Property owners have more to worry about than just their own safety and the safety of the property. They also have to worry about the safety of other people who\u00a0come on their land, sometimes even when a third party\u00a0causes an\u00a0injury.<\/p>\n
Illinois premises liability claims\u00a0are governed by the Premises Liability Act. The Act describes the duties owed by owners and occupiers of land. In Illinois, an \u201cinvitee\u201d is a class of persons who go on the property of another for a purpose connected with the owner\u2019s business or for an activity permitted by the owner on the premises. However, under Illinois law, owners and occupiers of land are not the insurers of the safety of people who come on the premises. Rather, the property owners owe a duty of \u201creasonable care\u201d to them.<\/p>\n
Generally, in order to hold a property owner liable, a plaintiff must show that a condition presented a risk of harm, the owner knew or should have known about the condition and its risk, the owner should have expected that people on the premises would fail to recognize the danger or protect themselves, the owner was negligent in some way, the plaintiff was injured, and the injury was caused by the property\u2019s condition. As a result, landowners may have a duty to take measures to protect people who come on the property or to warn them of risks. Sometimes a risk is so obvious that an owner does not need to warn people about it, but it depends on the specific situation. A recent case in Ohio is an example of a case in which a grocery store failed to adequately warn or instruct its customers on how to use its grocery carts safely.<\/p>\n