Illinois Counsel Prevails in Premises Liability Case

Chicago Counsel Alissa N. DeConinck-Laufer recently obtained a Motion for Summary Judgment on behalf of our gas station/convenience store client in the Circuit Court of Cook County.

In March 2017, Plaintiff was walking into our client’s gas station/convenience store in Illinois, when she slipped and fell near the store’s entrance and allegedly sustained multiple injuries including a fractured skull, hearing loss, post-concussive syndrome, cognitive deficits, and permanent loss of smell and taste. Plaintiff claimed that she slipped and fell on black ice that was on the pathway leading into the store that allegedly formed due to our client’s negligent maintenance of snow and ice on the premises. Subsequently, Plaintiff filed suit against our client and alleged claims of negligence for allowing an unnatural accumulation of ice to develop, as well as failure to remove ice on the property.

Plaintiff retained two experts, an architect and meteorologist, to support her claim that the ice that allegedly contributed to her to slip and fall was created unnaturally. Our counsel, Alissa DeConinck-Laufer, argued on behalf of our client that there was no evidence to support Plaintiff’s claim that the alleged ice was formed unnaturally, and when ice is formed by a natural weather event, our client is not responsible for removal. Alissa also argued that there was no evidence presented that proved an unnatural accumulation of ice contributed to Plaintiff’s slip and fall, and alleged injuries. Our counsel further contended that the opinions of Plaintiff’s experts were not supported by the presented facts of the case.

In June 2022, the Court agreed with our defense and granted summary judgment in favor of our gas station/convenience store client.

Alissa has extensive experience defending clients against premises liability, construction liability, products liability and motor vehicle liability matters. She also focuses her practice on civil litigation, and defends personal injury and toxic tort claims.