Illinois Injury Law Blog

Imagine sitting in a restaurant and the next thing you know a taxi cab lands inches away from where your table is located. Seems unlikely but alarmingly it happens in Chicago establishments. It just goes to show that patrons who dine out are not immune to a variety of dangers and possible injuries caused by a restaurant-related accident in Chicago or elsewhere.

Patrons at a newly opened restaurant in West Town found themselves in this situation recently but thankfully lived to tell about it. Chicago Sun Times reports the restaurant, with a full wall of storefront plate glass windows, is located on W. Division Street with nothing but a sidewalk between the restaurant and street. A handful of patrons were dining in the establishment around 10:15 a.m. when a taxi cab came crashing through the windows and landed partially inside the restaurant. The taxi cab hit tables and booths where the diners were sitting and injured two people. Local authorities report the cab driver lost control, possibly due to wet pavement, causing the cab to crash through the front windows. One injured patron was taken to Saints Mary and Elizabeth Medical Center, and authorities stated there were two passengers in the cab that may have also been injured.

Illinois personal injury lawyers can only imagine how scary a restaurant-related accident like this is when it occurs without warning and as quickly as the blink of an eye. We can assure you that restaurant and business owners have a responsibility to keep patrons, customers and employees safe. When an injury does occur, negligence or premise liability can often be traced back to the store or restaurant owner. In situations like these, establishment owners should take necessary precautions such as parking stops or protective barriers that keep vehicles from entering a building. A restaurant or store that lacks safety features or preventative measures, especially when lined with windows along the storefront, can lead to serious injuries or death for anyone dining or shopping at the time of an accident.

InsuringMyRestaurant.com offers these potential liabilities that can injure or harm patrons or employees:

-Food contamination through food poisoning or injury from hazardous substances located in the food.

-Property damage as a result of something done by the owner or one of your employees.

-Slip and fall accidents from objects displaced or left obstructing a path or lack of signage displayed to alert customers of a hazardous area on the premises.

-Liquor liability when an intoxicated patron causes property damage or personal injury.

-Assault or violent act either to a worker or patron by another employee or customer.

-Auto-related accidents either from valet service, delivery service, or any other accident that may involve a vehicle.

Patrons should always consider potential dangers before being seated in a restaurant. Look for wet floor signs to avoid a slip accident. Ask to be seated away from a patron you suspect could be intoxicated to avoid violence or an assault incident. Diners may also want to check reviews written for restaurants in your area to make sure there are no reported cases of contamination or food poisoning.

Continue reading "Chicago Restaurant Owners' Negligence Could Result in Injuries to Patrons " »

The Chicago Department of Transportation is reminding business, property and homeowners of their responsibility to remove show from their sidewalks.

Our Chicago personal injury lawyers know an increased risk of slip and fall hazards comes with the snow, ice, dangerous sidewalks, wet slippery floors and standing water that frequently accompany winter storms.

Our older residents are among the most vulnerable to serious or fatal injuries resulting from a slip and fall accident in Chicago.

Chicago law (Municipal Code 4-4-310 and 10-8-180) require property owners to remove snow and ice from the sidewalks in front of their properties. “Many people rely on walking and transit as their primary way to get around, and without a wide, clear path through snow and ice, it is especially difficult for people with disabilities, seniors and children to walk safely,” said CDOT Commissioner Bobby L. Ware.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that one-third of adults over the age of 65 will suffer a fall each year. Falls are the most common non-fatal hospital admissions for trauma.

Each year, about 18,000 older adults will die from fall injuries -- a number that has risen sharply over the last decade. Each year, more than 2 million older adults are treated in hospital emergency rooms for injuries sustained in a fall and nearly 600,000 of those will be hospitalized.

The most common injuries sustained in a fall are cuts, hip fractures and head trauma. Those following the recovery of Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, who suffered a traumatic brain injury as the result of a gunshot wound, may be interested to know that falls are the leading cause of traumatic brain injuries in the United States.

Common fractures are most often caused by falls in our older adult population, including fractures to the spine, hip, forearm, leg, ankle, pelvis, upper arm and hand.

Additionally, a serious fall injury can have a damaging psychological impact on older adults. Many develop a fear of falling, which impacts quality of life, reduces mobility, and can actually increase the risk of a subsequent fall injury.

