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Winter Means Increased Personal Injury Risks

Posted by: at 11:38 AM on November 1st, 2017

It will soon be common to see snow or ice-covered staircases around the city. Most people do their best to clean their properties and keep thoroughfares safe. However, there are occasions when property owners fail to exercise their due diligence. Perhaps they waited too long to clear the area or didn’t clean it well enough. Maybe they forgot to install or maintain a proper handrail. 

Regardless, in all of the hypothetical situations we’ve mentioned, the result is an elevated risk of injury for pedestrians. What happens when that risk turns into a regrettable reality? Attorneys look to premise liability, personal injury, slip and fall laws. Those laws vary based on jurisdiction as well as the parties involved.

For example, landlords may be held to a different standard than businesses, cities, private residences and towns. In addition, the rules may change if there are other issues at play, including construction activity, states of emergency or periods of martial law. Thus, a thorough review of all applicable laws in relation to the specific facts of any given case is needed before filing personal injury claims.

With that said, anyone involved in staircase or sidewalk related accidents should be sure to document everything about the incident. For instance, was the handrail hastily fastened or rusty? Did the emergency room doctor directly or indirectly attribute the personal injuries to the fall? And were there any witness statements, photographs, EMT or police reports taken at the scene?

Any resulting documentation should be saved and turned over to your personal injury attorney. Furthermore, victims should refrain from making statements to anyone about their respective, personal injury cases before speaking with their attorney. 

If you or a loved one have been injured in an accident, contact our offices.  For over 40 years, we have helped area residents get the justice and compensation they deserve.  our attorneys work with you directly, around your schedule, from the begging of your case to the end.  We work for you.    For a free consultation or questions regarding an accident, contact us today!