When you are visiting a neighbor, friend, or family member’s home, the last thing you probably expect is to suffer a serious injury. However, many people find themselves in this very situation. If you were injured in a fall accident, fire, or another incident while on another person’s property, you may wonder whether the other person is responsible for the costs incurred by your injury. The answer to this question largely depends on the circumstances of your injury and whether the property owner’s negligence contributed to the accident.

Injuries Caused by Property Owner Negligence

A property owner cannot prevent every injury on his or her property. After all, accidents do happen. However, property owners do have an obligation to keep their premises free of unreasonable hazards. If an unsafe condition does exist on someone’s property, the property owner should warn any guests to the property so that they can take the appropriate action to avoid injury. If a property owner, including a homeowner, fails to prevent foreseeable injuries on his or her property, it is possible that he or she will be liable for the costs incurred by those injuries. Dangerous conditions such as damaged stairs, loose handrails, slippery floors, icy walkways, or insufficient fire alarms may lead guests to be severely injured. If a property owner knew or should have known about a hazardous condition on his or her property and a guest was harmed because of the hazardous condition, the property owner may be responsible for the costs incurred by the injury. Fortunately, most homeowners have homeowner’s insurance which will cover the costs resulting from a guest’s injury.

Bringing a Claim Against the Property Owner’s Homeowner’s Insurance

If you suffered injuries that resulted in expensive medical bills and other costs while visiting someone else’s property, that person’s homeowner’s insurance may be liable for your damages. If you choose to bring a premises liability claim and pursue financial compensation, you will most likely be bringing the legal action against the insurance company – not the actual property owner. You may be entitled to compensation for your:

Car insurance is required by law, but unfortunately, that does not stop many drivers from driving without insurance. Typically, when a driver causes an accident, his or her insurance company is responsible for covering the costs incurred by that accident. If the driver does not have insurance or has too little coverage, the situation becomes more complicated. If you were hurt in an accident caused by an uninsured motorist, you may need to bring a claim against your own insurance company to obtain compensation.

Car Accidents Caused by Motorists Without Insurance

Driving without car insurance in Illinois is unlawful. If caught, a driver without state-required liability insurance may be fined up to $4,500 and have his or her driver’s license suspended. Driving while uninsured also puts a substantial burden on anyone who suffers injury or property damage in an accident caused by the uninsured driver. If you or a loved one were hurt in a car accident and the other driver does not have insurance, you may be worried that you will be on the hook for all of the expenses incurred in the accident. You may be facing expensive medical bills, property damage, lost income from missed work, and other costs. Fortunately, you may be able to bring a claim against your own insurance company to recoup the costs caused by the accident.

Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist Coverage

Illinois car insurance companies must offer specific coverage for situations exactly like the one you or your loved one is facing. If you have “full coverage” car insurance, you also have uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage (UMI). To recover compensation for an accident caused by an uninsured driver, you will need to file a claim with your own insurer. This process is not always as straightforward as it may seem, however. Many insurance companies offer payouts that do not cover the full extent of the injured person’s damages. A personal injury lawyer can help you with the claims process and negotiate with the insurance company on your behalf. If a reasonable settlement cannot be reached through negotiations, you may need to file a lawsuit.

Drunk driving accidents often result in catastrophic consequences. If you or a loved one were seriously injured in a car accident caused by a driver under the influence of alcohol, you may be exploring your opportunities for financial compensation. You may already know that you have the option of bringing a claim against the at-fault driver. However, you may not be aware of an Illinois law that allows an injured person to bring a personal injury claim against a bar or restaurant. Under Illinois dram shop liability laws, you may be able to recover compensation by suing the establishment that served the drunk driver alcohol.

