Are Illinois Landlords Responsible for Maintaining Safe Premises? 

 Posted on January 27, 2022 in Personal Injury

Winter weather in the Midwest is notorious for being particularly brutal. Snow, ice, and weeks of sub-zero temperatures and no sunshine can work together to create particularly hazardous situations. Come springtime, cracks and holes in damaged sidewalks are common, as is damage to residential buildings like apartment complexes that are frequently made out of bricks and other materials susceptible to erosion. If you are a tenant living in a building with hazardous conditions, you may want to know whether your landlord is responsible for preventing damage from a tenant who might slip, trip, or fall on unsafe premises.

Common Injuries From Slips, Trips, and Falls

Many different conditions may be present on residential premises that present a hazard to the well-being of residents and visitors. For example, if a sidewalk is uneven or has a pothole, a pedestrian could trip and fall. Or perhaps weather damage caused a portion of the side of the building to crumble and fall, leading to hazardous objects in the walkway. Whatever the cause of a slip, trip, or fall, injuries can be numerous and severe. Such injuries may include:

• Sprained ankles and wrists

• Strained or torn tendons, especially in the knees and hips

• Fractured or broken bones

• Tailbone injuries

• Separation of subcutaneous fat from muscle surfaces

• Traumatic brain injuries, such as a concussion

What is a Landlord’s Responsibility to Prevent Slips, Trips, and Falls?

Landlords are responsible for maintaining common areas like sidewalks, stairs, swimming pools, fitness areas, and roofs. When there are potentially dangerous circumstances, such as crumbling or cracked sidewalks, broken stairs, or an improperly functioning swimming pool safety railing, landlords should take precautions to keep residents and visitors safe until the potential risk has been mitigated.

If a landlord knew about and failed to correct an unsafe condition, created the condition, or ignored a situation in need of repair, he or she may be directly responsible for a person’s injury resulting from the hazardous condition. In cases like this, it is important to gather as much evidence as possible of the hazardous condition before a landlord has time to clean, repair, or put warning signs up in anticipation of a lawsuit. A skilled premises liability attorney can help you determine how best to gather evidence if you want to file a personal injury case.

Call a Naperville, IL Premises Liability Lawyer

Even seemingly minor slips and falls can result in serious and expensive injuries that may make going to work difficult or impossible. If the injury happened on a property because of a property manager’s negligence, consider getting the help of an experienced Naperville, IL slip and fall personal injury lawyer. At Mevorah & Giglio Law Offices, we offer free case reviews at four convenient locations so you can ask questions and get a sense of what your options may be. Call us today to schedule an appointment at 630-932-9100.