Property owners may present defenses to slip and fall claims

Suffering a damaging slip and fall accident while out shopping or running errands can be painful for a victim in more ways than one. An Illinois resident who suffers injuries in such an event may be left bruised, battered, and distressed from lasting ailments that may affect all parts of their body. They may also incur significant medical bills as they work to improve their health and get back on their feet after their fall.

Victims of slip and fall accidents can often seek compensation for their losses through civil litigation. A victim who can prove their case and all of the elements of their legal claims may prevail and be awarded financial damages; many defendants, though, will do what they can to avoid this costly outcome.

As such, victims of slip and fall accidents who choose to sue the responsible parties in their cases may have to overcome defenses to their claims. Common slip and fall defenses may include but are not limited to a lack of knowledge about the danger by the property owner, the assertion that the danger was obvious and should have been apparent to the victim, or that the victim was negligent in their actions and caused their own harm.

A defense may cause challenges to the claims of a slip and fall accident, but a strong legal case may support a victim’s claims for damages. It can help a personal injury victim to work with a knowledgeable attorney who can advise them on how best to set up their claims and seek the compensation that they require.