Injured as an Employee in an Illinois Building Collapse: What Are My Legal Options?

If you were injured in a building collapse while working, consider speaking with an Illinois workers’ compensation lawyer to learn more about your legal options. With help from one of these legal professionals, you can consider options such as workers’ comp claims and premises liability claims.

Who Owned the Building?

 The most important question you need to ask yourself in this scenario is simple: Who owns the building? If your direct employer is also the owner of the building, you may be limited to a workers’ compensation claim.

If your direct employer was merely using/leasing property owned by someone else, a “premises liability claim” may be possible. In this situation, you may be able to file both a workers’ comp claim and a premises liability claim to maximize your potential compensation.

You Must Prove Negligence in a Premises Liability Claim

 Why would you want to file a premises liability claim if the workers’ comp system already covers you? While workers’ comp is a no-fault system, you must prove negligence in order to successfully recover compensation via a premises liability claim.

With a premises liability claim, the goal is to prove that the property owner “breached their duty of care” by allowing the building to collapse. Your lawyer may be able to help you gather the necessary evidence to prove negligence, including maintenance records, building code violations, and much more.

Building Collapses Routinely Affect Illinois Workers

 While building collapses might seem like freak accidents, they occur fairly regularly in Illinois. On August 20th, 2026, WAND News reported that a structure in Mattoon had collapsed, affecting eight different businesses inside the building. Miraculously, no one was injured. First responders initially assumed that a vehicle must have crashed into the structure, but they ultimately concluded that the building had collapsed on its own.

One smoke shop was so badly damaged that it must be completely demolished. A structural engineer will have to determine whether the other businesses can be salvaged. So what caused the incident? Initially, there were reports of a gas explosion. However, first responders later clarified that the gas line ruptured after the collapse and not before.

The root cause is still under investigation, and it is difficult to guess what might have happened. That said, the fact that the smoke shop suffered the worst damage may indicate that the problem originated with this business. On the other hand, the entire building reportedly dates back to the 1800s, and it may simply be deteriorating with age.

Can a Workers’ Comp Lawyer in Illinois Help Me?

A building collapse can occur at virtually any time. That said, property owners may be to blame for these incidents, especially if they failed to carry out routine inspections and maintenance. Learn more about both premises liability claims and workers’ compensation claims in Illinois by contacting Connolly Injury Law.

Sources: 

https://www.wandtv.com/news/building-collapses-in-downtown-mattoon-unknown-injuries/article_52266aac-2d5f-482a-8f79-905bba809ec9.html

https://www.wcia.com/news/breaking-news/crews-responding-to-collapsed-building-in-mattoon/