Slip and Fall Accidents

Slip and Fall Accidents in Illinois 

Falls Can Be Dangerous At Any Age

• 1 in 3 older people fall each year, but only half tell their physician they fell!  
• The elderly population suffering a fall is at an all-time high. 
• 1 in 5 of these falls are serious.
• Over ninety-five percent (95%) of hip fractures are because of falls.  
• Elderly women are more likely to fall inside the home versus elderly men are more likely to fall outside.
• Men die from falls more than women.

Where Do Most Falls Happen?

There are many places falls may occur, these are the leading locations in Illinois:

• Nursing Home Falls
• Playgrounds Children fall the most from playground equipment
• Parking Lot Falls 
• Snow and ice falls 
• Grocery Store Slip and Falls 
• Apartment Complex Falls
• Inside the home

Why Do People Fall?

• Falls from the bed, ladder, downstairs, in the bath are the leading types of falls to cause traumatic brain injury. In fact, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), falls are the leading cause of traumatic brain injuries  (TBI). 
• Trip and fall also occur because of loose carpet edges, missing floor tiles, uneven floors, and steps,
• Spilled oil or slippery liquid that is left on the floor for longer than need to clean up
• Insufficient lighting to see hazards or obstructions
• No handrails in stairways or handicapped bathrooms
• Unsalted parking lots covered with ice
• Potholes in the parking lot

• Home hazards or dangerous conditions such as no handrails and broken or uneven steps

Who Can Be Liable For Falls?

1. Liability for a fall walking on snow and Ice in IL

Illinois’ Natural Accumulation Rule,  says you cannot sue a residential or commercial property owner if you suffer a fall because of a natural accumulation of snow, ice or melted snow or ice or because a property owner fails to:

1. Warn about a natural accumulation of snow, ice, or water
2. Remove snow, ice, or water tracked-in by visitors
3. provide mats or rugs for visitors to wipe their feet.  

But, there are exceptions to this general rule that will allow you to file a premises liability claim against the owner or occupier of the property after a slip and fall due to ice, water, or snow on the property. These exceptions are discussed below.

2.     Exceptions to Natural Accumulation Rule

1. Residential property owner’s willful and wanton misconduct
2. Commercial Real Estate Owner’s Negligent Removal (e.g., piles of snow in the parking lot met during daylight hours causing black ice patches at night.)
3. Unnatural accumulation of snow or ice caused by placing the building’s gutters, down-spots, and or gutters.
4.  Building Code Violations (e.g., defective stairways, no handrails) or Violation of Illinois Snow Removal Laws
5. Contract or lease may create a duty of a property occupier or owner to  remove ice and snow  and they know or should know they should warn or take care of the hazard but don’t they may be liable

What should do after Slip and Fall Accidents in Illinois 

1. Seek medical attention! 
2. Report the accident 
3. Take photos
4. Save shoes and clothes-wearing
5. Call an attorney

Cullotta Law Offices, in Glenview in Chicago Illinois,  provides free consultation for any slip and fall accident in Illinois. Do not delay. Call our Slip & Fall Accident Attorney at Cullotta Law Offices right now at 847-651-7191 to schedule your free case review.  You pay nothing unless we win.