Slip and Fall Injuries

Winter is here, along with slippery wet ground conditions.  Ice and slick ground surfaces can create hazards for pedestrians and drivers, alike.  Please review the following concepts related to keeping your property safe for others, how to drive safely in the winter months, and what to do if you are involved in a car accident due to ice and snow.

Ice and snow on your property, can cause someone to slip and fall, or become injured in some other way.  As a property owner or occupier, you have an obligation to make sure property does not expose visitors to an unreasonable risk of harm by being in a dangerous condition.  A dangerous condition, such as ice and snow, may cause someone to slip, fall, and become injured.  As property owners/occupiers, we must remove any dangerous conditions that exist on our property.  As property owners and occupiers, we must take special care to find the hazards on our property and eliminate them. This means, shoveling snow, removing ice, putting down salt, and generally keeping our property in good and hazard free condition.

If someone slips and falls on your property and is injured, you may be liable for their medical bills, lost wages and pain and suffering. If you are injured from a slip and fall on someone else's property you may be entitled to compensation for pain and suffering, and reimbursement for lost wages and medical bills.  You should contact a lawyer who can help you through the process.

Just as our feet can slip, so can our car tires.  We all know how scary and dangerous it can be driving in the winter.  Paying attention to the road is extremely important in order to avoid an accident.  However, some winter hazards, such as black ice, can’t be seen. This makes it extremely important to drive slowly on icy, snow covered roads.  If someone is riding your tail, pull over and let them go past you.  Keep a safe distance from the car in front of you so that you will have plenty of time to stop if you need to.  Despite all of these precautions, accidents still happen.

If you are in an accident, here are some instructions on what to do:

1. Before getting out of your car, determine whether you are injured.  If you are injured, it may be best to stay in your car until help arrives.
2. Get the other driver’s license and insurance information.
3. Contact the police and do not leave the accident scene.
4. Get medical attention if you think you may be injured, and present your auto insurance card at the hospital when getting treatment.  If you are injured in an auto accident, you may be eligible for compensation for pain and suffering, and reimbursement for medical bills and lost wages.  You should contact a lawyer to discuss your circumstances.