You expected you would be safe when you visited the property. Burger Law can help.
Premises Liability Attorney in Mattoon, IL
Premises Liability Attorney Mattoon, IL. When you visited a public park, the grocery store, or the new neighborhood coffee shop, you expected you were going to enjoy your time there and had no idea that you would be in danger. But then, an unmopped spill, an untreated icy sidewalk, or a crumbling sidewalk caused you to fall and injure yourself. If you were a visitor to a property where an unattended hazard left you injured, you may be able to file a premises liability claim. Contact a premises liability attorney in Mattoon, IL right away to discuss your case and explore your options.
The Mattoon, IL premises liability lawyers of Burger Law are prepared to lead you to success in your premises liability claim in Missouri or Illinois. We have decades of experience representing victims in premises liability cases like yours and have earned millions of dollars for our clients. Discuss your case with a premises liability lawyer in Mattoon, IL today and find out the ways in which we can serve you and how we can get you the damages you need and deserve. Our attorneys are available to speak with you at 314-542-2222 or online now.
Parties in a Premises Liabitility Claim
A Mattoon, IL premises liability suit defines different groups of people and differentiates each one’s relationship to premises liability. The category that describes you as an injury victim on someone's property dictates what level of care you are entitled to by the property owner. This is an important distinction and one that you should discuss with your premises liability attorney in Mattoon, IL to ensure the best chance of a favorable outcome in your premises liability claim.
When someone gets hurt while visiting a property because of the presence of a dangerous condition on that property, the property owner or party responsible for maintaining the property, also called the possessor, could be found legally liable to cover that person's injuries and damages. However, the owner or maintenance person's liability in a premises liability injury case differs depending on the nature of the visit of the status of the victim who was hurt. As someone injured on someone’s property, you will fall under one of the following groups:
- Invitee
This individual is someone who was granted permission to come to the premises, either generally or expressly. This type of guest visits the property for the benefit of one or both parties. It could be a business or monetary gain or a benefit in the public sense. These visitors are often fairly unaquainted with the property. Examples of invitees include public park-goers, library guests, patrons of a retail shop or other business, diners at a restaurant, or someone acting in a business capacity like someone meeting a potential client for a business meeting.
Of the types of visitors, invitees require the highest duty of care from property possessors. If an invitee is injured while on the property, the possessor is legally responsible for any injuries an invitee suffers because of a hazard or unsafe condition that the possessor was aware of or should have reasonably been aware of and failed to address or fix the hazard. You need a premises liability attorney in Mattoon, IL to prove that the person or people in charge of the property failed to address the hazard, whether they knew about it or simply should have been aware of the dangerous condition and now you are injured.
- Licensee
This category applies to somebody who has been invited, whether explicit or implied, onto the property. This type of visitor comes as a social call and has nothing to gain, in terms of business or finances, in being on the property, just as the owner of the property does not stand to benefit from the presence of the licensee on the property. The licensee is a visitor who has limited permission to be on the property.
For licensees, the person in charge of the property is responsible to make sure to keep the property reasonably safe or provide adequate warning to the licensee of any dangers that they know about. On the other hand, the property possessor is not liable for any injuries or other damages the licenses suffers if the possessor did not know about the safety concern or if they did know about the hazard, they are only liable if they failed to warn the licensee about the threat. Consider this a moderate duty of care that the possessor owes the licensee. If you were hurt while visiting a property as a licensee, you will need a seasoned Mattoon, IL premises liability lawyer who can help you prove that on top of the existence of a dangerous condition that the possessor did not remedy, the party in charge actuallly knew about such a danger when you were injured.
- Trespassers
When a person enters a property without permission, they are considered a trespasser. It should come as no surprise that very little duty of care is owed on the part of the property owner to a trespasser. Usually, a property owner is only obligated to provide a general warning about the most obvious dangers on the property, and this is only required if the possessor could reasonable anticipate that someone may trespass on the property. Most of the time, a trespasser has no legal standing to sue a property owner for any injuries that happened as a result of their trespassing.
There are exceptions to the duty owed to trespassers, especially when there is a child involved. If a young child enters someone else’s property and is injured or killed in an accident, the property owner could be held responsible for the damages of the child and their family. Tragedies like these are heartbreaking and turbulent legal battles and absolutely call for the work of an experienced Mattoon, IL premises liability lawyer.
Reach out to an experienced Mattoon, IL premises liability attorney for counsel on your legal options depending on the group you fall under at the time of your accident on someone else's property. Your premises liability attorney from Burger Law will put their knowledge and skill to work in helping you through your legal situation and options and to prove the possessor's negligence and liability for your injuries and other damages.
Premises Liability Attorney Mattoon, IL: Making Your Case
A premises liability claim can be overwhelming. Though the types of premises liability injury victims and the possessor's legal liability are clearly defined, real premises liability cases are not so clearcut. Due to the nature of this type of suit, you as a premises liability injury victim must hire a skilled and experienced premises liability attorney in Mattoon, IL a complete settlement for you.
The facts that your premises liability attorney in Mattoon, IL will need to prove depend on how the law classifies you as a visitor to the property. Your premises liability lawyer will first have to prove whether you were on the property as an invitee, a licensee, or a trespasser. To prove which type of visitor you were, they will have to show how you were granted permission to be on the premises, the reason for your visit, and any possible gain your visit to the property presented to you or the possessor.
Your Mattoon, IL premises liability attorney will also have to demonstrate the possessor's fault relative to your status as a visitor, their negligent behavior that led you to harm, and the way their behavior harmed you. By collecting, analyzing, and presenting all relevant evidence in your premises liability case, your premises liability lawyer in Mattoon, IL will need to present a case that shows that:
- The defendant was responsible for the property (whether they owned, leased, occupied, maintained, or otherwise controlled the property), making him or her the possessor,
- The defendant was aware of or should have reasonably been aware of the presence of a dangerous condition or safety hazard
- The possessor did not take reasonable action to remedy the dangerous condition or adequately warn of the danger
- You, as the plaintiff, were hurt or otherwise harmed on the property, and
- It was actually the defendant's negligent behavior that caused you harm
You were injured as a guest on a residential, commercial, or public property and you may have a premises liability case. You talk to a qualified premises liability attorney near Mattoon, IL immediately after the accident, or as quickly as you can. The Burger Law team of premises liability lawyers have stood up for hundreds of Mattoon, IL premises liability victims who have been injured. We have been able to recover millions of dollars combined for those who have been injured when visiting a property.
Types of Cases Our Premises Liability Attorneys Take
As respected and trusted premises liability attorneys by many premises injury victims in the Greater Mattoon, IL area for decades, we have successfully represented premises liability claims of all kinds. No matter the type of accident or injury that has befallen you, after you were a guest on a property legally and were hurt due to unsafe conditions that the possessor of the property failed to address, you may be able to file a premises liability claim. Our esteemed premises liability lawyers and paralegals can help you win your claim and lead you in your recovery after being injured.</p
Premises liability incidents happen on all different kinds of properties and cause a wide variety of injuries and damages. Some of the hazardous conditions our Mattoon, IL premises liability attorneys see in our cases include:
- Spills that are left unattended, not cleaned up, or not marked with a warning sign
- Cracked, uneven, or broken roadways, parking lots, and pathways
- Loose railings
- Uneven flooring
- Unsecured extension cords
- Broken steps
- Faulty doors
- Slippery surfaces due to ice, snow, or water
- Uneven walking surfaces
- Poorly designed or maintained playground equipment
- Poor craftsmanship
- Poor lighting
- Unsecure objects falling from overhead
- Broken locks or insufficient security measures
- Pools that lack fencing or not enough lifeguards
- Animal attacks
- Poor electrical wiring
If you have been injured in a slip and fall accident, a dog bite, or another type of accident on a property under the ownership and care of someone else, you could be able to file a premises liability claim. With a strong premises liability attorney in Mattoon, IL on your side, you can prove your case and recover the damages you deserve. Make sure you hire a good Mattoon, IL premises liability lawyer who can negotiate a complete settlement that covers all your damages including medical bills, lost income, pain and suffering, and other premises liability damages.
Burger Law's attorneys are experienced in all areas of personal injury law in Missouri, Illinois, and beyond. Learn more about other case types we can help you with below.
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Personal Injury Law Firm Mattoon, IL - Legal Books
As a victim new to civil claims, you may want to educate yourself on premises liability claims and other personal injury claims. After a sudden accident outside of your control leaves you injured, it is natural to have many questions about what you can do and what to expect from your claim. Gary Burger and Burger Law have made the decision to create a number of complimentary resources , including our free e-books. Click on a book to learn more or download your copy now!
Premises Liability Attorney in Mattoon, IL | Burger Law
Your Mattoon, IL premises liability lawyer with Burger Law is ready to help you with your case from beginning to end. Visiting a public venue, a residence, a retail store, or other property, you should be able to feel safe and assume that the property you are on is free of dangers. When a property owner or manager betrays that trust by not addressing or providing adequate warning about a hazard like a wet floor, a loose animal, bad electrical wiring, cracked pavement, or other hazardous condition that causes you to be injured, state law allows you to pursue a claim against the person responsible for the property and recover payment for your damages. Get confident, skilled, dedicated representation in your case by a premises liability attorney from Burger Law in Mattoon, IL—one who will not rest until the defendant pays for the harm they have caused you. Take the first step toward a recovery by reaching out to one of our premises liability attorneys right away at 314-542-2222 or online.