Chicago Personal Injury Lawyer Blog
As the winter season officially begins, Chicago area residents are likely to be faced with an increasing number of slippery conditions due to icy sidewalks and other potential weather-related fall hazards. Unfortunately, slips and falls can leave victims with serious and painful long-term injuries. Still, some simple and easy steps may help keep you and your loved ones out of the emergency room this holiday season.
According to Dr. John Fernandez, an orthopedic surgeon at Rush University Medical Center, one of the most important steps to avoid falling in inclement weather is to simply wear the proper shoes for current conditions. In addition, he said individuals should consider adopting a slower walking pace when it may be slippery outside. Dr. Fernandez also recommends abandoning anything in your hands if you happen to tumble. Instead, he said you should attempt to fall forward and use your hands to bear the bulk of the impact. If you happen to hurt your wrist in an icy or other fall, Dr. Fernandez stated the injury should only take about six weeks to heal.
Property owners in Illinois generally have a duty to ensure their business, home, or other real property is free from unreasonable safety hazards. In addition, a number of properties in Chicago and throughout the state are also regulated by established building codes and other safety standards. Still, many landowners fail to comply with codified safety rules. As a result, visitors may be harmed by negligent snow or ice removal, unsafe stairs, defective sidewalks, and a host of other hazards.
The injuries sustained in a slip and fall accident may include broken bones, traumatic brain injuries, neck or spine injuries, and other soft tissue damage. Before collecting damages in Illinois, individuals who were hurt on someone else’s property must establish that they were injured as a result of an unsafe condition that the owner of the property knew or should have known existed. If you were injured in a slip and fall or other unexpected accident, contact a knowledgeable personal injury lawyer to discuss your options for recovery.
If you were hurt on a negligently maintained property, you should call the skilled attorneys at Abels & Annes, P.C. today at (312) 475-9596. Our hardworking Chicago Metro personal injury lawyers are available 24 hours per day, seven days per week to answer your questions and help you file your slip and fall or other personal injury case. Our dedicated attorneys are ready and willing to help you achieve the compensation you deserve following an unexpected injury accident. For a free confidential consultation with a committed attorney, please do not hesitate to contact Abels & Annes, P.C. through the law firm’s website.
More Blogs:
Another Lockport Township High School Student Killed in Automobile Crash, Chicago Personal Injury Lawyer Blog, December 21, 2012
Cicero Cleaning Contractor Dies After Falling Into Chemical Tank in Wheeling, Chicago Personal Injury Lawyer Blog, December 18, 2012
Additional Resources:
Some Simple Advice To Avoid Injury From Slipping, Chicago.cbslocal.com