Chicago Premises Liability Lawyers

Holding Negligent Property Owners Accountable Since 2000

Property owners and businesses have a responsibility to keep their premises reasonably safe for visitors. When someone is injured as a result of negligence, the property owner or leaseholder may be liable. Were you hurt while visiting someone else's property? If so, you may have grounds for a premises liability case. At McHargue & Jones, LLC, we have over 19 years of experience handling premises liability cases in Illinois, and our injury lawyers are standing by to put that experience to work for you.

Discuss your case with a Chicago premises liability attorney today. Contact McHargue & Jones, LLC at (312) 739-0000.

What Is Premises Liability?

When someone is injured due to hazards on a poorly maintained property, they can seek compensation from the property owner or leaseholder. Payment can be sought for many injury-related expenses, including medical bills, prescription medication costs, lost wages, rehabilitation costs, and even lost future wages in the event your injury precludes you from working.

There are many circumstances that can result in a premises liability case, including:

• Unnatural accumulations of snow, water, or ice on walkways or stairs
• Uneven stairs
• Obstructions in walkways or protruding into aisles
• Poorly or insufficiently lit grounds
• Insufficient security
• Failure to post hazard or safety signs
• Escalator or elevator-related injuries

If you've been injured on someone else's property, it is worth speaking with a premises liability lawyer in Chicago familiar with handling these kinds of cases. They will be able to identify if you have grounds for a suit and for what related expenses you may seek compensation.

Time is of the essence to preserve and obtain possible video or photographic evidence of the accident or the defect.

Who Is Covered Under Illinois Premises Liability Law?

Illinois premises liability law primarily serves to protect individuals who are on another person's property either by invitation for mutual gain or benefit (these are known as "invitees" and often include mail delivery workers, customers, etc.), or individuals who are there for their own entertainment or socializing (also known as "licensees"). A property owner owes a specific duty of care to these types of visitors.

Anyone who does not fall into either of these two categories is considered a "trespasser," and will most likely have a harder time proving a premises liability claim against the property owner. The only duty of care owed to trespassers is to prevent inflicting willful or careless injury on trespassers.

How Do I Know if I Have a Premises Liability Claim?

Premises liability claims can include any instance of injury that results from a home or business owner’s negligence. You may have a premises liability claim if you were injured on another person’s property and believe the owner’s negligence to be the cause.

Evidence of a premises liability claim can include any documentation that demonstrates a property owner’s failure to repair known hazards, their lack of sufficient security, or other examples of negligence in property maintenance.

Types of Premises Liability Claims and Examples

Premises liability is a broad legal area that includes a multitude of claim types. If the cause of an injury can be attributed to negligent and unsafe property maintenance, it could qualify as a premises liability claim. Because premises liability claims are defined by the cause of injury rather than the result, the details of incidents can vary widely.

Some examples of premises liability claims are:

• Slip and fall accidents
• Swimming pool accidents
• Inadequate security
• Work-related incidents
• Car accidents (in which the cause is negligent road or property maintenance)

What Are the Illinois Rules on Falls on Ice and Snow?

In the state of Illinois, cases of injury caused by ice and snow are considered as slip and fall accidents. Slip and fall accident claims are regulated by state personal injury laws.

People who are injured in a slip and fall accident could be entitled to compensation from liable parties. In cases of falls caused by ice and snow, the people responsible for clearing the affected area (municipalities, maintenance workers, and property owners) could be liable for damages. Claimants in slip and fall cases may have their financial recovery impacted by the state’s modified comparative negligence rule, which reduces compensation according to the plaintiff’s degree of fault. A plaintiff who is found to be 10% at fault for their own injury would have their compensation reduced by that amount. If a plaintiff is over 50% liable for their injuries, they are not entitled to any compensation under Illinois law.

In general, personal injury claims in Illinois must be filed within two years after the date of an incident.

We Care about Our Clients

At McHargue & Jones, LLC, we believe in forming strong attorney-client relationships. With this in mind, we offer free consultations, and we don’t get paid unless we recover compensation for you. When you schedule an appointment with one of our Chicago premises liability attorneys, you can rest assured that you have our undivided attention. Unlike larger firms, we are small enough that you matter. To us, you are more than a case number.

To schedule a free consultation with our premises liability attorneys in Chicago, call McHargue & Jones, LLC at (312) 739-0000. We are fluent in Spanish.