This year the nation has seen unprecedented amounts of snow and severe cold affect regions from coast to coast. Right here in the middle of the United States, Illinois residents have had to contend with frigid temperatures, heavy precipitation and howling winds. It has been a hard winter on individuals and a hard winter on the buildings and infrastructure that support those who live in Midwestern communities.
During a winter storm, getting outside to shovel or plow may be the last thing that a person wants to do. They may watch drifts pile up from the warmth of their houses, icicles form from their roof lines, and ice accumulate on their steps and walkways. While these hazards may not directly affect them while they are indoors, once a person leaves their house, they may discover just how treacherous winter weather can be.
Slip and fall accidents are incredibly common during the winter for the reasons mentioned above and for a host of other weather-related causes. A person could be held liable for another individual’s injuries if the victim suffered a winter weather slip and fall accident on the individual’s property and the property owner should have known about the hazard. A property owner must maintain the safety of their property for others, but if a victim suffers an injury before it would be reasonable for the property owner to clear it, that victim may not have a strong case for the recovery of their damages.
Winter weather can be beautiful but also very dangerous. Slip and fall claims that arise from winter precipitation can be important cases for individuals who have been seriously injured. Their personal injury attorneys can provide them with the help they need to move their cases forward.