Home > Chicago Personal Injury Attorney > Chicago Premises Liability Attorney
Have you ever slipped, tripped, and fell in an icy parking lot because a business owner neglected to properly salt the area? Or, have you taken a tumble in the park after stepping in a hole that groundskeepers forgot to fill? Has your landlord refused to fix unsafe steps that lead to your front door?
All of these unfortunate situations fall under the heading of premises liability claims, for which you’ll most likely want to hire a Chicago premises liability attorney to represent and guide you through the process of suing your landlord or a property owner for injuries sustained due to defective conditions on a property.
There is a simple distinction between premises liability and personal liability – the former addresses unsafe conditions on a property, while the latter deals with an individual’s personal actions. If you slip and fall while walking up the icy steps to the post office, that’s premises liability; if you’re learning how to do backflips in your rental house and you get hurt, that’s personal liability.
Personal liability insurance provides financial protection if you or a household relative is responsible for damages or injuries to others or others’ property. All insurance policies are different, so it’s best to review your policy to know exactly what is covered.
Premises liability insurance on the other hand, provides property owners with coverage in the event that their negligence causes harm or injury to others in the form of not properly maintaining their property. For example, if your neighbor refused to have a dead tree removed and it fell on your house, your neighbor would be responsible as their property negligence caused your financial harm.
In Illinois, premises liability falls under the umbrella of personal injury law. Premises liability law in Illinois focuses on holding property owners and operators accountable for any careless or negligent actions that result in harm to those who are legally allowed to be on the premises in question. The state also has the Illinois Premises Liability Act, which seeks to ensure that property owners maintain a safe premises for licensees and invitees.
It’s worth nothing that premises liability can occur on private property, public property, or at a business property, and if a premises liability claim is made and taken to court, such personal injury cases can end in large settlement payouts.
Since premises liability claims fall under personal injury, the injured party has two years from the time of the accident to file a lawsuit. They can sue for a variety of damages, including medical bills, ongoing care, lost wages, pain, suffering, emotional distress, etc.
If you’ve been the victim of an incident on someone else’s property, or your property has somehow injured another person, contact a Chicago premises liability attorney to provide expertise and support as you traverse the legal ordeal. Our team of lawyers is standing by to provide a free consultation at our law firm today!
Premises liability claims address unsafe conditions on someone’s property, while personal liability refers to an individual’s own actions. For example, if you are injured in a slip and fall accident at a grocery store, your claim would be based on the store’s negligence in keeping their property safe.
