Legal Question in Personal Injury in Illinois
Slip and Fall
In early December I stopped into a local retail outlet of a major auto parts store. It was snowing outside that day, and inside the door was a floor mat about 10 feet long. I knocked the extra snow off my shoes at the door, then shuffled my feet across the mat to remove any snow. As I stepped off the mat on the other end, I stepped into a puddle of water that I couldn't see due to the high gloss shine on the floor. This resulted in a slip, and by the time I came to a rest on the floor I had suffered a fractured wrist. This caused me to lose my job since I was no longer able to carry out the required duties. I haven't heard anything from the store's adjuster, other than they are waiting for pictures, but the impression I'm getting is they are going to deny liability. I saw a lawyer today, and his thoughts were I can't prove the employees there knew about the puddle, even though it was 10 feet in front of their faces. So, I lose my job, have thousands of dollars in medical bills I can't pay and looks like possibly permanent limited mobility in my wrist and being told.. too bad nothing you can do because the water was probably brought in on a customer's shoes and the company is not liable for that. Any suggestions?
3 Answers from Attorneys
Re: Slip and Fall
Talk to another lawyer. One could argue that the store should have maintained the area or at least thrown a mat down, especially on a day with obvious precipitation likely to be brought in on customers' feet. Someone out there will take your case.
Re: Slip and Fall
I am an attorney licensed in Indiana and Illinois. I hope that your recovery is coming along.
To be frank, almost all slip and fall cases are difficult to win. There is always an argument that the victim should have been watching what they were doing. In your case, there is also a defense that the snow was tracked in and is a natural accumualtion. However, I agree with Ms. Ansley that certainly snow is forseable and that a mat or rug could have been placed there, or that on prior occasions water and melted snow accumulated there, the store knew that would happen and failed to take steps to remvoe the snow or provide you with warning. I recomend that you proceed further and not drop your claim.
Pplease feel free to look at my website for more information about me. I would be happy to discuss your case.
Respectfully,
Burton Padove
Re: Slip and Fall
Call anyother lawyer.
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