Chicago Slip and Fall Lawyers
Slip, Trip, and Fall Laws in Illinois
If you were injured after slipping, tripping, and falling on someone else’s property, you could be entitled to financial compensation for your resulting medical expenses, lost wages, and other damages. When property owners fail to conduct reasonable property maintenance or are otherwise negligent, they can be held accountable for accidents, including slip and falls, that occur on their properties—and the team at Mike Slocumb Law Firm can help.
Our Chicago slip and fall lawyers have decades of experience and a proven track record of success handling complex premises liability claims. We know that these types of cases present unique challenges, and we know how to help you work to overcome them so that you can secure the full, fair compensation you are owed. Whether you slipped and fell due to dangerous conditions in a retail store or were injured in a private residence, our firm is ready to fight for you.
Call (888) 302-3669 or contact us online to request a free, no-obligation consultation today.
When Can You File a Slip and Fall Claim in Illinois?
Generally speaking, you can file a slip and fall claim if you were injured due to unsafe or defective conditions on someone else’s property. However, there are several things you must prove to have a successful case.
To prove a slip and fall claim against a property owner, you must establish each of the following elements:
- Duty of Care: One of the most important elements of your slip and fall injury claim is the “duty of care.” This refers to the property owner’s legal responsibility to maintain the premises and remove, repair, or warn of dangerous or defective conditions that could cause foreseeable injury. The exact duty of care the property owner owed you will depend on your status as a visitor (i.e., whether you were there for commercial purposes, personal reasons, etc.)
- Breach of the Duty of Care: It is also important that you prove that the property owner failed to uphold, or “breached,” the duty of care. In most cases, this is done by proving that the property owner knew about or should have known about a dangerous or defective condition yet failed to conduct reasonable property maintenance and/or remove, repair, or warn of the dangerous or defective condition.
- Injury: You will also need to prove that you were actually injured due to the slip and fall accident. If you slipped, tripped, and fell but did not sustain any injuries, you do not have a case. Generally speaking, you will also need to prove that you suffered measurable, compensable damages, such as medical expenses or pain and suffering related to your injuries.
- Causation: Lastly, you will need to prove the causal relationship between the property owner’s failure to uphold the duty of care (i.e., their negligence) and your injuries. In other words, you will need to show how the property owner’s failure to maintain the premises and/or remove, repair, or warn of dangerous or defective conditions caused your injuries.
It is important to remember that the property owner and/or their insurance provider will likely try to push back against your claim. We strongly recommend that you work with an experienced slip and fall lawyer, like those at Mike Slocumb Law Firm, who can help protect your rights, communicate with the insurance company on your behalf, and advocate for the maximum compensation you are owed.