Champaign, Decatur and Quincy Premises Liability Attorneys
If you are injured on someone else's property, you might think that the property owner will pay for your damages. However, unless you can prove negligence, the store is not likely to pay you anything. In other words, you need to know why you fell.
At Holley, Rosen & Beard, our lawyers offer a free initial consultation to answer your questions about premises liability law and explain your options. From our law office in Springfield, we represent slip-and-fall injury victims throughout central Illinois.
When Is the Property Owner Responsible?
Property owners owe a duty to exercise reasonable care to protect the guests from the risk of harm caused by dangerous property conditions. Examples of dangerous property conditions include:
- A foreign substance on a floor which causes you to slip and fall
- Missing handrails on a stairs or uneven steps which cause you to trip
- Cracked or uneven surfaces
- A hole in floor that causes you to fall
- Falling merchandise in a store
In Illinois, however, property owners are not responsible when the dangerous condition is open and obvious. "Open and obvious" means that an average person could discover the danger upon a casual inspection. It often takes a lawyer's help to prove that a hazard was not open and obvious.
If you are injured in a slip-and-fall accident, you should report the accident immediately and keep a copy of the accident report. However, you should never make a recorded statement without talking to a lawyer. It's important for you or your lawyer to document the dangerous condition before the property owner has a chance to make repairs.
Free Slip-and-Fall Consultation
For more information or a free case evaluation, call our Springfield slip-and-fall injury attorneys at 217-280-4984 or fill out the contact form on this website.
