack. Those are worth raising with a doctor or counselor.
Where This Happens Around Summerville
Summerville has grown fast, with new apartment complexes, hotels near the interstate, and busy shopping areas and bars that stay open late. Dark parking lots, broken gates and unstaffed entrances can show up anywhere.
When a Business May Be Responsible
South Carolina does not make businesses and property owners automatically responsible for every crime someone else commits on their property. They may be liable when an attack was sufficiently foreseeable and reasonable security measures could have prevented the injury.1 A business's duty depends on how foreseeable the danger was and the burden of taking reasonable security precautions.3
Earlier crimes at or near the property are an important factor, but they are not always required.3 Lighting, locks, gates, cameras, staffing and the attack itself can all matter.
Want someone to look at your situation?
Talk with our team about what happened and ask the questions on your mind.
How Long You Have
In South Carolina, most injury lawsuits must be filed within three years.2 The limit is for filing in court, and an insurance claim does not stop it.4
Suits against state or local government entities generally must be filed within two years, though a qualifying verified claim may extend that to three years.5 Government claims may also involve special liability rules and damage caps.67
For the statewide overview, read about South Carolina negligent security claims.
Talk With Us
After an attack, people often second-guess themselves. We don't start from blame. Your account comes first, told however and whenever works for you. If you hire us, the insurers can usually deal with us.
Our office is on King Street in downtown Charleston. We take cases across South Carolina, including Summerville. If the injury came from a hazard instead, such as a fall, see premises injuries around Summerville.
We would like to hear about the property, the hour and what felt wrong about the place.
South Carolina Law on This
- South Carolina does not make businesses and property owners automatically responsible for every crime someone else commits on their property. They may be liable when an attack was sufficiently foreseeable and reasonable security measures could have prevented the injury; courts balance how foreseeable the danger was against the burden of protective measures.1
- Most personal injury claims in South Carolina must be filed within three years.2
- In South Carolina, a business's duty to protect customers from criminal acts by others depends on how foreseeable the danger was and the burden of taking reasonable security precautions. Previous similar crimes are an important factor, but a business may still have a duty to provide reasonable security without them if other circumstances indicate a heightened risk.3
- South Carolina's statute of limitations generally sets the deadline for filing a lawsuit in court. Simply opening a claim with an insurance company or negotiating with an insurance adjuster does not stop the statute of limitations from running.4
- Lawsuits under the South Carolina Tort Claims Act generally must be filed within two years after the loss was or should have been discovered. A three-year deadline may apply if a qualifying verified claim was first filed under the Act.5
- Claims against a South Carolina state or local government agency have their own filing deadline, which can be shorter, and there could be caps on damages under the South Carolina Tort Claims Act, depending on the facts of the case.6
- South Carolina generally limits recovery against government entities under the Tort Claims Act to $300,000 per person and $600,000 total for a single occurrence. The Act does not allow punitive damages or prejudgment interest.7
- A criminal case against an attacker and a civil negligence claim against a property owner are separate. An arrest or conviction does not automatically make the business responsible, and a civil claim may be possible even if the attacker is never identified or convicted. The civil questions include whether the business owed a duty to provide reasonable security, whether it breached that duty and whether the failure contributed to the injury.8
- South Carolina does not impose an automatic duty on landlords to protect tenants from criminal acts by others just because of the landlord-tenant relationship. Depending on the particular circumstances, a landlord or property management company may have a duty to take reasonable measures to address foreseeable criminal dangers in areas under its control, such as parking lots, hallways, entrances and common areas. Whether it may be liable depends on the facts, including its knowledge of risks, its control over the property and the security measures involved.9
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I talk with you by phone?
Yes. The first conversation can happen by phone. Our office is on King Street in downtown Charleston.
Does there have to have been an earlier crime at the property?
Not always. Previous similar crimes are an important factor, but a business may still have a duty to provide reasonable security without them if other circumstances point to a heightened risk.3 The type of business, the risks it knew about and the precautions available can all matter.
The attacker was arrested. Does that help my claim against the business?
The two are separate. An arrest or conviction does not automatically make the business responsible, and a civil claim may be possible even if the attacker is never identified or convicted. The civil questions include whether the business owed a duty to provide reasonable security, whether it breached that duty and whether that contributed to the injury.8
I was attacked in the parking lot at my apartment complex. Is that a claim?
It may be. South Carolina does not put an automatic duty on landlords to protect tenants from crimes by others. Depending on the circumstances, a landlord or management company may have a duty to take reasonable steps against foreseeable criminal dangers in areas it controls, such as parking lots, hallways and entrances. Its knowledge of risks, its control and the security in place all matter.9
Should I wait until the criminal case ends?
Waiting can hurt you. South Carolina's statute of limitations generally sets the deadline for filing a lawsuit, and opening a claim with an insurance company does not stop it.4 Don't count on the criminal case pausing it, and camera footage and business records can vanish in the meantime.
Sources
- Bass v. Gopal, Inc., 395 S.C. 129, 716 S.E.2d 910 (2011)
- S.C. Code § 15-3-530
- Bass v. Gopal, Inc., 395 S.C. 129, 716 S.E.2d 910 (2011); Lord v. D & J Enterprises, Inc., 407 S.C. 544, 757 S.E.2d 695 (2014)
- S.C. Code §§ 15-3-20 and 15-3-530
- S.C. Code §§ 15-78-80 and 15-78-110
- S.C. Code §§ 15-78-110 and 15-78-120
- S.C. Code § 15-78-120
- Sean Hall, Nov 5, 2026 page review; see Bass v. Gopal, Inc., 395 S.C. 129, 716 S.E.2d 910 (2011)
- Cramer v. Balcor Property Management, Inc., 312 S.C. 440, 441 S.E.2d 317 (1994); compare Bass v. Gopal, Inc., 395 S.C. 129, 716 S.E.2d 910 (2011) (businesses and invitees)
This page is general information about South Carolina law, not legal advice for your situation. Every case depends on its own facts.
