Anyone who owns land or property should be aware that he or she will also bear a level of responsibility if individuals are hurt while on that land or property. For sure, most people already know that store owners, as well as the owners of hotels, parking lots, or other types of buildings or property owe a duty to their visitors and clients to provide safe surroundings for them.

Negligence

Property owners are generally held responsible for injuries that occur on their property due to the existence of hazards; however, in order to win your case, you will have to be able to demonstrate that the property owner was negligent. For instance, if you fall down a person’s stairwell and sprain your ankle because you missed one of the steps, the owner will not be automatically deemed responsible for your injury. You (or your personal injury attorney) will also have to demonstrate that the owner was in some way negligent. Normally, an owner has a duty to maintain the stairs on the property so that his or her guests won’t be subjected to a hazard. If the owner allows the stairs to fall apart, and they broke upon you stepping on them such that it caused your injury, then the owner is probably going to be held liable.

The Duty to Inform and Follow All Relevant Safety Measures

Illinois has certain laws and statutes that explicitly call for specific safety measures to be taken, like in the case of adding a railing on a deck. Therefore, if an owner places a railing along the deck that is subpar, or if he or she fails to put up one at all, and someone sustains an injury because of it, the owner will be deemed responsible because he was in violation of a particular statute.

Additionally, if a property owner is aware of any hazards that exist on his or her property, he or she has a duty to notify those entering the property of such danger. If the owner neglects to inform you and you end up hurting yourself, he or she will likely be deemed liable.

Have Questions? Ask an Attorney

If have additional questions regarding premises liability and/or you need a Decatur personal injury attorney who will work hard on your behalf, please call John Cannon at 1-800-373-6050 for a free consultation today and learn more about your rights.