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Tragedy at Soldier Field highlights risk of Chicago premise liability accidents

By Kris Briggs

For the second time this month, a fan has fallen to their death at one of the nation's elite professional sports' venues. The USAToday reports that a 23-year-old fan fell to his death from a ledge at Soldier Field during Sunday's Chicago Bears game.

A week ago, a toddler fell 50 feet to his death at the Staples Center at the conclusion of an L.A. Lakers game.

Our Chicago premise liability lawyers understand that the holidays are a dangerous time for accidents on business property. While fatal injuries at sports venues are relatively rare, more mundane accidents occur quite frequently as a result of holiday crowds. Slip and fall accidents, parking lot accidents, and accidents involving merchandise falling from high shelves are just a few of the more common ways in which people are injured on business property.

Whether a major sports venue or your local big box store, business and property owners have an obligation to ensure the safety of customers and invited guests. When wet floors, loose railings or faulty design result in a serious or fatal accident, a property or business owner can and should be held responsible.

In Sunday's accident, the 23-year-old fell to his death shortly before 5 p.m. as the Bears played the Philadelphia Eagles. The fall happened on the west side of the stadium, where the victim fell from a balcony between two columns and landed on a small roof outside the stadium.

Common causes of premise liability cases in Chicago include:

-Slip and fall accidents

-Accidents in dark or dangerous parking lots

-Loose handrails or faulty stairwells

-Collapsing porches

-Merchandise falling from high shelves

-Crowd or evacuation accidents

-Negligent security

-Elevator and escalator accidents

Full post as published by Illinois Injury Law Blog on November 30, 2010 (boomark / email).