The idea of a slip and fall injury may sound minor at first, but slip and fall injuries are one of the most common causes of emergency room visits and missed days of work in the United States. The National Floor Safety Institute (NFSI) reports that falls account for roughly 8 million emergency room visits every year, and slip-and-fall incidents represent about 12% of all falls.
When these injuries occur due to negligence, the Chicago slip and fall attorneys at Clifford Law Offices can help hold property owners accountable for their negligence. Our injury attorneys have decades of experience protecting clients and holding negligent property owners accountable. In fact, we have won more than $5 billion for our clients over the years. We believe in responsive communication with our clients and will always answer your questions to the best of our ability as soon as we can. Our goal is to help ease the stress of the legal process so you can focus on healing.
Navigate This Page
- Filing a Lawsuit for a Slip-and-Fall Injury
- What Is a Property Owner’s Duty of Care?
- What Damages and Compensation Are Available In a Slip and Fall Claim?
- Contact a Slip and Fall Lawyer in Chicago Today
- Testimonials
- Areas We Serve
Filing a Lawsuit for a Slip and Fall Injury
Depending on how a slip and fall occurs, a victim may have one or more options for legal recourse. The first step is determining the responsible party, whether it takes place at a private residence or a grocery store. If a slip-and-fall accident occurs at work, the injured employee may be able to claim workers’ compensation and additional recovery in some circumstances. If a slip and fall injury occurs on private property, the victim will likely have grounds for a personal injury lawsuit under premises liability law.
Slip-and-fall injuries account for the most lost days of work. These injuries also lead to lost productivity for employers, workers’ compensation claims, and potential lawsuits as well. If a negligent supervisor or business owner neglects to correct a known safety issue and an employee suffers an injury, the employee may have grounds for a lawsuit if workers’ compensation is not enough to fully cover the resulting medical bills and lost wages.
What Is a Property Owner’s Duty of Care?
When a slip and fall accident happens on private property, the victim must prove that the property owner either knew about the injury-causing hazard or should have known about it through reasonable diligence in care of the property. The nature of the victim’s visit may also influence future legal proceedings. For example, a property owner owes a higher duty of care to prevent injuries to invitees, or people the property owner expressly invites onto the property for personal reasons.
Invitees often include friends, neighbors, and relatives while licensees are people who visit the property for their own purposes. A property owner must account for any known hazard or dangerous condition that the licensee is able to discover on his or her own. It is important to remember that property owners do not owe a duty of care to illegal trespassers. If a person illegally enters private property and suffers a fall accident normally covered by premises liability law, the victim does not have grounds for legal action against the property owner.
Falls are also a leading cause of wrongful death, broken bones and serious injuries in nursing homes and assisted living facilities. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that fall-related deaths for older adults increased 41% from 2012 to 2021. About 3 million older adults receive emergency room treatment each year for fall-related injuries. If a nursing home or care facility resident suffers an injury due to negligent care of the facility, the victim may have grounds for a personal injury claim.
What Damages and Compensation Are Available In a Slip and Fall Claim?
The plaintiff in a slip and fall accident case may be able to secure compensation for his or her medical expenses, lost income, property damage, and pain and suffering resulting from negligence. Although a slip and fall incident may sound straightforward, navigating the legal process can be challenging. Our Chicago law firm can help a slip and fall injury victim build a strong case and recover compensation for the results of another party’s negligence.
Contact a Slip and Fall Lawyer in Chicago Today
If you are injured in a slip and fall accident, trust the personal injury lawyers at Clifford Law Offices to represent your case. We can help you determine who is liable for your injuries and hold them wholly accountable for your material and immaterial losses.
Contact us today to schedule a free consultation and learn more about your legal options. We will assess your claim and help you take your first steps to recovery.
Testimonials
My wife suffered a traumatic injury that required months of medical care and healing. She was able to focus on healing from her injury because of the professional support of our attorney, Craig Squillace. He gracefully and with the utmost integrity helped us navigate the legal matters of our situation so my wife could focus on recovering. If anyone we know is ever in need of the services of Clifford Law Offices, we will highly recommend their team. Thank you, Craig, for getting us through a difficult situation.
-J.W.
Areas We Serve
Bensenville | Arlington Heights | Berwyn | Calumet City | Chicago Ridge |Elmhurst | Chicago Heights | Crystal Lake | Barrington | Barrington Hills | Lincolnwood | Algonquin | Westmont | County Club Hills | Batavia | Cicero | Carol Stream | Bridgeview | Buffalo Grove | Aurora | Westchester | Channahon | Elmwood Park | Winnetka | Naperville | Bloomingdale | Carpentersville
