It’s not a good idea to handle a slip and fall, broken stair, or another premises liability case yourself. You’ll struggle because your insurance company simply won’t have your back, while homeowners and business owners are looking out for their best interest – not yours.
That’s where Staver comes in. We have years of experience with premises liability cases and will fight to get you the compensation you deserve. We’ll start by removing the financial burden that’s resulted from your accident.
Contact us TodayRest easy knowing that we work based on a contingency fee. Put simply, if you don’t receive compensation, you won’t owe us anything. Our Chicago premises liability attorneys know that many victims are concerned about finances after a fall or accident on another’s property. We don’t want those concerns to keep you from getting the legal representation you deserve.
Average Payout Amount*
w/attorney $1,600 on your own $1,600 Difference of $1,000.00*According to the 2017 Martindale-Nolo Research.
Our past success in similar slip and fall or other premises claims mean we can get you more money, in the quickest time. It all boils down to efficiency. And we’ve been honing that for years. With legal representation, the average payout is $77,600, while the average is $17,600 without.
If a homeowner’s or insurance company’s first offer is not enough, our premises liability lawyers near you will negotiate to reach a fair and equitable solution. And if this is not secured, we won’t hesitate to fight for your case in court.
Although we have the legal side covered if you’re hurt, it can be helpful to have a general understanding of the unique laws and possible obstacles that may apply in a premises liability case.
‘If it can happen, it will’ – And pretty much any place where people go, a premises liability case is just waiting to happen. For example, on private property, business & government property, parking lots, worksites, apartments, daycares, grocery stores, public pools, and on someone else’s property – just to name a few.
Whether it involves a slip and fall, negligent maintenance, or some other premises accident, these incidents are common and often result in severe injuries. Sometimes establishing responsibility is obvious. Other times, it takes an investigation to determine if a property owner neglected their duty to you.
The Chicago premises liability attorneys at Staver have been helping people recover physically and financially for over 20 years. In that time, we’ve secured millions and gained incredible insight into how to handle virtually any property accident scenario.
If you or a loved one have been injured by one of the following, contact us.
The severity of your injuries significantly impacts the value of your premises liability claim. it’s important to keep up with medical treatment and document your recovery. This includes medical bills, treatment documents, and insurance info.
Here are some of the most common injuries we see after Chicago property accidents:
When someone else is responsible for your injuries, you have the right to be compensated. A full property accident insurance settlement should consider how your life has been affected. It should include both your economic and non-economic damages.
Economic damages after a premesis accident can easily be proven with documentation such as pay stubs, bank statements, and other financial records. Economic damages include:
Non-economic damages are harder to value, but should also be considered, especially after a serious fall or the injury on someone else’s property.
Punitive damages are also available in property accident cases, but only is egregious situations.
Chicago premises liability claims are usually based on negligence. This means that a property owner, manager, or some other party acted unreasonably or failed to act and caused you else harm.
While proving someone’s negligence caused your fall or injury sounds easy, especially if you believe a property owner didn’t clean up a spill, failed to do repairs, or ignored their responsibility, the reality is much different.
The burden of proof is based on a preponderance of the evidence, which means you need enough evidence to demonstrate that the other party is more than likely responsible. This includes photos, medical records, and other documentation.
An injury alone isn’t enough. Someone needs to be held responsible for the harm you suffered. This means physical and financial harm. In legal terms, this is what’s referred to as ‘liability.’ To determine liability, you must identify who’s responsible for the property accident and how they ignored their duty to act responsibly, thereby causing your injury and various losses.
Illinois follows the traditional at-fault approach to liability. In most cases, you will file a third-party claim with the responsible home or property owner’s insurance company. But because insurers are businesses, they are reluctant to pay when their policyholders cause accidents. Thus, it’s wise to retain a lawyer to represent your interests.
One of the most critical parts of a premises liability case is proving that the property owner was liable. This is largely defined by the Premises Liability Act.
These are a landowner’s obligations to visitors.
A landowner is obligated to take reasonable steps to protect these visitors from harm. A landowner is not obligated to protect a trespasser from harm. However, they may not intentionally cause harm to a trespasser.
There is one exception: children. Even if a child is on the property uninvited, the owner must take steps to protect them from foreseeable harm. This is why pools and trampolines are so expensive for homeowners to insure. If a child enters the property and hurts themselves while swimming or playing, the homeowner could be liable.
A landlord may have an obligation to their residents and their residents’ guests if they are harmed on the landlord’s property. The injured party must prove that their injury was caused by landlord negligence and that there was no reasonable care taken.
For example, if the handrails of stairs were not maintained, the icy sidewalk was not salted in an appropriate timeframe, or the landlord obstructed walkways, they may be liable for unsafe conditions.
If there is a hidden defect in the property, the landlord is responsible for telling the tenant about it before leasing.
A property accident claim can get complicated fast. Insurance companies and their lawyers will be quick to diminish your injuries, suggest that you’re to blame, and use stall tactics so you accept less than you deserve.
You need to act quickly if you or a loved one were hurt on someone else’s property or business in Chicago. In Illinois, you generally have two years to file a premises liability lawsuit.
