Can I sue for being shot or stabbed in South Carolina?
Often, yes. South Carolina property owners owe a duty to take reasonable steps to protect people on their premises from foreseeable crime. When a business or landlord ignores a known danger and someone is shot or stabbed as a result, South Carolina law can hold the owner financially responsible — through a negligent-security claim. You are not suing for the crime itself; you are suing the property owner for the security failures that made a foreseeable attack possible. This is separate from any criminal case against the attacker.
How South Carolina decides if a crime was “foreseeable”
South Carolina uses a balancing test (Bass v. Gopal): courts weigh how foreseeable the criminal harm was against the burden of guarding against it. The more foreseeable the crime — judged largely on prior similar incidents and the totality of the circumstances — the greater the security a property owner must provide.
Deadlines in South Carolina
- Negligence / personal injury: generally three years from the date of the incident from the date of the incident.
- Wrongful death: generally three years from the date of death.
Evidence like surveillance footage disappears fast, so it’s important to act quickly.
Fault sharing in South Carolina
South Carolina follows modified comparative negligence with a 51% bar: you recover, reduced by your share of fault, only if you were 50% or less at fault.
What you can recover
South Carolina does not cap compensatory damages against a private property owner in an ordinary negligence case. For families, a wrongful-death claim can recover funeral costs and the loss of support and companionship.
Why South Carolina victims choose The Haggard Law Firm
The firm has handled nearly 500 negligent-security cases nationwide and secured the largest negligent-security verdict in U.S. history ($102.7 million). We help South Carolina crime victims and their families with no fee unless we win.
How we handle a South Carolina case — working with local counsel
The Haggard Law Firm is based in Coral Gables, Florida, and Michael A. Haggard is licensed to practice law in Florida. Mr. Haggard is not licensed in South Carolina. Negligent security and crime-victim litigation is the firm’s core focus, and because of the national reputation the firm has built in this specific area, Mr. Haggard regularly works on South Carolina cases as co-counsel with a locally licensed South Carolina attorney, seeking admission pro hac vice (for the individual case) where the court’s rules permit. Any South Carolina matter would be handled together with local counsel admitted in South Carolina.
If you were shot, stabbed, or lost a loved one to a preventable crime in South Carolina, you can still reach out to us directly. We will review your case for free and, where appropriate, associate with a qualified South Carolina attorney to pursue it.
This page is attorney advertising and general information only; it is not legal advice and does not create an attorney-client relationship. Michael A. Haggard is licensed in Florida. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
Frequently asked questions
Can I sue for being shot in South Carolina?
Often, yes. If you were shot on a South Carolina property that failed to provide reasonable security against a foreseeable risk, you may be able to sue the property owner for negligent security — separately from any criminal case against the shooter. South Carolina balances how foreseeable the crime was (based largely on prior similar incidents) against the burden of preventing it. A free case review will tell you whether you have a claim.
Can I sue if I was stabbed on someone's property in South Carolina?
Possibly. A stabbing on a South Carolina property with inadequate security is handled the same way as a shooting — if the attack was foreseeable and the owner failed to provide reasonable security, the owner may be liable. The claim is against the property owner, not only the attacker.
How long do I have to file a negligent-security claim in South Carolina?
Generally three years from the date of the incident from the date of the incident for a negligence claim, and three years from the date of death for wrongful death. Confirm your specific deadline with a lawyer quickly.
Is Michael Haggard licensed to practice in South Carolina?
Mr. Haggard is licensed in Florida, not in South Carolina. Because negligent-security litigation is his firm's core focus and the firm has a national profile in these cases, he regularly serves as co-counsel with a locally licensed South Carolina attorney and, where the court permits, appears pro hac vice for the individual case. You can contact the firm directly, and where appropriate it will associate with qualified local counsel in South Carolina.
How does South Carolina decide if a property owner is liable?
South Carolina balances how foreseeable the crime was (based largely on prior similar incidents) against the burden of preventing it. If the crime was foreseeable and the owner failed to provide reasonable security, they can be held responsible.
What does it cost to hire the firm?
Nothing up front. We work on contingency — no attorney's fees unless we recover compensation for you.