Illinois is known for its harsh winter weather, and homeowners are constantly battling the accumulation of snow and ice on driveways and walkways. Serious slip-and-fall injuries can occur when a person slips on an icy area, but a homeowner is only legally responsible for these injuries under certain circumstances. Read on to learn more about homeowner liability in slip and fall cases involving winter weather and what you should do if you have been injured because of a property owner’s negligence.

Illinois Law Regarding Injuries Caused by Icy Conditions on a Residential Property

Not every slip and fall accident caused by ice is the fault of the property owner. In order to bring a successful premises liability case against a homeowner, your injuries must have been caused by the property owner’s negligence. Property owners and property managers have a legal obligation to keep their property reasonably safe and free of dangerous conditions. This includes clearing driveways and walkways clear of snow and ice. However, if the icy condition is not caused by negligence but is simply a product of Mother Nature, the homeowner may not be liable for injuries caused by the icy condition.

The Illinois Snow and Ice Removal Act states that homeowners are not liable for injuries ensuing from a slip and fall on an icy sidewalk unless "the alleged misconduct was willful or wanton." However, the homeowner may be legally responsible for a fall injury if the icy area was an "unnatural accumulation.” For example, if the homeowner knew that a leaky pipe was leading to an accumulation of ice, and he or she did nothing to fix the problem, he or she may be considered negligent and therefore liable for injuries.

Across the United States, both children and adults are preparing for Halloween. For some, Halloween simply means passing out candy to a few neighbors, while others celebrate the spooky holiday with as much enthusiasm as they do Christmas or Easter. Whatever your Halloween plans, Salvi & Maher, L.L.C. reminds you to stay safe and be on the lookout for dangerous situations.If you are injured while enjoying the holiday festivities, a qualified personal injury attorney may help you receive compensation for expenses like medical bills and lost wages.

Take Steps to Ensure Your Property and Home Are Free from Hazards

If you plan to invite others into your home or to your front door on Halloween, make sure there are not any dangerous items or circumstances on your property. If an individual is injured by a preventable hazard on your property, he or she may be able to sue you. In order to protect yourself as well as trick-or-treaters, remove tripping hazards like loose toys or lawn décor from trick-or-treaters’ path. Ensure that your property, walkway, and porch area are well-lit. Even if your pets are usually friendly to strangers, it may be best to relocate pets who could accidently jump on or injure children during the Halloween festivities.

Be Aware of the Increased Risk of Traffic Accidents

Halloween can be a dangerous night on the roads. Excited, sugar-filled children can neglect to use common sense while crossing the road. Adults who attend Halloween parties of their own can underestimate their level of intoxication after drinking and drive drunk. The holiday generally sees an increase in both pedestrian accidents as well as drunk driving collisions. Providing children with flashlights and adding reflective tape to costumes can help reduce their chance of being involved in an accident. If you plan on drinking during a Halloween event, find a designated driver or ride-sharing service to take you home.

Suffering a traumatic brain injury (TBI) can absolutely devastate a person’s life. When someone’s brain is damaged in an accident, he or she may never be the same again. Traumatic brain injuries can occur when a violent impact to the head causes the brain to strike the skull or when an object such as a shard of glass penetrates the skull and damages the brain. Someone who suffers a TBI may require ongoing, expensive medical treatment and be left unable to work for months or even years. Fortunately, a personal injury lawsuit may be able to help TBI victims recover compensation for their damages.

How Does a Traumatic Brain Injury Occur?

In 2014 alone, nearly 3 million people visited an emergency room for traumatic brain injury treatment. Over 800,000 of these victims were children. Some traumatic brain injuries are relatively minor, while others can cause permanent disability or even death. There are almost countless ways that an individual can suffer a traumatic brain injury. Two of the most common causes of TBI include car accidents and slip and fall accidents. TBIs can also occur during sports, workplace accidents, and gun-related incidents. A child who falls from playground equipment can sustain a TBI if the child’s head strikes a hard object or the ground.

Pursuing Financial Relief After a TBI

If you suffered a traumatic brain injury due to another party’s negligence, recklessness, or intentional wrongdoing, you may be able to pursue compensation for your injuries through an injury lawsuit. Negligence often occurs when a person or entity fails to uphold a duty of care and a serious accident results. For example, a shop owner has a duty to keep the store safe for the patrons shopping there. If the owner ignores an unsafe condition or hazard and that negligence leads to a customer’s injury, that customer may have a valid personal injury claim. Similarly, daycare workers have a duty to ensure the safety of the children in their care. If daycare staff do not properly supervise children and a serious accident results, the daycare company could be held liable.  

For most of those working in the greater Chicago area, commuting through heavy traffic is part of the necessary daily routine. While consistently dealing with traffic can bring complacency behind the wheel, rush hour driving can be quite dangerous. 

On December 20, commuters in Illinois were reminded of the increased risk that comes with heavy traffic, as a four-vehicle collision on the Kennedy Expressway resulted in the death of one man. If you regularly commute through heavy traffic to get to and from work, these simple tips could help you avoid a car crash. 

Every year, thousands of American teenagers are hospitalized due to the excessive consumption of alcohol. Studies conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), found that approximately 119,000 teenagers are treated for alcohol poisoning each year. 

For parents of teenage children, it is crucial to be able to trust other parents in the community. Unfortunately, many parents throughout the United States allow underage drinking within their household. If your child has been injured due to the negligence of an irresponsible adult, it is time to seek out legal representation. 

Underage Drinking Statistics 

While most parents like to believe that their teenage child never consumes alcohol, studies have found that drinking is incredibly common among American teens. The CDC’s Youth Risk Behavior Survey found that 30% of high school students admitted to drinking within the past 30 day period. Young people between the ages of 12 and 20 consume approximately 11% of all alcohol sold within the United States on an annual basis.