When you or a loved one sustains an injury on someone else’s property, you may be eligible to seek compensation. Businesses like hotels, stores, and restaurants are supposed to take measures to keep people on their properties safe. When they fail to provide a safe environment, innocent people can easily get hurt. These injuries could prevent you from returning to work or take a long time to recover from. A Peru premises liability lawyer can represent you and fight for your right to fair compensation. Schweickert Ganassin Krzak Rundio, LLP has helped many people get the justice they deserve and we’ll do the same for you.
It may benefit you to know more about premises liability laws in Illinois. Let’s look at what property owners are supposed to do to keep the people on their property safe.
Illinois Premises Liability Laws
According to Illinois law, a property owner owes both invitees and licensees a duty of care. Property owners must show reasonable care regarding the premises’ state or acts done on them. This means they need to take measures to prevent injuries on their property and also warn others of dangers.
Both invitees and licensees have the owner’s permission to be on the property. An invitee is usually there for the property owner’s benefit and can be divided into two categories: business and public. A business invitee could be a person going to a shop and a public invitee would be someone visiting a park. A licensee could be a family member, friend, or other kind of social guest.
It’s also important to note that an injury isn’t always the fault of the property owner. It could be the fault of the person who is currently in control of the property. So, a person who is living on the property like a tenant or who is working on it like a contractor could be held liable.
Determining the liable party can be a difficult process, but our personal injury attorneys will find who is responsible for your injuries. As we investigate your case, we’ll also need to know exactly what happened to you, as there are many ways that a premises liability injury can occur.
Causes of Premises Liability Injuries
Anyone can sustain injuries when the person in charge of the property acts negligently. Here are some issues that could cause terrible injuries:
- Uneven steps
- Loose railing
- Debris in walkways
- Spills of water or substances on the floor
- Slip and fall accidents
- Dog bites
- Poorly lit areas
When someone encounters these obstacles, they could severely hurt themselves in a number of ways. If they fall from a height because a loose railing gives out or trip over debris, they can sustain one or more of the following injuries:
- Traumatic brain injury
- Broken bones
- Sprains
- Lacerations
- Neck and spine injuries
These preventable injuries could put someone in the hospital, where they may require additional surgery or rehabilitation as part of their recovery. In just a few moments, the individual went from healthy to now having a painful injury and may need to go through a long recovery process.
In some tragic cases, some of these injuries can be fatal. If someone falls and hits their head, they may not survive. If you’ve lost a loved one because of negligence, our wrongful death lawyers may be able to help you with your claim.
No matter your circumstances, you need your claim to clearly show that you were wrongfully injured and deserve compensation. Let’s take a look at what you’ll need for your premises liability claim.
Components of a Valid Premises Liability Claim
When you meet with your premises liability attorney, they’ll be able to tell you the information you need to make your claim as strong as possible. It’s likely that you’ll need the following components in your claim:
- You had permission to be on the property
- You sustained injuries on the property
- The property owner failed to warn you of the hazard or danger that caused your injury
It may also help for you to photograph the accident site and the injury. This could be used as evidence that you were injured on the site and the photographs could give more information about the hazard that caused the injury.
The claim process may sound long and complicated to you and in some circumstances, insurance adjusters may approach you with a settlement offer. It may be tempting to settle the matter just to have it done, but this may not be your best option and may lead to an unjust outcome. Insurance adjusters have their own interests in mind and that isn’t giving you full and fair compensation. While it will take some time, having a Peru premises liability lawyer by your side to represent you will give you the best chance of getting the outcome you deserve through settlement or trial.
You’ll be able to use the compensation to cover your hospital bills, expenses for future care that will help you recover, and other damages from the accident. You won’t have to worry about how you’re going to keep up with other expenses if you’re unable to work. We’re here to protect your best interests no matter what.
Schweickert Ganassin Krzak Rundio, LLP Can Fight for You
Getting started on your claim as quickly as possible will help you reach a solution so you can move on with your recovery. Waiting too long could mean losing essential physical evidence that could have helped your case. If you or a loved one has been injured on someone else’s property, get in touch with us today. We’ll work hard to hold the negligent party accountable and get you the compensation you need. Our Peru premises liability attorneys are ready to go over your case with you and explain what options you have.
