Hazel Crest Premises Liability Lawyer

Hazel Crest landowners have a responsibility to maintain their property and protect visitors from foreseeable or preventable harm. Premises liability cases generally involve injuries caused by a hazardous condition on someone else’s property but could also be caused by a failure to provide safety measures, like inadequate lighting in stairwells. Experienced Hazel Crest premises liability lawyers understand the legal responsibilities and liabilities of businesses or landlords, and can help you pursue damages for injuries sustained on their property.

Example of Premises Liability Claims

Premises liability claims occur in a wide variety of situations but are primarily on commercial properties, retail stores, and residential properties. Grocery stores, parking lots, hospitals, restaurants, office buildings, and other public places may have unseen dangers that result in injuries. The most common premises liability claims include:

Slip and Fall Accidents – these can be the result of wet and slippery floors, snowy or icy sidewalks, broken handrails, and poor lighting
Parking Lot Injuries – these may be the result of an owner’s failure to adequately maintain the parking lot, such as an improper design that misdirects traffic and causes a threat to pedestrians
Falling Merchandise – these accidents usually occur in big box stores where merchandise is improperly stacked and falls from shelves
Negligent/Inadequate Security – assaults may occur in shopping complexes, apartments, and parking lots where owners fail to protect guests of known risks (for example, failing to provide adequate lighting in a parking garage may increase the probability of robbery)

Who Is Protected Under Premises Liability Law?

Under Illinois law, landowners have a legal duty of reasonable care to maintain their premises. When they fail to do so and an injury results, a plaintiff may file a claim against the property owner for negligence. Negligence requires proof that the owner knew or reasonably should have known of the condition on the property, they failed to remedy the defect, and the failure caused the plaintiff’s injuries. Negligence can be demonstrated with eyewitness testimony, facility records, and photos of the accident scene.

In Hazel Crest, property owners have a high duty of care to protect their customers and guests from harm. Trespassers who were not explicitly or implicitly invited onto the property are owed a lower duty of care because they are breaking the rules by entering.

Hazel Crest attorneys can help determine the duty owed and work to make the most substantial premises liability claim by proving the property owner’s negligence.

Recoverable Damages

In premises liability cases, the plaintiff may seek compensatory damages to compensate for their financial losses, including medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering. However, if the injured person is found to be partially at fault for the accident, they may be limited in recovering damages. The plaintiff is entitled to recover total damages reduced by the percentage of negligence attributed to them. For example, if the plaintiff was found to be 25 percent at fault for the accident, their damages may be reduced by 25 percent.

Additionally, Illinois law requires a plaintiff to file a premises liability claim within two years from the date the accident occurred, although there are some exceptions which a Hazel Crest attorney can explain. Failing to meet the deadlines may prevent individuals from bringing a premises liability claim and collecting damages.

Consult a Hazel Crest Premises Liability Accident Attorney

If you have been injured while at a store or restaurant, or while visiting someone else’s home, you should reach out to a qualified personal injury attorney. Hazel Crest premises liability accident lawyers could investigate the owners’ property to identify any negligent parties and help you seek compensation for your losses. To see what a dedicated Hazel Crest attorney could do in your case, get in touch today.