Summer in Chicago is a special time. The sun is shining, and people flock to the city’s beautiful public pools and famous beaches like North Avenue Beach and Oak Street Beach. A day by the water is supposed to be fun and relaxing. You might be building sandcastles with your kids, swimming in the cool water, or just enjoying the sunshine. Local news outlets often feature stories about how residents enjoy these popular spots.
But in just a second, everything can change. A slip on a wet, slick surface can lead to a serious fall. Instead of a fun day, you are left with a painful injury. Suddenly, you are dealing with doctors, medical bills, and time away from work. It’s stressful and scary.
When you get hurt in a place that’s supposed to be safe, you probably have a lot of questions. One of the biggest questions is: Who is responsible for my injury? This can be a hard question to answer, especially when the accident happens on public property.
If you were hurt in a slip and fall at a Chicago public pool or beach, you need to know your rights. The team at Abels & Annes, P.C. is here to help. We understand you are going through a difficult time. Our job is to handle the legal fight for you so you can focus on getting better.
Who is in Charge of Chicago’s Public Pools and Beaches?
When you visit a public beach or a pool in a city park, you are on government property. In Chicago, most of these places are managed by the Chicago Park District. This means the Park District is supposed to take care of these areas and make sure they are safe for everyone. According to state law, the Park District has specific powers and responsibilities for managing this land.
You might think that if you get hurt because the Park District was careless, they would have to pay for your injuries. It seems simple. But when you are dealing with a government body, the rules are different. The law gives the government special protections that regular businesses and people don’t have.
This is why trying to get money for your injuries from a government agency is not something you should do on your own. It is a tough battle, and you need someone on your side who knows the rules and how to win.
The Government's Shield: The Illinois Tort Immunity Act
In Illinois, there is a special law that protects government groups like the Chicago Park District. It is called the Local Governmental and Governmental Employees Tort Immunity Act. That’s a long name, but what it means for you is that it is very hard to sue the government for an injury.
This law was created to protect taxpayers’ money from being spent on too many lawsuits. But it can also make it very unfair for people who are seriously hurt because the government made a mistake.
For slip and fall accidents at recreational spots like pools and beaches, this law sets a very high bar. Normally, to win a personal injury case, you have to show that someone was negligent. Negligence means they were not as careful as a normal person would be, and their carelessness caused your injury.
But for a case against the Park District for an injury at a pool or beach, you have to prove much more. You have to show that their actions were “willful and wanton.”
What Does "Willful and Wanton" Mean?
"Willful and wanton" conduct is much worse than a simple mistake. It means that the Park District knew there was a very dangerous situation, understood that someone was likely to get hurt, and decided to do nothing about it anyway. It’s like they showed a complete lack of concern for people’s safety.
Here is an example to make it clearer:
- Simple Mistake (Negligence): A small puddle forms on the pool deck because people are getting out of the water. A park employee is on their way to clean it up but doesn’t get there before someone slips. This would probably be seen as a simple accident.
- Willful and Wanton Conduct: Imagine a drain on the pool deck has been broken for months. The Park District knows it is broken. Every day, it creates a huge, slippery algae-covered puddle. The American Red Cross provides clear safety rules for pools, which include establishing and enforcing safe behaviors like walking, not running, because slippery, wet surfaces are a major risk. Many people have complained about this specific drain, and a few people have already had minor slips. The Park District has reports about this but does nothing to fix the drain or even put up a warning sign. If you slip in that spot and get badly hurt, a lawyer could argue this was willful and wanton conduct.
Proving this is not easy. The law says that a public entity has a general duty to exercise ordinary care to maintain its property in a reasonably safe condition for visitors. However, for areas meant for fun and play, like parks and beaches, the law provides this extra protection, making it much harder to hold them accountable. This high standard also applies if you are hurt because there was not enough supervision. For example, if there were not enough lifeguards on duty, you would still need to show that this lack of supervision was a willful and wanton act.
Why You Shouldn’t Fight the Park District Without a Slip and Fall Injury Attorney
After reading about "willful and wanton" conduct, you can see why this is not a simple case. How can a regular person prove that the Park District knew about a danger and ignored it? You are hurt. You are trying to heal. You don’t have the time, energy, or knowledge to launch a major investigation.
This is where the experienced slip and fall attorneys at Abels & Annes, P.C. come in. When you hire us, we go to work for you right away. We know that the key to winning these tough cases is gathering strong evidence, and doing it quickly.
