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From Charleston's restaurant scene to Myrtle Beach's bars and nightclubs, South Carolina's hospitality industry sees enormous foot traffic — and injuries happen more often than most people expect. A bar or restaurant injury claim can look very different depending on what actually happened: a slip on a wet floor, a fight that breaks out on a crowded dance floor, an overserved patron who causes harm, or food that makes you sick. Here's what to do, and how South Carolina law treats each type of claim. 1. Report the Incident and Get Medical Attention Tell a manager immediately and ask that an incident report be created. Then get medical attention — whether that means an ER visit for a fall or assault, or a doctor's evaluation if you're experiencing symptoms of food poisoning. Prompt treatment protects your health and ties your injury to the incident. 2. Document What Happened Photograph the hazard that caused your injury — a spill, broken glass, a wet floor with no warning sign — before it's cleaned up. If you were involved in an altercation, photograph your injuries and the area where it happened. If you got sick from food, photograph the food itself and keep any leftovers, packaging, or receipts if at all possible. 3. Get Witness Contact Information Bars and restaurants are crowded and staff turn over quickly. Get names and phone numbers for anyone who saw what happened — other patrons are often the best evidence of what really occurred, especially in an assault or fight. 4. Preserve Surveillance Footage Most bars and restaurants have security cameras, and footage is often the most important evidence in a fall, fight, or assault case. It's also often deleted or overwritten within days or weeks. An experienced personal injury attorney can send a preservation letter quickly to make sure it isn't lost. 5. Be Careful With Insurance Adjusters Don't give a recorded statement or sign anything before you understand the full scope of your injuries — early settlement offers are often far less than a claim is actually worth. The Legal Standard Depends on What Happened Slip-and-falls and property hazards: As with any South Carolina premises liability claim , you generally need to show the establishment had notice of the hazard — either actual notice (staff saw the spill or hazard and did nothing) or constructive notice (it existed long enough that a reasonable inspection should have caught it). Fights and assaults (negligent security): Bars and nightclubs have a duty to take reasonable precautions to protect patrons, particularly where fights or violence are foreseeable — think inadequate lighting, insufficient bouncers or security staff, or a known history of trouble that wasn't addressed. If security staff or a bouncer used excessive force against you, both the individual and the establishment that employed them may be liable. Overserved patrons (dram shop liability): South Carolina law prohibits bars and restaurants from serving alcohol to a person who is visibly intoxicated. If an overserved patron caused your injury — whether in a fight inside the venue or a crash after leaving — the establishment that kept serving them may be liable for violating that law, in addition to the patron themselves. Food poisoning and foreign objects: If you got sick or were injured by something in your food, you'll generally need to show the restaurant or supplier was negligent in preparing, handling, or serving the food, that this caused your illness or injury, and that you suffered real damages. Because symptoms of foodborne illness often show up hours or days later, getting a prompt medical diagnosis and preserving any evidence — receipts, leftover food, packaging — makes a real difference in these cases. South Carolina's Comparative Negligence Rule Whatever type of claim applies, South Carolina's modified comparative negligence rule — the 51% bar — generally comes into play. If you're found less than 51% at fault for your own injury, you can recover damages, reduced by your share of fault. If you're 51% or more at fault, you recover nothing, which is why establishments often look for ways to argue you were also to blame — for instance, that you were intoxicated or provoked a fight. Don't Wait to Get Help South Carolina generally gives you three years from the date of the injury to file a personal injury lawsuit . Given how quickly surveillance footage disappears and how fast memories of a crowded, chaotic night can fade, it's best to speak with an attorney as soon as possible. Talk to a South Carolina Bar and Restaurant Injury Attorney Whether you were hurt in a fall, a fight, or from something you ate, figuring out who's responsible — and proving it — takes the right evidence gathered quickly. At Sharpe & Leventis, LLC , we help injured patrons throughout South Carolina investigate what happened and pursue the compensation they deserve. Sharpe & Leventis, LLC 3710 Landmark Drive, Suite 403 Columbia, SC 29204 📞 (803) 830-6296 🌐  www.sharpeleventis.com Contact us today for a free, no-obligation consultation.