Lake Forest Slip and Fall Lawyer

As a guest in someone’s home, a shopper at a store, an employee at work, or any other type of visitor on someone else’s property, you have every expectation that you will be safe. However, you may be exposed to dangerous conditions because of an owner’s failure to exercise reasonable care in their use and maintenance of the property. This could put you at risk for a slip and fall accident, which in turn could result in serious injuries.

If you are injured as a result of someone else’s negligence, a dedicated injury attorney could help ensure you do not have to pay for losses you did not cause. An experienced Lake Forest slip and fall lawyer could help you seek compensation for your damages, as well as the justice you deserve.

Who Can You Sue for a Slip and Fall Accident?

In Lake Forest, those who own, lease, occupy, and/or control property have a duty to manage it in a way that will not harm others. When an individual slips and falls and is seriously injured because of a dangerous condition on someone’s property—such as a spill, uneven surface, snow and ice, or other hazard—they may have a cause of action for a lawsuit.

Establishing Negligence

In a Lake Forest slip and fall case, the plaintiff must establish that the defendant was negligent in failing to properly manage their property and keep it in a reasonably safe condition, which includes the discovery and repair of unsafe conditions. Property owners are also responsible for giving adequate warning about anything on their property that could be dangerous unless the danger is so obvious that visitors could reasonably be expected to see it.

Proving negligence in a slip and fall case requires the plaintiff to establish that the defendant owed them a duty, breached that duty, and through that breach caused the plaintiff injuries that resulted in damages. To determine if a defendant has breached the duty they owed the plaintiff, a number of factors may be taken into account, including:

• The likelihood someone would come on the property in the manner as the plaintiff
• The likelihood of harm and the potential seriousness of the harm
• Whether the defendant knew or should have known, about the dangerous condition that harmed them
• How difficult it would have been for the property owner to protect against the risk of harm

Plaintiffs in Lake Forest may still recover damages even if they were partially at fault for their slip and fall incident, but the final amount awarded would be reduced by the percentage of fault they personally bore.

Statute of Limitations and Available Damages for Slip and Fall Cases

In Lake Forest, a plaintiff has two years to bring a personal injury cause of action arising from a slip and fall accident. After that time passes, they may be barred from recovery.

A plaintiff who slips and falls on another’s property can suffer considerable losses. When bringing a personal injury claim, they may be able to recover both economic and noneconomic damages, including:

• Lost earnings (past and future)
• Medical expenses
• Pain and suffering
• Emotional distress

How a Lake Forest Slip and Fall Attorney Could Help

Slipping and falling on a negligently maintained property may not be your fault—and if it is someone else’s, any resulting losses should not be your burden to bear. A seasoned Lake forest slip and fall lawyer could help you hold the responsible party accountable and get fair compensation for your damages. Call today to schedule a consultation and start discussing your options.