This sounds like plenty of time, but memories and evidence fade quickly after an accident. An employee will likely clean up the spill or fix the damages. The longer you wait, the harder it’ll be to recover compensation.
Determining insurance coverage could slow down your claim. While most homeowners and business property owners are forthcoming with their insurance information after someone is injured, some people refuse to provide this information, hoping that the victim will give up. When this happens, it may take longer to track down the insurance company, figure out how much coverage the other party has, and begin the claims process.
Communicating with insurance carriers poses another challenge. Insurance companies may delay their responses, either unintentionally or intentionally, making it difficult to move through negotiations quickly.
There are two main factors that complicate the processing of insurance claims. The first is the time limit imposed by Illinois law. If you wait longer than two years to file your claim, the insurance company will typically deny it outright.
Coverage limits impact how much compensation you may be owed. Regardless of how much your injury is worth, you are unlikely to recover more than the responsible party’s insurance policy permits.
Those named in injury cases can use several defenses to avoid liability. Options include:
Slips, trips, and falls are some of the most common premises liability claims. These claims are often related to property not well maintained or ice and snow. If the property owner was negligent, then you can win money to cover your medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and more.
If you were hurt on someone else’s property, you should immediately call a Chicago premises liability lawyer. However, you can also notify Chicago 311 about building violations by calling 3-1-1 or using their online forms. If the dangerous property is public housing, you may notify the Chicago Housing Authority as well.
If you are injured on someone else’s property, you will likely make a personal injury claim through their insurance company. Insurance companies need proof of injuries and medical treatment will provide that proof. It’s important to seek emergency medical treatment as well as continued care so the insurance company will see the severity of your injuries.
You can receive emergency medical care at any ER or urgent care location, such as Chicago Urgent Care, which has many locations throughout the city.
Our process is people-focused. It’s designed not only to win but to reduce stress levels and make the whole process easier.
Contact us TodayOr learn more about our process...
This is your chance to discuss your case with our attorneys. We’ll talk about the property’s condition, the duty the manager or owner had, and what you might expect from an insurance claim or lawsuit.
When you meet with your lawyer, here are some things you may want to have or be ready to discuss:
We won’t waste time.
Staver gets to work fast to assess the full financial effect of being injured on someone’s property. Premises claims vary wildly in the injuries and severity of the damage. It could go beyond simple medical bills and hours of missed work. A serious incident of negligence could result in tremendous pain and suffering – even fatalities.
Staver looks long-term and considers everything you endured and will have to endure. Depending on the circumstances, you may be entitled to special damages, punitive damages, general damages, and, in some cases, survival damages.
For a full run-down of types of damages, take a look here.
| Next Step:Collect EvidenceTo make your case, you’ll need various evidence that the property owner acted recklessly and you suffered as a result. This usually includes bills, photographs, or expert testimony.
For example, to prove that you experienced pain and suffering in a slip and fall or dog bite, testimony from your doctor about your limited mobility and facial scaring will be helpful. Keeping a diary or a ‘day in the life’ video showing how the accident affected your life could be effective too.
| Next Step:SettlementThe insurer may reach out with a settlement offer quickly. But usually, their first offer is too low.
Insurance companies want to make premises liability claims go away fast. But at Saver, we’ll take out time to make sure all your damages are covered. Our attorneys won’t let you be pressured or settle for less than what’s fair. We’re also relentless in identifying who to hold accountable, so they pay what’s right, and no one else gets hurt.
| Next Step:TrialMost dangerous premises cases settle before court. However, sometimes sides don’t agree, or a trial is the best way to get the outcome you need. Whatever the case, we’ll explain the process step by step and say when it’s time to take a case to court..
| Next Step:ConsultationIt all starts with a free consultation.
Our premises liability lawyers have handled virtually every type of accident that’s happened on someone else’s property. From slip and falls and negligent security incidents to swimming pool accidents and more, we’ve dealt with the insurance companies, identified those to blame, and helped people in situations like yours get full compensation.
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When you’re hurt on someone’s property, you shouldn’t be made to feel your pain doesn’t matter. You also should NOT bear the financial burden. At Staver, we have seen the bills that come with these accidents and what it takes to move on. Our passion for speaking up for injury victims keeps us coming to work – day in & day out.
We’ve made thousands heard, and we’ll do it for you.
Insurers are not worried about you after being hurt on a dangerous property. But Staver puts you first. It's why we have a 4.95 star Google rating based on client reviews.
I was very pleased with my experience with Staver Law Group. They assisted me when I wasn't sure what to do and did what they said they would do for me, without any stress on my part. Thanks for all your assistance!
Terri A.
At Staver, we fight hard and, our case history shows it. Over the years, our premises lawyers have helped recover millions so people can move on after dangerous conditions on someone’s property caused them harm.
The outcome of an individual case depends on a variety of factors unique to that case. Case results do not guarantee or predict a similar result in any similar or future case.
With every award, the more we prove ourselves as leaders in premises liability law and litigation. Our BBB rating demonstrates our commitment to our clients and what they care about. And being named among the top 100 trial lawyers of America proves we don’t mess around.
Our Recognition & Rep Speaks Volumes.
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