As winter approaches us, it’s time for pedestrians to start thinking about snow and ice that might be on the sidewalks as they walk around our beautiful city. While the snow might be very pretty, it can also be dangerous for people who are walking about. Property owners likely have a duty to keep the sidewalks and other areas free of snow and ice if they have reason to believe that pedestrians will traverse them on their way around town.
When pedestrians slip and fall on snow, ice, fallen leaves or anything else, they might opt to file a lawsuit. This lawsuit is handled in the civil court system and is often referred to as a slip-and-fall accident case. There are many points that come into one of these cases that can help determine the outcome. One of these is what actual duty the property owner had to keep the area safe for pedestrians. Another is whether the pedestrian could have done anything to prevent the accident from occurring.
Pedestrians who fall on outdoor surfaces face several risks with each fault. Some people might fall in a way that breaks a bone, causes a head trauma or leads to some other catastrophic injury. All of these come with the common factor of requiring medical care to treat the injury. This means that the pedestrian will incur an expense related to that care.
A slip-and-fall accident case can help the pedestrian to recover the damages that they suffered due to the fall. This might include the cost of medical care, as well as missed wages if they are unable to return to work because of the injuries they suffered.
If you were injured in a slip-and-fall accident, explore your option for seeking compensation. You might find that this takes some stress off of your life at a time when you don’t need any more negativity.