Continue reading "Chicago slip-and-fall accidents, premise liability issues result from wet and icy conditions" »

For the second time this month, a fan has fallen to their death at one of the nation's elite professional sports' venues. The USAToday reports that a 23-year-old fan fell to his death from a ledge at Soldier Field during Sunday's Chicago Bears game.

A week ago, a toddler fell 50 feet to his death at the Staples Center at the conclusion of an L.A. Lakers game.

Our Chicago premise liability lawyers understand that the holidays are a dangerous time for accidents on business property. While fatal injuries at sports venues are relatively rare, more mundane accidents occur quite frequently as a result of holiday crowds. Slip and fall accidents, parking lot accidents, and accidents involving merchandise falling from high shelves are just a few of the more common ways in which people are injured on business property.

Whether a major sports venue or your local big box store, business and property owners have an obligation to ensure the safety of customers and invited guests. When wet floors, loose railings or faulty design result in a serious or fatal accident, a property or business owner can and should be held responsible.

In Sunday's accident, the 23-year-old fell to his death shortly before 5 p.m. as the Bears played the Philadelphia Eagles. The fall happened on the west side of the stadium, where the victim fell from a balcony between two columns and landed on a small roof outside the stadium.

Common causes of premise liability cases in Chicago include:

-Slip and fall accidents

-Accidents in dark or dangerous parking lots

-Loose handrails or faulty stairwells

-Collapsing porches

-Merchandise falling from high shelves

-Crowd or evacuation accidents

-Negligent security

-Elevator and escalator accidents

Continue reading "Tragedy at Soldier Field highlights risk of Chicago premise liability accidents " »

I have recently noticed a trend with new case calls that seems to be happening more and more often. Calls will come in from individuals seeking assistance from a lawyer with a personal injury claim, be it from an auto accident injury, slip and fall case, or work injury, where the potential client has attempted to resolve the matter on their own and is nearing the Statute of Limitations deadline with no resolution of their claim. I have had clients call as close to the Statute deadline as the day before it is about to run.

In these cases, often, the clients relay that they have attempted to get a lawyer in the recent past but have been told that because the statute deadline is so close the lawyer is unable to help them with their case. While injury cases are considerably more difficult when our back is against the wall for a statute deadline, it does not preclude us from assisting you with your personal injury case. Because the client has attempted to resolve the matter on their own, many attorney's shy away from these claims as sworn statements have been given without the protection of a lawyer present, diagrams and photos have been exchanged between the client and the insurance company, and some medical records have already been furnished in an effort to get an offer.

Anyone injured due to someone else's negligence should consult a personal injury lawyer as soon as possible. The sooner you have procured protection for your own rights in the claim the better your standing will be when it comes to settlement, as throughout the course of the claim your interests have been monitored to portray your claim in the best light.

Trying to resolve a claim or procure a settlement on your own does not preclude you from being able to hire an attorney later in the process, however waiting until the last minute before hiring a lawyer may prove costly to your case. To ensure that no damage is done to your case before a lawsuit must be filed, you should at least consult with an attorney immediately following the injury so as not to harm the potential for recovery at a later date.

I would like to think that I can procure a recovery for one of my clients no matter what the personal injury, however there are certain instances where the evidence is just too stacked against you. Take, for example, the claim of a Florida woman claiming injuries sustained in a slip and fall accident at a grocery store. After making a slip and fall claim against the store for injuries, the store owner watch the surveillance tape, only to find that the substance the woman fell in had been placed on the floor purposely by the alleged victim herself!

Unfortunately in this business there are those that will try to take advantage of the system. In nearly all cases, the fraudulent claim will never see the light of day. When individuals try to scam the system with these claims, it takes much away from those who do suffer serious injuries as a result of someone else's negligence. Each year I get hundreds of calls from people who have slipped or fallen in a grocery store and have legitimate claims, serious injury can result from these types of incidents and it is my job to make sure that my clients receive the compensation they are entitled to. When fraudulent claims are brought though, it puts a black mark on the entire industry. Fortunately, this woman's attempt to garner recovery should be unsuccessful.

If you have been injured in a slip and fall accident or another premises liability matter, you should consult an attorney as soon as possible. Often the property owners do have video evidence of the instance that resulted in your injury and you will want your attorney to ensure that your rights are protected and the proper care is taken to secure the evidence of your injury.