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Sprinklers in fraternity houses need now -- not in 10 years; Illinois premise liability claims should hold landlords responsible

By Kris Briggs

Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn signed a measure into law this week that requires fraternity and sorority houses to install automatic fire sprinkler systems. The law will also require housing units to have backup power supplies for all smoke detectors.

?Fire safety starts at home. These important new laws help ensure that the smoke detectors where you live don?t fail when you need them the most, and help make our college students safer,? said Governor Quinn. ?These laws will help prevent potentially tragic situations like we saw last year at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville.?

In fact, at least three fires have occurred at fraternity or sorority houses in Illinois in recent years. The law gives the homes until 2019 to comply. Our Chicago injury lawyers think that is an absurd time frame. Frankly, these homes should have sprinklers before the start of fall semester. Anything else is gross negligence on the part of both the property owner and the university.

Fires in apartment houses, hotels, dorms or other group-living environments are very, very serious because of the risk posed to multiple tenants. When basic safety features like sprinkler systems and smoke alarms are not present, a property owner can and should be held responsible for the serious injury or death that results. Just as an Illinois premise liability lawsuit would seek to hold a business or property owner reliable for other acts of negligence that result in serious or fatal injuries to customers, occupants or invited guests.

Other types of Chicago premise liability claims may include:

Slip and fall cases

Faulty handrails or stairwells

Cracked or broken pavement or sidewalks

Dark or uneven walkways

Negligent security

Assault on business or landlord property

Swimming pool accidents

Dog attacks

Elevator and escalator accidents

Collapsing porches or railings

A person who suffers serious injuries as a result of a property owner's or landlord's negligence, deserves to be compensated. And a Chicago accident attorney can help ensure that the problem is corrected and that future residents or guests are protected from suffering similar injury.

Full post as published by Illinois Injury Law Blog on July 31, 2010 (boomark / email).