Slip and Falls at Restaurants in Illinois

 Posted on January 24, 2019 in Slip and Fall

Recently, a charming pizza place in Crystal Lake found out the hard way that a patron can suffer an injury at any time, for any reason. Even something seemingly innocuous like a restaurant's decor, can cause severe injuries in unsuspecting individuals. Like many restaurants, Nick's Pizza and Pub had its signature décor, which was for them peanut shells discarded on the floor (many steakhouses in Oklahoma and Texas also follow this tradition). There are barrels of peanuts about the establishment and patrons are encouraged to discard their used shells on the floor.

In the summer of 2016, one hapless patron slipped and fell on these discarded nut shells. She claimed that this fall, due to slippage on said nut shells, caused severe injuries to her shoulders, neck, head, hip, and ankles. The subsequent lawsuit is still in the courts, but the overall dilemma is not new to us: Whether it is the elderly woman with her scalding McDonald's coffee or some other dining fiasco, we know that restaurant patrons are at risk of injury every day.

What You Need to Know if You Have Been Injured

Sometimes it makes sense to merely file a claim with the insurance carrier of the owner of the business where you were injured, and sometimes you may want to file a civil suit against the business owner. A personal injury attorney will help you to determine what your best options are.

Illinois has a strict statute of limitations when it comes to slip and fall cases. A statute of limitations is a law that dictates the time after which plaintiffs can no longer bring suit for their injuries. In Illinois, the statute of limitations is two years from the date of the injury, and the timer starts as soon as you are injured.

Illinois, like many states, is a comparative fault state. Comparative fault means that the court may reduce your monetary damages by the percentage that you are at fault in the incident in question. This may include willfully ignoring a wet floor sign or any number of ways we can contribute to our own misfortunes. Thus, if the court determines that you are 50% at fault for your own injuries, it will reduce your monetary awards by 50%.

Contact a Personal Injury Attorney Today

If you have been injured at a business establishment like a restaurant or a store, please contact us. Having adequate legal representation will make all the difference as you pursue your claim. The nuances of filing a lawsuit and pursuing a personal injury claim are many and complex, but a skilled attorney can simplify the process and make sure you get the monetary awards due to you. Our legal professionals are standing by to help. Call us and set up a consultation. We serve clients in the Arlington Heights, Palatine, Rolling Meadows, Libertyville, Mundelein, Buffalo Grove, Schaumburg, Elk Grove, and Itasca areas.

(image courtesy of Radu Marcusu)