Hurt in a Chicago Slip and Fall?
Your Case Is Real — Even If They Say It Isn't.
Property owners and their insurance companies have one goal: make you feel like it was your fault so they pay you nothing. Your injuries are real. Your losses are real. Find out what your case is actually worth — free, in confidence, with no obligation.
- Illinois Premises Liability Act — we know exactly what owners are responsible for
- Surveillance footage and incident reports secured before they disappear
- You pay $0 unless we win your case — no exceptions
- Toby responds personally within 1 business hour
Free Case Review
Tell us what happened. A real attorney — not a paralegal — responds within 1 business hour.
Your Fall Wasn't Random. Here's What Owners Are Legally Required to Fix.
Under the Illinois Premises Liability Act (740 ILCS 130), property owners owe a duty of reasonable care to visitors. When they ignore known hazards, they are responsible for what happens next. These are the conditions we investigate — and prove.
Wet or Slippery Floors Without Warning Signs
Spilled liquid, freshly mopped tile, or ice tracked inside a building entrance. No caution cone is not just careless — it's negligence. Stores know these hazards develop constantly and have a duty to respond.
Broken, Uneven, or Cracked Pavement
Cracked sidewalks, uneven pavement joints, and sunken parking lot surfaces are among the most common causes of serious falls in Chicago. Property owners are required to maintain walking surfaces in reasonably safe condition.
Poor or Broken Lighting
Dark stairwells, burned-out parking lot lights, and unlit hallways make it impossible to see hazards that would otherwise be visible. Inadequate lighting is an independent basis for property owner liability.
Missing or Broken Handrails and Guardrails
Illinois building codes require handrails on stairways. When a railing is missing, loose, or broken and you fall because of it, the property owner's failure to maintain code-compliant safety features is direct evidence of negligence.
Snow and Ice Accumulation
Chicago winters create serious fall hazards. Property owners have a duty to remove snow and ice within a reasonable time after accumulation ends. Failure to salt walkways or clear ice from entrance areas is a common basis for premises liability claims.
Cluttered Aisles and Obstructions
Stock left in walkways, extension cords across paths, merchandise on the floor — retail environments create trip hazards during normal operations. When employees are aware of these conditions and do nothing, liability follows.
What the Property Owner's Insurance Will Claim — and How We Respond.
Insurance adjusters and defense lawyers use the same playbook on nearly every slip and fall claim. Knowing their arguments in advance is the first step to defeating them.
Your Medical Bills Are Just the Beginning. Here's the Full Picture of What You're Owed.
Illinois law allows slip and fall victims to recover three categories of damages. Most people who negotiate without a lawyer recover only a fraction of what they're entitled to — because they don't know what to ask for.
Emergency and Hospital Care
ER visits, hospitalization, imaging (X-rays, CT, MRI), surgery, and post-operative care. All documented medical costs from the date of the fall forward.
Ongoing Medical Treatment
Physical therapy, chiropractic care, orthopedic follow-ups, neurological treatment, and any other care required to address your injuries over time.
Future Medical Costs
For serious injuries — fractures, spinal damage, traumatic brain injury — treatment continues for years. We work with medical economists to project and document lifetime care costs before any settlement is discussed.
Lost Wages and Income
Every day you couldn't work because of your injuries has dollar value. We document your base salary, hourly rate, lost shifts, self-employment income, and any business you lost during your recovery.
Lost Earning Capacity
If your injuries affect your ability to perform your job or advance in your career long-term, the reduction in your lifetime earning potential is a recoverable economic loss — often the largest component of serious-injury claims.
Out-of-Pocket Expenses
Transportation to medical appointments, prescription medications, medical equipment, and modifications to your home required by your injuries are all compensable economic losses.
Pain and Suffering
The physical pain you have experienced and will continue to experience as a result of your injuries. This is not a vague concept — it is documented through medical records, treatment frequency, and expert testimony about your prognosis.
Emotional Distress
Anxiety, depression, PTSD, and fear of re-injury that result from a serious fall are recognizable damages under Illinois law. Psychological treatment records are part of your case file.
Loss of Enjoyment of Life
Activities you can no longer do — sports, hobbies, travel, social engagement — because of your injuries. Courts recognize that quality of life has monetary value that goes beyond medical bills.
Loss of Consortium
Serious injuries affect marriages and family relationships. Your spouse may have a separate claim for the loss of companionship, intimacy, and household contributions they experienced because of your injuries.
When Punitive Damages Apply
Illinois courts may award punitive damages when a property owner's conduct was not merely negligent but willful, wanton, or consciously indifferent to your safety. These are rare in slip and fall cases but available in egregious situations.
Repeated Violations
If evidence shows the property owner had prior complaints, citations, or incidents at the same location and did nothing, that history supports an argument for punitive exposure that significantly increases pressure to settle at full value.
What a Chicago Slip and Fall Case Can Actually Be Worth
Slip and fall settlements depend on injury severity, property owner's negligence, and how well your case is documented. Here's what serious premises liability cases have recovered.
Client suffered torn rotator cuff after a serious fall on unsafe property. Recovery included surgery, rehabilitation costs, and lost income compensation.
Family recovered compensation for loss of companionship, financial support, and funeral expenses following a fatal fall on negligently maintained property.
Client seriously injured due to dangerous property conditions. Settlement covered medical care, future damages, and lost earning capacity.