Here is what a lawyer from our firm can do for you:
- Investigate Immediately: Evidence disappears fast. Puddles dry up. Broken things get fixed after someone gets hurt. We send investigators to the scene to take pictures and document the conditions before they change.
- Find Witnesses: Were there other people who saw you fall? Did anyone else almost fall in the same spot? We find these witnesses and get their stories while the memory is still fresh.
- Get Official Records: We use the law to demand internal documents from the Park District. We look for maintenance logs, inspection reports, and records of past complaints or injuries at that same location. This is often where we find the proof of "willful and wanton" conduct.
- Talk to Experts: We may hire safety experts to look at the evidence. An expert can explain to an insurance company or a jury just how dangerous the situation was and how the Park District failed to keep people safe.
- Handle All the Paperwork and Deadlines: When you file a claim against the government, there are special rules and very short deadlines. If you miss a deadline, you can lose your right to get any money at all. We handle all of this for you so you don’t have to worry about it.
Trying to do this yourself is nearly impossible. The Park District has teams of lawyers ready to fight your claim. You need a fighter on your side, too.
Common Injuries and Costs from a Slip and Fall
A slip and fall is no small thing. The hard, wet surfaces around pools and on walkways at beaches can cause terrible injuries. The National Safety Council (NSC) reports that falls are a leading cause of preventable injuries. We have helped clients who have suffered from:
- Broken Bones: Wrists, ankles, and hips are often broken in falls. These injuries can require surgery and a long time to heal.
- Head Injuries: Hitting your head on concrete can cause a concussion or a more serious traumatic brain injury (TBI). These injuries can have lifelong effects. A TBI is a serious medical issue that can disrupt the normal function of the brain, according to medical experts at the Mayo Clinic.
- Spinal Cord Injuries: A bad fall can damage the spinal cord, leading to paralysis or other serious problems.
- Deep Cuts and Lacerations: You can get deep cuts from falling on sharp edges or broken tiles. These can lead to bad scars and infections.
- Sprains and Tears: A sudden fall can tear ligaments and tendons in your knees, shoulders, and ankles.
The cost of these injuries adds up quickly. You are not just dealing with the pain. You are also dealing with:
- Medical Bills: The ambulance ride, the emergency room, surgery, doctor’s appointments, and physical therapy can cost tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars.
- Lost Wages: If you can’t work because of your injury, you lose your income. This makes it hard to pay your regular bills, let alone new medical bills.
- Pain and Suffering: This is the legal term for how the injury affects your life. It includes the physical pain, the emotional stress, and the loss of your ability to enjoy your life the way you used to.
When we take on your case, our goal is to get you financial compensation that covers all of these costs. We want to make sure a single accident doesn’t ruin your financial future. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the medical costs for falls are extremely high, and you shouldn’t have to bear them alone.
Let the Fighters at Abels & Annes Take on Your Case
At Abels & Annes, P.C., we are proud to fight for the people of Chicago. Our firm was founded by David Abels and Gary Annes, attorneys who have dedicated their careers to helping injury victims. Our lawyers have been recognized as among the best in Illinois. They have been named to the Top 100 Lawyer List by Super Lawyers and have a perfect 10.0 rating from AVVO, a lawyer rating service.
We are also members of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum and the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum. This means we have won settlements and verdicts of over a million dollars for our clients. We have a track record of winning, and we want to put that experience to work for you.
We understand you are worried about the cost of hiring a lawyer. That’s why we have our No Fee Unless You Win promise. It’s simple: you do not pay us a single penny unless we get money for you. There is no risk to you.
Hurt in a Fall? Talk to a Chicago Slip and Fall Injury Lawyer for Free
A day of summer fun shouldn’t end in pain and financial worry. If you or a loved one suffered a slip and fall injury at a Chicago public pool or on a beach like North Avenue Beach or Oak Street Beach, you don’t have to face this alone. The law may be on your side, but you need a strong advocate to make your case.
The government and its insurance companies have lawyers working to pay you as little as possible. You need a team of fighters in your corner. At Abels & Annes, P.C., we are ready to be those fighters. We will handle every part of your case so you can focus on what matters most: your recovery.
We offer free consultations 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. We can talk to you on the phone, by video, or meet you in person. If your injuries make it hard to travel, we can come to you. Our staff can also help clients in English, Spanish, and Polish.
Call us today at (312) 924-7575 or contact us online to tell us about your case. Let us fight for you.