Premises Liability Lawyers In Illinois: Understanding Inadequate Maintenance

Last updated on June 13, 2025

Were you assaulted in a parking garage where security measures for patrons were outdated or nonfunctioning? Did you fall in a dark hallway with burned-out light fixtures in an office building? Regardless of the way you were injured in a poorly maintained place, you should get legal counsel for help in pursuing compensation for your injuries.

At The Crannell Law Group, LLC, we are premises liability attorneys in Naperville who review and manage injury cases involving insufficient security. It will be our mission to get maximum compensation for the harm you suffered. Contact us today at (630) 995-9995 to schedule a free consultation.

When Premises Liability Means There Was Inadequate Maintenance

Premises liability is a legal principle that says that owners and occupiers can be held liable for accidents or injuries that occur on their property. Inadequate maintenance is a type of premises liability claim that applies to situations in which a person is injured as a result of a property owner’s failure to keep their property in good repair.

Property owners owe a duty of care to people who enter their property and must take steps to maintain it in a safe condition or warn visitors of any hazards. If they fail or are negligent in doing so and a person is injured as a result, then the owner may be held liable.

To establish an inadequate maintenance case, a plaintiff (the injured party) usually must show that the owner or occupier knew or should have known that the hazard existed and failed to fix it or adequately warn of it. The plaintiff also usually needs to show that they wouldn’t have been injured if the hazard had been fixed.

In an inadequate maintenance case, a plaintiff can sue for compensatory damages, including medical expenses and lost income, as well as pain and suffering.

Examples Of Inadequate Maintenance On Properties In And Near Naperville

We are trial lawyers in Naperville and Aurora with more than 25 combined years of experience. We understand community standards of upkeep as well as the tendencies of local courts and juries in injury cases. For our clients’ benefit, we skillfully and aggressively pursue compensation when they have been seriously injured on premises showing inadequate maintenance. Some examples include the following:

• Broken locks and fixtures
• Loose roof tiles
• Poor lighting
• Broken windows and doors
• Exposed wires
• Rotting stairs or floorboards
• Large display shelves that haven’t been fixed to the wall
• Fallen merchandise

If a visitor to a private or business premises is injured as a result of one of these issues, then they may have a premises liability claim against the property owner. Property owners or business owners owe a duty to maintain the property for safety purposes in Illinois. Inadequately doing so can result in compensable damages.

If you have been injured and filed a claim, the insurance company and even the property owner may fight the allegations to minimize or avoid paying you. A premises liability lawyer can help protect your right to be fairly compensated.

Fault And Inadequate Maintenance In Illinois

Personal injury law and its effects on liability for inadequate maintenance vary between states and will depend on the specific facts of a case. Generally, both individual and business owners may be liable for inadequate maintenance. In many situations, tenants may also be liable. Similarly, a condo or homeowners association can be liable for injuries sustained in common areas where they knew or should have known about the hazard, or they created it.

In some limited circumstances, an owner may be able to show that a third person, such as a contractor or the plaintiff, was partially or wholly responsible for the injury. A plaintiff may be partially responsible for their injury if they failed to exercise reasonable care for their safety.

In some states, the plaintiff’s status is also relevant when assessing liability. For example, many states limit the circumstances in which an owner owes a duty of care to trespassers.

Contact A Premises Liability Attorney About Your Inadequate Maintenance Injury Case

If you’ve been injured as a result of a hazard on someone else’s property, consult with a premises liability attorney. Laws concerning injuries and inadequate maintenance can be complex, especially when it comes to determining whether a duty of care exists and who is liable in a particular set of circumstances.

A premises liability lawyer at our Naperville- and Auroras-based law firm can review your case and advise you on whether you have grounds to sue the property owner to recover damages. We are accomplished trial attorneys who know the local upkeep standards as well as the legal landscape.

Please call The Crannell Law Group, LLC today at (630) 995-9995 or fill out our online contact form to schedule a free consultation. If you wish to waive the initial intake process, please consider the option of completing this form prior to our meeting. We are here to help, no matter where you are.