Liability of State Parks or Public Hiking Trails

If you are hiking in a state park or a public hiking trail and you fall and/or suffer an injury as a result, can anyone be held liable for that injury? If the hiking trail you are on is within a state or national park, the government entity responsible for the park may be liable for your injuries. However, for many types of injuries, governmental entities have certain immunities from liability. If the hiking trail is not owned by a governmental entity but is open to the public, the owner may be responsible under the Illinois Premises Liability Act. Under this Act, the owner of the land has a duty of reasonable care to protect against injuries to people on their land. If an injury is caused by a poorly maintained path then the owner may be liable for any damages that result from that injury. If you are injured in a park or on a hiking trail and believe it was the result of hazardous conditions, please contact our law firm for assistance.