Winter has come early this year. Unlike other Winters when the frigid weather didn’t come until January, brutally cold temperatures have arrived before the Holidays.
Freezing rains, sleet and snow come along with the low temperatures making roads, driveways and sidewalks treacherous. Slip and Falls cause injuries, both minor and serious, which can lead to expensive Personal Injury Claims.
How can you, as a Property or Business Owner, avoid being sued by me or another Personal Injury Lawyer?
It’s relatively simple. Do the right thing. Use reasonable care to keep your property safe. Pre-treat, shovel and treat and treat melt and refreeze areas.
What are the Winter Safety Obligations of a Property or Business Owner?
If you own a property or operate a business and can expect to have people driving or walking on it during the Winter, then you have an obligation to use reasonable care to keep your visitors safe.
What is Reasonable Care When it Comes to Preventing Slip and Fall Accidents on Snow and Ice?
In order to do your best to keep your property safe during inclement Winter weather, your maintenance program should include three things.
First you should consider Pre-Treating driveways, parking lots and sidewalks. When freezing rain, sleet or snow is predicted, you can keep surfaces safe for walking if you pre-treat them with ice melting liquids or pellets. If relevant to your property, please use Pet Safe Products.
Second, after a Winter Storm, you should promptly plow, shovel and treat your property to make it passable and safe for drivers and pedestrian visitors.
Third, is dealing with the often overlooked phenomenon of “melt and refreeze.” You should make it an important part of your maintenance program to inspect your property for patches that have melted and refrozen and treat them to continue to make the property safe for pedestrians.
You should also keep detailed records of all of your maintenance activities in case you are sued.
What Happens if you Ignore Snow and Ice Maintenance?
The alternative to a robust Winter Safety Maintenance Program is Injuries to your visitors and Lawsuits from Personal Injury Lawyers like me.
Slip and Fall on Snow and Ice accidents often cause Serious Injuries: Traumatic Brain Injuries, Concussions, Wrist or Elbow Fractures, Shoulder Injuries, Hip Fractures and other Serious Injuries. This creates bad feelings about your property or business for the injured person as well as his or her family. Serious Injuries can also lead to costly Lawsuits for Medical Bills, Lost Income and other Damages. Lawsuits result in legal costs, increased insurance premiums and bad publicity.
The Solution – Do the Right Thing
Do the right thing. Take care of your Property. Do your best to keep your Property safe in the Winter for the benefit of your visitors and customers and to avoid Personal Injury Lawyers, like me!
Tim Rayne is a Pennsylvania Personal Injury Lawyer who helps people who have been injured in accidents receive fair compensation from Insurance Companies. Tim can be reached at 610-840-0124 or trayne@macelree.com or you can check out his website at www.TimRayneLaw.com.
