Chicago Slip and Fall on Ice Lawsuits

It is not uncommon for a person to slip and fall due to winter conditions, especially here in Chicago which can have harsh winter weather conditions. These falls are usually not dangerous and are often more humorous than painful. However, not everyone who slips on an icy sidewalk or parking lot is laughing.

Serious slip-and-fall accidents on snow and ice can occur, leaving the victim with serious injuries resulting in medical expenses, lost wages, and even permanent disabilities. Property owners and even property managers have the legal responsibility to keep the property safe. If they do not, they can be held liable for the accident.

The Chicago, IL personal injury attorneys at Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers, LLC represent fall victims hurt in snow, ice slip, and fall accidents on property owned by another homeowner or business.

If you, or a loved one, were hurt in slip and falls in Illinois due to a business owner or premises owner’s failure to remove snow or ice, contact our slip and fall accident lawyers at (888) 424-5757 to schedule a free consultation to discuss a claim to receive compensation for your damages.

Serious Injuries Caused by Slips & Falls

Slip and falls due to snow or ice can be more dangerous than many think. Although everyone will eventually fall during their lifetime, accidents due to slippery conditions involving snow or icy surfaces can be more severe.

Some of the more common injuries include:

Herniated disc
Broken bones, including an arm, wrist, or hand fracture
Knee and back injuries
Leg, pelvis, or hip fractures
Spinal cord injuries
Whiplash injuries
Traumatic brain injury

There were over nine million emergency room visits to treat injuries from falls in 2019. Many of these slip and falls were on ice.

However, victims have legal rights when an apartment complex and owners of parking lots fail to ensure everyone's safety by removing snow or hiring a snow removal company. In a premises liability case, the property owner may be liable for compensation involving victims with slip and fall injuries since they had the legal duty to ensure their property was without risk of falls on ice.

Illinois Slip and Fall on Ice Premises Liability for Property Owners

Although most property liabilities involve a relatively specific responsibility for falls due to snow and ice are not as concise in Illinois. Just because a person falls and is injured on another person or company's property due to icy walkways or parking lots does not mean the property owner is liable.

In most instances, they will not be responsible, regardless of the injury's severity. Illinois law holds the property owner legally liable for damages on their property due to the "natural accumulation" of snow and ice. However, they are not responsible for removing snow or ice.

There are circumstances in which the property owner can be held financially liable for injuries caused by a slip and fall due to icy conditions including:

Unnatural accumulation of snow: Property owners must ensure that no piled snow or water is purposely allowed to freeze on the walkways that could be considered a liability, leading to slippery surfaces. Alternatively, natural accumulations of snow occur during blizzards, storms, and snowfall.

Lease agreement: Some lease agreements state that the property will be free of the natural accumulations of snow or ice during winter. Any failure to remove ice or snow could create liability problems for residential or commercial property owners when they fail to contract snow removal after any natural snow weather conditions.

Black ice: Freezing winter weather and snowstorms may cause dangerous conditions on roads and parking lots, allowing black ice to form. Frigid winter weather and snowstorms may cause hazardous conditions on the pavement, allowing black ice to form. Black ice could cause treacherous conditions leading to slip and falls, and more severe accidents.

Legal options are available to people who had a significant accident on snow or ice at someone else's property, such as an apartment complex or parking lot, to ensure they recover damages. A personal injury lawyer can work on their behalf to ensure that their claim results in a successful resolution.

Snow or Ice Accident Injuries FAQs

Our Chicago, Illinois, attorneys know you likely have many unanswered questions on injury cases involving snow and ice accidents. Our personal injury attorney answered a few of your questions below.

What Do You Do If You Slip and Fall on Ice?

If you were hurt on a slippery surface in Chicago, what you do next will help determine how long it will take to heal.

Seek immediate medical attention even if you believe your injuries are minor
Report what happened to the business or property owner. If there is any hazard, they need to be made aware immediately. Ask them to fill out an incident report and obtain a copy
Capture photographic evidence of the accident scene and the accumulation of ice or snow
Preserve the clothing and shoes you were wearing that will provide evidence for the insurance company and legal action
Consider hiring an attorney to handle your personal injury case

What Can You Do to Prevent Slip and Fall on Ice?<

Here is some useful information on how to prevent slips and falls on ice:

Wear weather-appropriate footwear
Keeping your hands free will help you keep your balance
Carrying a cell phone with you if there's a risk of falling on ice
Taking an alternative route to avoid the hazard
Exercise reasonable care when walking in an area you know (or should reasonably expect) will be snowy and icy

Is The Property Owner Liable If You Fall on The Natural Accumulation of Ice Or Snow?

The property owner may be legally responsible for all slips and falls on their property, mainly if the accident resulted from an unnatural accumulation of snow and ice.

However, you must prove that the owner failed in their duty of care to provide a safe environment for people by not removing snow, ice, or other freezing liquids. Also, you must show that their negligence resulted in your injuries.

You might not have a claim if you fell due to slippery surfaces or natural accumulations of snow on the sidewalk, apartment complex, or walkway.

If you live in an apartment or condominium complex, you may find out other tenants had complained about the hazard to management in the past, and nothing was ever done. For example, if a tenant in your same building requested that salt be placed on the sidewalk several hours before your accident and failed to do so reasonably, this would be a failure of their duty.

If the homeowner's negligence created the conditions, for example, if water from a leaky pipe froze overnight, you may have a case against the homeowner.

An additional complicating factor is comparative negligence. If you are found to be partially at fault when the incident happened, then your recovery can be reduced by your percentage of fault. For example, if you knew the place to be in a dangerous condition for walking but you faced the hazard anyway and fell as a result.

What Is the Average Cost of a Slip and Fall Accident?

The CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) revealed the average hospital expenses involved in slipping and falling accidents total over $30,000 per incident.

However, there are other costs associated with falls on ice, including:

Lost future earnings due to a temporary/permanent disability caused by the accident
Future costs associated with ongoing rehabilitation and treatments
Non-tangible damages, including pain and emotional distress

How Long Does It Take to Settle a Case?

The time it takes to resolve personal injury cases depends on the case’s unique circumstances and the extent of the victim’s injuries and liability. The victim, or their attorney, will need to determine liability and all parties responsible for causing damages to seek compensation.

Next, the lawyer will need to evaluate the case and determine its value based on hospitalization and medical costs, time away from work (past and future), the extent of temporary/permanent disability, pain, suffering, and mental anguish.

Can I Sue the City for Slipping on Ice?

A city or county municipality might be liable for a fall accident on the sidewalk, alley, road, or side street if the town's maintenance crews were negligent in maintaining a safe environment.

Simply a fall on ice on a sidewalk or street does not prove the city’s negligence in providing reasonable care to streets and sidewalks.

Were You Injured in a Slip-and-Fall Accident? We Can Help!

At Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers, LLC, we can help you obtain financial compensation for your injuries.

Contact our law firm today at (888) 424-5757 (toll-free phone call) or through the contact form to schedule a free consultation to discuss your claim.

All discussions with our premises liability lawyers remain confidential through an attorney-client relationship.

Please do not send sensitive information to our personal injury law office through voicemail, email, or text message.

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