Can I sue for being shot or stabbed in Illinois?
Often, yes. Illinois property owners owe a duty to take reasonable steps to protect people on their premises from foreseeable crime. When a business or landlord ignores a known danger and someone is shot or stabbed as a result, Illinois law can hold the owner financially responsible — through a negligent-security claim. You are not suing for the crime itself; you are suing the property owner for the security failures that made a foreseeable attack possible. This is separate from any criminal case against the attacker.
How Illinois decides if a crime was “foreseeable”
Illinois decides whether an owner owed a duty using four factors: the foreseeability and likelihood of the injury, the burden of guarding against it, and the consequences of imposing that burden (Ward v. Kmart). A business’s relationship with its customers can create a duty to protect against third-party crime (Marshall v. Burger King), and an owner that undertakes to provide security can be liable for doing it negligently. Prior similar incidents are central.
Deadlines in Illinois
- Negligence / personal injury: generally two years from the date of the incident from the date of the incident.
- Wrongful death: generally two years from the date of death.
Evidence like surveillance footage disappears fast, so it’s important to act quickly.
Fault sharing in Illinois
Illinois follows modified comparative negligence with a 51% bar: you recover, reduced by your fault, only if you were 50% or less at fault.
What you can recover
Illinois does not cap compensatory damages in a personal-injury negligence case. For families, a wrongful-death claim can recover funeral costs and the loss of support and companionship.
Why Illinois victims choose The Haggard Law Firm
The firm has handled nearly 500 negligent-security cases nationwide and secured the largest negligent-security verdict in U.S. history ($102.7 million). We help Illinois crime victims and their families with no fee unless we win.
Negligent security in Illinois cities
We handle Illinois negligent-security cases statewide. If your case happened in one of these cities, start here:
How we handle a Illinois case — working with local counsel
The Haggard Law Firm is based in Coral Gables, Florida, and Michael A. Haggard is licensed to practice law in Florida. Mr. Haggard is not licensed in Illinois. Negligent security and crime-victim litigation is the firm’s core focus, and because of the national reputation the firm has built in this specific area, Mr. Haggard regularly works on Illinois cases as co-counsel with a locally licensed Illinois attorney, seeking admission pro hac vice (for the individual case) where the court’s rules permit. Any Illinois matter would be handled together with local counsel admitted in Illinois.
If you were shot, stabbed, or lost a loved one to a preventable crime in Illinois, you can still reach out to us directly. We will review your case for free and, where appropriate, associate with a qualified Illinois attorney to pursue it.
This page is attorney advertising and general information only; it is not legal advice and does not create an attorney-client relationship. Michael A. Haggard is licensed in Florida. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
Frequently asked questions
Can I sue for being shot in Illinois?
Often, yes. If you were shot on a Illinois property that failed to provide reasonable security against a foreseeable risk, you may be able to sue the property owner for negligent security — separately from any criminal case against the shooter. Illinois weighs four duty factors — foreseeability, likelihood, burden, and consequences (Ward) — with prior similar incidents central. A free case review will tell you whether you have a claim.
Can I sue if I was stabbed on someone's property in Illinois?
Possibly. A stabbing on a Illinois property with inadequate security is handled the same way as a shooting — if the attack was foreseeable and the owner failed to provide reasonable security, the owner may be liable. The claim is against the property owner, not only the attacker.
How long do I have to file a negligent-security claim in Illinois?
Generally two years from the date of the incident from the date of the incident for a negligence claim, and two years from the date of death for wrongful death. Confirm your specific deadline with a lawyer quickly.
Is Michael Haggard licensed to practice in Illinois?
Mr. Haggard is licensed in Florida, not in Illinois. Because negligent-security litigation is his firm's core focus and the firm has a national profile in these cases, he regularly serves as co-counsel with a locally licensed Illinois attorney and, where the court permits, appears pro hac vice for the individual case. You can contact the firm directly, and where appropriate it will associate with qualified local counsel in Illinois.
How does Illinois decide if a property owner is liable?
Illinois weighs four duty factors — foreseeability, likelihood, burden, and consequences (Ward) — with prior similar incidents central. If the crime was foreseeable and the owner failed to provide reasonable security, they can be held responsible.
What does it cost to hire the firm?
Nothing up front. We work on contingency — no attorney's fees unless we recover compensation for you.