When a Shopping Slip-and-Fall Results in Holiday Injuries

 Posted on December 28, 2017 in Blog Post

With freezing rain and snow in the short-term Chicago area weather forecast and throngs of last-minute holiday shoppers and merrymakers set to descend upon malls from Park Ridge to Michigan Avenue, precipitation and peregrination will meet to cause injuries. For shopping slip-and-fall victims, it is critical know that every business has a special duty to protect its customers from unsafe conditions on its businesses. When a business abrogates this duty, those that have suffered injuries and other harms and losses may rightfully seek compensation from the business for medical bills, lost income due to missed work, pain and suffering, the consequences of any short or long-term disabilities stemming from the injuries, and, depending on the specific circumstances, additional damages. While nothing can “unruin” a holiday season beset with injuries suffered in a slip-and-fall, an experienced Park Ridge personal injury attorney will be there to seek all compensation to which you are rightfully owed.

Illinois Businesses Owe Customer-Invitees an Elevated Duty of Safekeeping

Every business in the state of Illinois that makes efforts to attract shoppers onto its premises owes its customers a duty of safekeeping. Importantly, this duty is above and beyond even what individuals owe to one another on a general level in society. In the law of premises liability, a business’s customers are classified as “invitees” – a legal term that translates approximately to “special guest.” Inadequately discharging the duty owed to its invitees, a business must both actively work to protect customer-invitees from harm and post clear warning signs concerning dangers. As concerns Chicago area wintertime shopping, Illinois businesses must work to keep entry and exit areas free from ice, rain, snow, and moisture generally. This includes snow-shoveling, ice-salting, and posting abundantly clear warning signs about the presence of slick areas.

Negligence is a Legal Basis for Obtaining Compensation for Slip-and-Fall Injuries

If a business fails in its duty to protect customer-invitees from rain, snow, ice, or other moisture and a slip-and-fall in which injuries are sustained results, the business has likely been negligent. Negligence, the breach of a duty owed that results in damages, is what is known as a “tort.” If the elements of duty, breach, causation, and damages suffered are proven, a slip-and-fall injury victim may rightfully seek financial compensation for the cost of medical bills, lost income due to missed work, pain and suffering, and more. If you have been injured in a slip-and-fall accident on the premises of an Illinois business, contact an experienced Park Ridge personal injury attorney.

Source:

http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/ilcs4.asp?DocName=073500050HArt%2E+XIII+Pt%2E+2&ActID=2017&ChapterID=56&SeqStart=102800000&SeqEnd=106200000