Wintry weather brings with it slip-and-fall accidents

On behalf of Aiken and Aiken P.C. Personal Injury Attorneys posted in Premises Liability, on Friday, December 6, 2013

Especially in coastal states like Massachusetts, winter weather can bring along with it a rise in slip-and-fall injuries.  In fact, slip-and-fall accidents can be one of the top causes of injuries that occur on residential and commercial property.These accidents can be avoided when property owners follow various maintenance and housekeeping tips.  Property owners need to remember that they can still be held liable for injuries upon the premise regardless of what the weather brings. Ice can accumulate on outdoor steps and staircases, driveways, parking lots and sidewalks.  Parking lots and driveways can be particularly hazardous due to the ice sometimes blending in with the dark surface color.  Property owners also should be using salt on surfaces and placing up signs or cones in the event that slippery surfaces may be present.  Also keeping a premise properly lighted can often prevent these sorts of accidents from occurring.Every slip-and-fall accident has its own unique set of circumstances.  Though individuals entering upon a property should take precautions, accidents are going to occur if property owners do not keep up on dealing with conditions like slippery surfaces.  While victims of such accidents may sometimes blame themselves for what occurred, the injuries sustained in slip-and-fall accidents can often be quite severe and often come about due to property neglect.Experienced premises liability attorneys can investigate such matters and establish whether a property owner is at fault for what occurred.  Attorneys can investigate what steps if any a property owner has taken to keep the property safe and they can hold those property owners liable for any neglect. Source: Huffington Post, “Winter’s Coming – How to Prepare Your Business to Help Prevent Slip Fall Accidents,” Kiernan Hopkins, Nov. 5, 2013