Slipping and falling might be embarrassing in some cases, but in others, it is extremely dangerous, and victims might be severely injured. An attorney can help determine whom to hold responsible for your painful accident.
You might be able to sue a number of people for a slip and fall accident, depending on who owns the property where you were injured. Businesses, individual people, and even government entities might be liable. In Premises liability cases like these, defendants may be held liable if they fail to maintain their property in a safe way for guests and visitors. Your damages might be higher than you think, and economic and non-economic injuries must be accounted for. You should hire a lawyer because steering any case through the complex judicial system is far from easy, and an attorney can use their skills, knowledge, and experience to guide you.
Call the Rhatigan Law Offices at (312) 578-8502 and ask about a free evaluation of your case with our slip and fall injury lawyers.
People You Can Sue for a Slip and Fall Injury in Rockford, IL
A lot of people hurt in slip and fall accidents mistakenly blame themselves for having a clumsy lack of coordination. The truth is actually a bit more serious. Slip and fall accidents happen because other people fail to safely maintain their property. If unsafe conditions on the premises or hazards that should have been removed caused your accident, our slip and fall injury attorneys can help you sue for damages.
Businesses
A lot of slip and fall accidents happen in places of business. Restaurants, retail stores, entertainment venues, and many other places with heavy foot traffic are common locations for painful slip and fall incidents. If the businesses or organizations in charge of these spaces fail to keep the premises safe, they could be liable for your injuries.
One of the most commonly cited examples of a slip and fall case is when a customer in a store slips in a wet spot without a wet-floor sign. Perhaps an employee just mopped the floor but neglected to warn customers of the wet floor. Maybe you were in a restaurant and slipped in someone’s spilled drink that nobody bothered to clean up. While a spill or wet floor might not seem like a big deal, they can lead to big accidents, and the business should be held liable.
Individuals
Liability for slip and fall accidents is usually based on property ownership. If an individual person owned the property where you fell, you can sue that person with the help of our slip and fall injury lawyers. Many such lawsuits involve homeowners like neighbors or acquaintances in the community.
Suppose that you were invited over to a neighbor’s home, you fell on their rickety, unstable stairs, and you were badly hurt. The homeowner’s (i.e., your neighbor’s) legal duty is to maintain their home so it is safe for guests. This includes repairing or removing known hazards like unstable stairs or warning guests not to use the stairs.
You do not necessarily have to be expressly invited inside by the homeowner to sue them and win. Not only do property owners owe a duty of care to invited guests, but they also owe a duty to people they do not invite but should still reasonably expect to show up, like a mail carrier or someone dropping off a take-out order.
Municipal Entities
Many people might not realize that if your slip and fall accident happened on government property, you might have a case against the government. How your case proceeds depends on the government entity named in your lawsuit. Suing the state government will differ from suing a local government entity, and our slip and fall injury lawyers will assist you.
You can sue the state under the Illinois Court of Claims Act. Under this act, a person can file a lawsuit against the state government for almost anything they could sue a private person over, including slip and fall accidents.
Suppose your injuries occur at a public school, park, or local government building. In that case, you can sue the local government under the Local Government and Governmental Employees Tort Immunity Act. This is different from suing the state, as only cases involving willful and wanton misconduct by the local government or local governmental employees may be filed. Acts of simple negligence are not allowed. This might prevent you from suing the local government for a slip and fall unless you believe the local government or an employee wanted you to get hurt.
You have two options for filing a lawsuit against the government. First, you can file a notice of your claim with the Attorney General and the Clerk of the Court of Claims within 1 year of your slip and fall accident. Second, you can file a lawsuit with the Court of Claims within 1 year of the slip and fall accident, and notice to the government is not necessary.
The Value of Potential Damages in Rockford, IL Slip and Fall Injury Cases
Speaking to an attorney about potentially filing a lawsuit is important because the damages from your slip and fall accident might be very high. In many cases, people are so badly injured, and their medical expenses are so great, that they cannot afford to keep up with the costs.
Your economic expenses and damages are likely the biggest contributing factors to your damages. Many people experience broken bones, soft tissue damage, back and spinal cord injuries, and even brain injuries. Injured plaintiffs often cannot return to work while recovering, and they lose income as a result. Our slip and fall injury attorneys will help you accurately calculate the value of these costs so you can recoup them in court.
Non-economic injuries are usually unrelated to money but must still be assessed and financially compensated. For example, you might have endured significant bodily pain, emotional suffering, and humiliation from the accident. These painful experiences deserve recognition and compensation.
Call Our Rockford, IL Slip and Fall Injury Lawyer
For a free case review to get started, call our slip and fall injury attorneys at the Rhatigan Law Offices at (312) 578-8502. the Rhatigan Law Offices at (312) 578-8502.
Resources