A in-plane switching type liquid crystal display device includes a liquid crystal layer and two transparent substrates with the liquid crystal layer therebetween. Pixel regions are disposed on the surfaces of the transparent substrates on the liquid crystal side, each of the pixel regions including a display electrode and reference electrodes. Voltages are applied to the electrodes to form an electric field in the liquid crystal layer to be parallel to the transparent substrates, thereby modulating light passing through the liquid crystal layer. The display electrodes are configured to receive a video signal from a video signal line. A method of restoring the liquid crystal display device includes the steps of detecting occurrence of an electric linkage between the video signal line and the reference electrodes adjacent thereto and disconnecting, according to a result of the decision, the reference electrodes at a position of occurrence of the electric linkage, the reference electrodes being disconnected in a region on the side of the reference signal line, thereby restoring the position of electric linkage. The liquid crystal display device is configured such that the reference signal lines of the pixel region are electrically connected to those of the pixel region adjacent thereto through other than the reference signal to which the pixel regions are commonly connected.