The winter brings many enjoyable activities and things for people, such as the holidays, cooler weather, and time spent with family and friends. However, it can also have some negative consequences as well. While many people enjoy the cooler weather and snow, this inclement weather can also have serious effects on our surroundings. Although this does not mean that a person will automatically suffer harm or injury as a result, it does mean that many people are more at risk of being injured in an accident.
Particularly, slip and fall accidents occur with much more regularity during the winter time than at other times of the year. This is largely due to the increased amount of ice and snow with which people have to contend. Although many slip and fall accidents that occur during the winter are the result of sheer accident or a person’s own actions, many others are caused by negligent parties failing to take these winter elements appropriately into account. As such, a person may find themselves consulting a personal injury lawyer if they are harmed in a slip and fall accident similar to the following scenarios:
• A business owner does not clear ice or snow off of the walkway or steps in front of their place of business, causing visitors to slip on the slick ground
• A homeowner fails to remove ice or snow from their porch, causing a person crossing it to slip or fall
• Businesses or municipal agencies failing to treat the roads, driveways, and parking lots in public areas, causing innocent people to fall when exiting their cars or walking into buildings
• Property owners failing to put out mats or warning signs to prevent indoor falls caused by wet or slick shoes
Sadly, many people fail to appropriately handle winter weather or neglect to address the hazards it presents, causing many unsuspecting people to be seriously harmed in a slip and fall accident. Fortunately, however, there are certain steps that people can take to decrease the chances that they will be hurt in a slip and fall accident, regardless of how negligent others are, including the following:
• Wear shoes with more traction during the winter. Certain shoes, such as boots, tend to have more grip on the bottom, allowing wearers to have better stability, especially in slick areas.
• Try to walk on areas where there may be more traction or you can see the ground. This includes choosing to walk on grass rather than potentially slick walkways and avoiding any walkway where you cannot tell how much snow and ice there really is on it.
Unfortunately, the winter presents more hazards for slipping and falling than other times of the year. However, by being careful and knowing your rights after a slip and fall accident occurs, you can better ensure that your holidays do not become fraught with frustration and pain caused by a slip and fall accident.
Guest post by http://www.unionlawfirm.com/
Paul d’Oliveira
Attorney Paul d’Oliveira has been practicing personal injury and disability law for over 30 years. He started his personal injury law practice in 1989 with two offices in Fall River, MA and East Providence, RI. Today his firm has 16 offices in RI and Southeastern, MA.
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