Injury on a commercial property. Recovery covered surgery, ongoing medical treatment, and significant lost wage claim during recovery.
Client sustained multiple serious injuries at a commercial property. Recovery included extensive medical treatment, lost income, and long-term rehabilitation costs.
Past results do not guarantee future outcomes. Every case is unique and evaluated on its own facts. Some results subject to confidentiality agreements.
What Real Clients Say About Working With Toby
"I was in a life-threatening car accident caused by a drunk driver. Toby was my advocate every step of the way. In the midst of such a traumatic accident, I had comfort knowing my lawyer was doing everything in his power to right the wrongs. Without his help, I don't know how I would have gotten through such a turbulent time."
"Thank you for being more than an attorney and seeing my situation for more than a payout. If you're looking for a lawyer that's gonna use the law to get you what you deserve and not be bought out by big corporations, make sure you give Toby a call."
"It's been great working with Toby. He's an excellent attorney that helped immensely during this difficult and stressful period. I especially appreciate the open, honest dialogue which he always provides."
Not a Big Firm. Not a Paralegal.
You Talk Directly to Toby.
At the big Chicago injury firms, you hire a name and get handed to a case manager. At Mulholland Injury Law, Toby P. Mulholland personally handles your slip and fall case from the first call to the final check. You'll have his direct number. He picks up.
Toby has spent 25+ years building a practice on one thing: getting injured people paid what they are actually owed by insurance companies that would rather pay as little as possible. Premises liability cases require moving fast — surveillance footage disappears, accident reports get altered, and witnesses forget. Toby has seen these tactics and knows how to counter them.
You Focus on Recovering. We Build the Case.
From your first call to your final check — here's exactly what working with Mulholland Injury Law looks like. No legal jargon, no runaround, no surprises.
Free Case Review — Within 1 Hour
Call or submit the form. Toby or his team reaches out within one business hour. You tell us what happened. We tell you honestly whether you have a case and what it might be worth. No cost, no obligation.
We Secure Evidence Immediately
We send written notice to the property owner demanding preservation of surveillance footage, incident reports, maintenance records, and inspection logs. Evidence that isn't preserved fast disappears forever.
We Calculate and Demand Full Value
Using your medical records, lost-wage documentation, and expert analysis, we calculate the real value of your claim — current costs, future care, and non-economic damages. Then we demand it from the responsible parties.
You Get Paid. We Take Our Fee From the Recovery.
Once we reach a settlement or win at trial, you receive your check. Our contingency fee comes from what we recover — never from your pocket. If we don't win, you owe us nothing.
What to Do — and What to Avoid — Right After a Chicago Slip and Fall
The actions you take in the first 24 to 72 hours after a fall determine how strong your case will be. Here's exactly what to do.
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1
Get Medical Attention — Even If You Feel Okay
Adrenaline masks injury. Fractures, spinal damage, and traumatic brain injuries often don't produce full symptoms immediately. A same-day medical visit creates a dated record linking your injuries to the fall — a record the defense cannot dispute.
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2
Report the Incident and Get a Written Record
Notify the property manager, store manager, or landlord before you leave. Ask for a copy of any incident report filed. If they refuse to give you one, write down the name of who you spoke with and when.
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3
Photograph Everything at the Scene
The hazard that caused your fall, the surrounding area, any warning signs (or lack of them), your footwear, and your visible injuries. Take photos from multiple angles. These images may be the only documentation of conditions that are cleaned up or repaired within hours.
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4
Gather Witness Information
If anyone saw your fall, ask for their name and phone number before they leave. Witness testimony is independent corroboration that the hazard existed and that you fell because of it.
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5
Contact a Lawyer Before Speaking to Insurance
The property owner's insurance company will call you quickly. Do not give a recorded statement, accept a check, or sign any release before speaking with an attorney. Even a preliminary conversation can be used to reduce your claim.
Property owners are under no legal obligation to preserve evidence unless you demand it in writing. Once we take your case, we send that demand the same day. Before then, these items can be gone:
- Surveillance footage — overwritten in 24 to 72 hours at most locations
- Incident reports — may be altered or "unavailable" after the fact
- Maintenance and inspection logs — can be withheld without a formal demand
- The hazardous condition itself — cleaned up, repaired, or changed before anyone investigates
- Witness memories — details fade; written statements taken early are far stronger
Illinois Statute of Limitations
You have 2 years from the date of your fall to file a lawsuit in Illinois (735 ILCS 5/13-202). Claims against the City of Chicago carry a shorter 1-year notice deadline. Missing either deadline ends your case — permanently.
Don't Wait — Get Your Free Review →Chicago Slip and Fall Attorney — Serving All of Cook County and Beyond
Mulholland Injury Law handles premises liability cases throughout the Chicago metro area. Whether your fall happened at a Michigan Avenue retail store, a Wicker Park apartment building, or an O'Hare-area parking garage — your case belongs here.
Illinois Office: 211 W Wacker Dr Ste 300, Chicago, IL 60606 · (312) 386-6706
Slip and Fall Questions Chicago Victims Ask Most
Straight answers about Illinois premises liability law, the claims process, and what to expect.
Your Case Is Real. Don't Let Them Tell You Otherwise.
The property owner's insurance team is already working to minimize what they owe you. Every day that passes, evidence disappears and your options narrow. A free case review costs you nothing — but gives you exactly what you need to decide your next move.