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Anytime you visit a friend’s property, you should expect that it will be kept safe. In fact, Illinois law places the same responsibilities to protect visitors on private landowners as it does on commercial property owners. A private landowner must take reasonable steps to protect their invited guests.
When a private landowner fails to take these steps, and a guest is injured, the landowner may be responsible to pay compensation. This can include making payments to cover medical costs, to compensate you for any lost wages, and even payments to compensate you for loss of quality of life.
An Oak Lawn private property premises liability lawyer could help you or a loved one who was injured while visiting another party’s private land. An adept attorney can advocate for your rights to help you recover the compensation you are entitled to.
Illinois law is very clear about what rights people can expect when visiting another’s property. 740 ILCS130/2 states that all landowners must take reasonable care to protect the wellbeing of invited visitors onto their land. This responsibility extends to not just commercial property owners, but to private landowners as well.
The main question that must be answered in any private property premises liability case is whether the owner’s steps were reasonable. In the end, this is a question for the jury. However, there are some strong indicators that can be persuasive evidence of landowner negligence.
For example, if a landowner knows that their front steps are broken, but does not tell visitors about it, that landowner may be liable if a visitor is injured when using those steps. A jury may certainly believe that it would be reasonable for the homeowner to warn visitors of the hazard.
At the center of any premises liability claim is a physical injury. No matter how emotionally trying an incident may be, if there is no physical harm that is diagnosed and treated by a doctor, the case cannot continue.
Most cases will allege more serious injuries such as broken bones, sprained tendons, or spinal cord damage. The fact that the landowner is a private citizen does not lessen their responsibility for these injuries.
If these injuries result in an inability to work or earn an income, the plaintiff can also claim these losses in a suit. A proper lawsuit should demand compensation for both all current lost wages and any loss of future earning potential.
Finally, when physical injuries are accompanied by pain or mental anguish, these costs can also be included in a claim. Ideally, a plaintiff will have doctors’ notes that speak as to the emotional toll the incident had on them. An Oak Lawn private property premises liability lawyer could work ensure that demand packages accurately account for the full extent of a person’s damages.
Injuries that happen on private property are just as valid a reason for a premises liability case as those that happen at a business. These landowners have the same responsibility to protect their invited visitors as all other property owners. As a result, people who are injured while an invited guest on another’s land have the right to pursue a premises liability claim based on negligence.
These claims must prove that the landowner did not take reasonable steps to protect the wellbeing of the injured plaintiff. An Oak Lawn private property premises liability lawyer could help you prove this. Call today to make an appointment to discuss your case.