collins & lacy retail hospitality law

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This inaugural issue of the Retail/Hospitality/Entertainment Law Newsletter celebrates both the opening of our Charleston office and the newest member of our Retail team, Bennett Crites, who also offers an analysis of CGL policy in a Lowcountry grocery store shooting case. Practice Group Chair Christian Stegmaier discusses third party obligations for hospitality-related businesses. Please send any questions to Christian Stegmaier.

 

South Carolina Hospitality-Related Businesses Have Obligations to Protect Guests

  

Christian Stegmaier Collins & Lacy

 

I read with great interest a recent article in the Beaufort Gazette entitled "Bride attacked on wedding's eve sues Beaufort hotel."   In our retail/

hospitality/entertainment practicewe defend South Carolina companies operating in these sectors. One of the big areas we deal with is liability for third party assault. This article reminded me of a case-law update I published about a South Carolina Supreme Court ruling that created new requirements for operators to protect guests from foreseeable harm.

 

As the summer travel/vacation season begins, South Carolina hotels and other hospitality-related businesses need to be aware of this opinion, as it puts new obligations on businesses like hotels to protect their guests. The opinion concerns guest safety and third party assault.  Here is the original article.

 

Collins & Lacy, P.C. Expands Statewide Footprint with Opening of Charleston Office

 

Collins & Lacy, P.C. Charleston Office

 

We are pleased to announce the opening of our new Charleston office, with three attorneys joining our firm: workers' compensation attorneys Mikell Wyman and Tom Bacon and the newest member of our retail/hospitality/entertainment law practice, Bennett Crites.

 

In terms of retail and hospitality defense, we couldn't be happier to have a presence in the South's "Holy City" for all things food and fun.  As a firm, we are excited to expand our statewide business defense footprint to include Charleston, Columbia, Greenville and Myrtle Beach, and we welcome Bennett, Mikell and Tom to the Collins & Lacy family!

 

Bennett Crites Collins & Lacy

J. Bennett Crites III

 

Bennett Crites is a shareholder with Collins & Lacy practicing in retail/hospitality/entertainment law, premises liability, products liability, automobile negligence, defamation, insurance bad faith and commercial trucking law. Bennett has experience in litigating cases from minor injury to wrongful death and catastrophic injury. Super Lawyers has identified Bennett as a Rising Star. Prior to joining Collins & Lacy, Bennett was an attorney with a law firm in Charleston, South Carolina. He also served as a judicial law clerk to the Honorable R. Markley Dennis, Jr. and has corporate experience in the financial sector. Bennett earned his law degree from the University of South Carolina School of Law and his undergraduate degree in Business Administration from the Citadel.

 

 

Doscher's Has It In the Bag: A Local Charleston Grocery Store Prevails Over Penn National Insurance Company in Coverage Dispute  

 

Attorney Bennett Crites Reports:

 

A Charleston grocery store prevailed in a recent ruling involving a coverage dispute after a shooting in the store. In Pennsylvania National Mutual Casualty Insurance Company v. DOSCHER'S SUPER MARKETS, Dist. Court, D. South Carolina 2012, Anita Thorne, as Guardian ad Litem for Burton Thorne, brought suit in the Court of Common Pleas for Charleston County with respect to injuries her son sustained when he was shot by a coworker at Doscher's Super Market.  As a result, Penn National Insurance Company, Doscher's insurer, subsequently filed suit against Doscher's in United States District Court regarding Penn National's duty to defend and indemnify Doscher's in the underlying state court action. Read Bennett's full article here.

Court Rules Plaintiff Bit Off More Than He Could Chew in Wendy's Case 

 

Attorney Amy Neuschafer Reports:

 

A recent decision from the Eastern District of North Carolina reminds us of the key role proof of causation plays in food liability cases. Manley v. Doe, No. 7:10-CV-154-D (E.D.N.C. February 2, 2012) involves a suit filed against Wendy's concerning a two-inch plastic fragment that was removed from the plaintiff's lung.

 

Read more about this food liability ruling.

Make it a Favorite: Retail/Hospitality Law Blog  

 

Practice Group Chair Christian Stegmaier and his team strive to keep retailers and hospitality professionals informed on the latest trends in the industry on the South Carolina Retail & Hospitality Law Blog. Here are some of the posts:

 

If you have an issue or recent update you would like us to cover, please contact us here. Thank you.

Retail/Hospitality 

Law Practice Group 

 We represent the leading national and regional companies in the hotel, food service, entertainment and retail industries, focusing on the protection of their brands, assets and patrons' good will. 

 

Meet our team here.

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