According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), over 8 million people were treated in U.S. emergency rooms in 2013 for slips, trips, and other accidental falls, making such accidents the leading cause of nonfatal injuries and the third leading cause of injury resulting in death that year. Changes in elevation are not… Continue Reading
Retail & Hospitality Law Blog
South Carolina Retail & Hospitality Law Alerts provides timely updates on pressing issues in the retail and hospitality field, with commentary from our experienced retail and hospitality law team.
Better Safe Than Sorry: Keeping Up With Your Employees
Employee turnover is unavoidable for most businesses. Although almost no industry is immune from losing employees for any number of reasons in a free market economy, turnover is particularly prevalent in the highly seasonal retail and hospitality industries. In addition, cyclical and structural changes to the market are also catalysts for employees changing jobs. From… Continue Reading
Tips & Guidelines for “The Big Game”
Christian Stegmaier, Collins & Lacy’s Retail & Hospitality Practice Group Chair, shares some important tips and guidelines for both permit holders (restaurants, bars, etc.) and social hosts who will be watching the Big Game Sunday, February 1st.
Cell Phone Defense
Cell phones are used everywhere. Whether it is an old school flip phone, smartphone or tablet, Americans are devoted to, and engrossed with, their electronic gadgets. A piece of web art I ran across depicts a crowd of people walking in the street all staring down at their smartphones. The caption under the piece reads something… Continue Reading
How to Keep Your Business on the Nice List: Tips for Holiday Shopping Crowd Control
Effective crowd management should be a year-round priority for retailers, but Black Friday and the ensuing holiday shopping season elevates the importance of crowd control. It seems like each holiday season the media reports several incidents of out of control crowds at retail locations, whether it be a swarm of customers trampling one another to… Continue Reading
Summary Judgment Granted in “Known Condition” Premises Case: Federal District Court in Columbia Holds No Duty to Warn of Rainy Conditions
Retailers and hospitality-related entities doing business in South Carolina should be encouraged by a recent premises liability decision issued by the federal district court in Columbia in Lucas v. Sysco Columbia, LLC, 2014 WL 4976509 (D.S.C. October 3, 2014), which resulted in summary judgment being granted in favor of the defendant. The underlying dispute, which… Continue Reading
Preparing Hospitality-Related Entities and Retailers for Hurricane Season
Many South Carolinians will never forget 25 years ago when Hurricane Hugo wreaked havoc, leaving a path of destruction to the Palmetto State that cost billions of dollars to rebuild and many years to recover. With that vivid memory and hurricane season in full swing, it’s imperative that businesses such as hotels, food service establishments,… Continue Reading
Keep Calm and Investigate: Top 10 Tips for Documenting Accidents at Your Business
Originally published in XPress: International Society of Primerus Law Firms Corporate Client e-Newsletter An effective and thorough investigation is the first line of defense in any premises liability case. When a guest reports an accident, it is important to gather as much information as possible. Employees move on and memories fade, but a well-documented accident… Continue Reading
The Law of Comparative Negligence & Minors in South Carolina
From time to time, in both the retail and hospitality settings, we assist clients who have either been sued or threatened with suit arising from claims involving injury to a minor. The alleged injuries can be very serious, which makes these claims stressful for our clients. The seriousness of the injuries along with the tenderness… Continue Reading
Hospitality Day at the State House
Wednesday, May 7, 2014 is Hospitality Day at the State House hosted by the South Carolina Restaurant & Lodging Association (SCRLA). During this event, the restaurant and hotel industry will speak with lawmakers about how important food service, lodging and tourism is to the state’s economy. Some of the issues the SCRLA is battling at… Continue Reading