After falling down, in most situations, people are able to get back up with few lasting effects. However, some falls result in devastating physical injuries that can impact the rest of a person’s life. These types of severe accidents could create significant medical bills or even prevent a person from returning to work, putting them in a difficult financial position.
If you suffered a bad fall due to dangerous conditions on someone else’s property, speak to a skilled personal injury attorney about your legal options. A Decatur slip and fall lawyer could help you pursue a financial damages award against the owner of the home or business where your accident occurred.
Common Causes of Slip and Falls in the Decatur Area
People can trip and suffer serious injuries in many indoor and outdoor locations. For example, a bad fall could happen in someone’s kitchen or in a neighbor’s yard. These accidents also often occur at commercial property sites, such as supermarkets, restaurants, construction zones, and hospitals.
Slip and falls are often caused by slippery, uneven, or cluttered walkways. We have handled slip and fall claims involving the following scenarios:
- Wet or slippery floors, such as when a grocery store employee mops the store floor and fails to block off the area and put up a warning sign
- Damaged entryways, such as broken steps, stairs, or guard rails
- Cluttered or obstructed walkways or aisles
- Bunched up or damaged rugs that make the walking surface uneven
- Parking lots with potholes or other defective surfaces
- Snow or ice
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Establishing Fault for a Bad Fall
Slip and falls fall under the umbrella of premises liability claims. In order to recover compensation for a tripping accident, a claimant who was injured on someone else’s property would need to show that the landowner or manager was negligent with their maintenance and upkeep of the premises. This involves demonstrating that there was an unsafe condition on the property that caused them to fall.
For example, if a person spilled a jar of cleaning solution on the floor of a grocery store and a customer slipped on it, resulting in severe head trauma, the grocery store owner might be legally responsible in specific circumstances. The owner or manager could be liable if a customer told them about the wet floor and they did nothing to clean it up. They could also be legally responsible for failing to clean the spill if enough time had passed that a reasonable store owner would have discovered the hazard.
Statute of Limitations for Slip and Trip Claims
It is essential to meet with a seasoned Decatur attorney as soon as possible after a fall. Speaking with an experienced attorney immediately following an accident could help preserve a claimant’s right to seek recovery for their injuries. In most cases, Illinois affords injured people two years from the date of an accident to file a suit, as stated in 735 ILCS 5/13-202. Time is of the essence, so victims should contact a skilled slip and fall lawyer as soon as possible to ensure that the statute of limitations does not run out. Claims against government entities may be subject to a one-year statute of limitations. The best way to determine what deadlines apply to your case is a free consultation with an experienced injury lawyer.
Consult a Decatur Slip and Fall Attorney
If you tripped and injured yourself because someone else failed to keep their property safe, you may have a valid claim for compensation. Get in touch with a Decatur slip and fall lawyer today to go over the details of your accident. Our attorneys could review your case in a free consultation and advise you on pursuing restitution for your losses. Call our firm today to get started.