Illinois Dram Shop Liability Laws

Illinois’ Dram Shop Act, also called the Liquor Control Act, allows a person injured by the actions of an inebriated person to bring a claim for damages against the bar, restaurant, or other establishment that served the intoxicated person alcohol. To bring a claim under dram shop laws, you and your attorney will need to prove that:

• The establishment sold alcohol to the at-fault driver and the driver consumed it.
• The alcohol provided by the establishment was the cause of the driver’s intoxication.
• The driver was intoxicated at the time of the accident.
• The injuries you sustained were caused by the driver’s intoxication.
• You sustained damages as a result of the accident such as property damage, medical bills, or lost wages.

Personal injury claims brought under dram shop laws are most likely to be successful if it can be demonstrated that the establishment knew or should have known that the driver was already intoxicated when he or she was served alcohol.

When the nerves contained with a person’s spinal column or backbone are damaged, the injury does not only affect the specific injury site. The damage may also interrupt the flow of nerve signals from the brain to the rest of the body. A spinal cord injury may lead to intense pain, loss of motor function, breathing problems, incontinence, loss of sexual function, and much more. After suffering a spinal injury, a person’s life may never again be the same. If you or someone you care about has suffered a spinal cord injury after being in an auto accident, slip and fall accident, workplace accident, or other incident, you may be curious about your legal options. In some cases, a personal injury claim may enable a spinal cord injury victim to recover compensation for the losses incurred by his or her injury.

Reimbursement for Your Medical Bills, Disability, Lost Income, and More

If another party’s reckless, negligent, or unlawful actions resulted in your spinal cord injury, you may be entitled to financial compensation. You may be reimbursed for your:

• Past Medical Expenses and Ongoing Medical Treatment: This may include the costs of your emergency room treatment, ambulance transportation, hospitalization, surgery, prescription medication, and more. You may also receive reimbursement for your ongoing rehabilitate care such as physical therapy. A major spinal cord injury does not only cause physical harm. It can also result in significant emotional and psychological trauma. The costs associated with any mental health treatment, counseling, or therapy may also be included in your personal injury award.
• Lost Income and Lost Earning Capacity: You have likely missed a great deal of work due to your injuries. Your injuries may also prevent you from ever returning to your previous line of work. A personal injury claim may help you recover compensation for your lost wages as well as the loss of any associated benefits, commissions, and bonuses. You may also be compensated for the decrease in your ability to earn income.
• Disability: As a result of your spine injury, you may be left with partial or full paralysis or other incapacities that dramatically affect your lifestyle. If so, you may be entitled to compensation for the costs associated with home modifications needed to make your home wheelchair accessible and for any medical assistance or nursing home care you require.
• Pain and Suffering: You may receive compensation for your physical suffering and mental anguish. Non-economic damages such as these are often difficult to quantify, but your attorney will help gather evidence that shows the extent of your physical and psychological pain.

Contact a Waukegan Spinal Cord Injury Attorney

A spine injury can have life-altering consequences. If you or a loved one suffered a spinal cord injury, contact Salvi & Maher, L.L.C. to learn about your legal options. Call our office at 847-662-3303 and schedule your free consultation with one of our accomplished Lake County injury lawyers today.

When most people walk into a store, restaurant, hotel, apartment complex, house or another building, they do not worry about suffering an injury on the property. They simply trust that the individuals who designed and constructed the building ensured that the it was safe. In the majority of cases, this is true. However, when a building is constructed in violation of state and local building codes, the structure may have defects that can cause serious injury or even death. If you or a loved one were harmed in an accident and you suspect that the property was not up to code, you may have a valid premises liability claim.

Structural Defects Have the Potential to Cause Severe Bodily Injury

Property owners have a duty to ensure that their property is reasonably safe for the individuals lawfully visiting that property. Although not every injury can be avoided, the property should not contain preventable hazards or unreasonable dangers. If a visitor is harmed on an unsafe property, it is possible that the property owner or manager will be liable for the visitor's damages.

In order to ensure that properties are safe, state and local governments institute building codes. These rules regulate the types of materials and building practices used to construct and maintain buildings. Building code violations can be especially hazardous because they often affect the structural integrity of the building or building components. Some examples of building code violations that may lead to injury or death include: