Have you been injured in an accident at a business, in public, or on someone else’s private property in Peoria, Illinois? It’s important to consider what legal options might be available to you with an experienced litigator at Joel E. Brown, P.C. You may have the opportunity to seek compensation from the property owner, and our Peoria premises liability lawyers can help you fight for the best possible results.
Choosing Joel E. Brown, P.C. puts a passionate legal advocate with over 30 years of experience in your corner. Recognized for excellence in personal injury law by The National Trial Lawyers and the Million Dollar Advocates Forum, we’ve helped our clients win millions of dollars in settlement agreements and jury verdicts.
Don’t let a negligent property owner off the hook for the harm they’ve caused. Trust our award-winning law firm to fight for your best interests. We offer a free consultation, so contact our Peoria law office today at 309-673-4357.
How Joel E. Brown, P.C. Can Help You Navigate a Premises Liability Claim in Peoria, IL
While you may have the right to seek damages for your medical bills, lost wages, and more difficult-to-value suffering, the property owner and their insurance company will fight your claim at every turn. You must put yourself on level ground and force a fair fight. That’s where our Peoria personal injury attorneys can help.
Attorney Joel E. Brown is a trusted advocate for injury victims and families in Peoria and throughout the state of Illinois. When you choose Joel E. Brown, P.C. to fight for you, you’ll be able to count on our top-rated team to:
- Ensure your accident is subject to a prompt, independent investigation.
- Evaluate photographs, witness statements, medical records, video footage, and other evidence we obtain during the discovery stage.
- Enlist expert witnesses to consult with our legal team throughout the claims process.
- Calculate what your premises liability claim is worth
- Engage in meaningful settlement negotiations with the defense
- Take your premises liability lawsuit to a jury in Peoria County, IL, if necessary
You shouldn’t have to navigate a complicated legal claim on your own or worry about the cost of asking for help. At Joel E. Brown, P.C., we handle premises liability cases on a contingency fee basis. This means you pay nothing unless we win compensation for you.
Contact our law office in Peoria, IL, today to get started and set a time for a free initial case evaluation.
What is Premises Liability?
Property owners in Illinois are expected to maintain their premises in a reasonably safe condition. If a hazard exists because the owner is negligent, they can be liable if a visitor is injured or killed. While some states base a property owner’s duty of care on whether a visitor is classified as an invitee or a licensee, Illinois does not.
Instead, a property owner is expected to take reasonable steps to keep their premises safe, which can include:
- Inspecting the property regularly for potentially dangerous conditions,
- Fixing hazards upon discovery and
- Warning guests of known threats to safety.
If you enter a property with the owner’s consent and get hurt because the owner didn’t take appropriate steps to keep the premises safe, you can bring a legal claim and make them take responsibility for your resulting damages.
As a general rule, property owners in Illinois do not have a duty to protect trespassers from hazards on the premises. There is one major exception, and it involves children. If there is an attractive nuisance on the premises, the owner has a duty to protect children who might enter the property without permission.
Fighting For Clients in All Types of Premises Liability Cases
At Joel E. Brown, P.C., we have over 30 years of experience representing clients in premises liability matters involving:
- Slip and fall accidents
- Falls from heights
- Swimming pool accidents
- Dog bites
- Falling object accidents
- Building collapses
- Electrocution accidents
- Elevator and escalator accidents
- Negligent security
- Assault
- Sexual assault
- Toxic exposure
If you’ve suffered serious physical injuries or the wrongful death of a family member because of a hazard on someone else’s property in Peoria, don’t hesitate to call our Illinois premises liability attorneys for help. We’re available to provide the support and guidance you need 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
What Compensation Can I Recover After an Accident on Someone Else’s Property in Peoria?
When a property owner’s negligence causes you to get hurt, you have the right to pursue financial justice through a premises liability claim. Compensation can include two types of monetary awards: economic and non-economic.
Economic damages are paid to help you cope with the financial burdens you’ve experienced because you got hurt, including:
- Present and future medical bills
- Lost wages and disability
- Diminished earning capacity
- Out-of-pocket expenses
- Nursing care
- Rehabilitation
- Funeral expenses
Non-economic damages are awarded to help you handle more personal pain and suffering, such as:
- Disfigurement
- Physical scarring
- PTSD
- Embarrassment
- Loss of consortium
- Reduced quality of life
- Chronic physical pain
In addition to these compensatory damages, you can also potentially recover punitive damages if your premises liability lawsuit goes to trial. Under Illinois state law, a jury can award punitive damages as long as there’s compelling proof that a defendant’s actions were intentional or grossly negligent.
Expect a lot of pushback when you fight for a maximum financial recovery. Our premises liability lawyer in Peoria won’t let the defense control your claim or dictate the terms of your payout. Instead, we’ll force meaningful negotiations and work to recover an award that accurately represents what your premises liability case is worth.
How Much Is My Premises Liability Case Worth?
There’s no set value for premises liability claims. Instead, the details of your case will influence what types of damages you can receive and what those damages will be worth. Important considerations include:
- The types of physical injuries you’ve sustained
- What type of medical treatment is required
- How long you’ll need medical care to reach maximum medical improvement
- Available insurance benefits and policy limits
- Changes in your income and earning capacity
- Your age
- Whether or not you share responsibility for your injuries
- Steps taken to mitigate your damages
The more catastrophic your injuries, the more you can usually expect to recover when your premises liability claim is resolved.
Learn more about the potential value of your legal claim by discussing your situation with Joel E. Brown, P.C. Our Peoria premises liability attorney can review your case, explain your legal options, and help you figure out the best path forward.
What Happens if the Property Owner Tries to Blame Me For Getting Hurt?
When you blame the property owner for getting hurt, don’t be surprised when they turn the blame right back around on you. In Illinois, claims of shared fault can limit or prevent a victim from recovering compensation. The state follows a system of modified comparative negligence with a 51 percent bar. This means that you can recover compensation as long as you are 50% or less at fault. Shared liability exceeding 50 percent is a total bar to recovery.
Damages can be awarded on a limited basis when shared liability is less than 51 percent. In these cases, a settlement or jury award is reduced in direct proportion to a victim’s contributory fault. If you’re 25 percent responsible for a slip and fall at a local Peoria grocery store, your damages will be reduced by 25 percent to reflect that. You’d only be able to recover $75,000 if your claim was worth $100,000.
Our Peoria premises liability attorney will anticipate attempts to shift liability and limit your ability to get the money you need to move forward with your life. The less responsibility you’re assigned for your accident, the more compensation you’ll potentially be able to get when your claim is resolved.
Is There a Time Limit For Filing a Premises Liability Lawsuit in Illinois?
Your right to seek compensation through an insurance claim or lawsuit isn’t without limitation. In Illinois, a personal injury claim must be filed within two years of injury or death.
You’ll lose the right to hold a property owner responsible for your injuries if you miss the filing deadline. You should protect your rights by contacting our experienced premises liability lawyer in Peoria for help as soon as possible.
Schedule a Free Consultation With an Experienced Peoria Premises Liability Lawyer
Call Joel E. Brown, P.C. if you’ve gotten hurt because of a hazardous condition on someone else’s property in Peoria, Illinois. You have rights, and our Peoria premises liability lawyers are here to help you make the most of them. We’ll help you seek maximum financial recovery by building a solid legal claim and not giving up until the property owner takes responsibility for your trauma. If they refuse, our law firm will be more than ready to bring your case to trial.
We’ve helped clients win millions. Now, we’re here to get you top results, too. Contact our law office in Peoria to set a time for a free consultation today.