Protect yourself from dangerous winter conditions
With winter approaching (or already here as some Missourians who just received several inches of snow over the weekend would say) we must prepare for the potential hazards that ice and snow presents. Icy walkways can be dangerously slick, and while that statement might seem obvious, millions of Americans suffer serious injuries every year because they slipped and fell.
Slip and fall injuries
Slip and fall injuries, from a personal injury law perspective, covers all cases where someone slips or trips because of a dangerous condition such as ice or shoddy construction. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention tracks non-fatal injuries and reports that over 8 million people were injured in slip and fall injuries last year, and this number is pretty consistent from year to year. Elderly people are at a higher risk with nearly double the injury rate than people aged 18-40.
If you slip and fall on someone else’s property, they may be responsible for paying for your injuries. In the winter, this most commonly occurs when a public walkway is not properly salted or cleared of ice.
This area of personal injury law can sometimes become an area of ridicule or where accusations of frivolous lawsuits arise. While I’m sure there are cases where greed overtakes common sense, the vast majority of slip and fall personal injury lawsuits are cases where a person suffered serious injuries like broken bones or head trauma and the property owner was grossly negligent. Property owners should be held accountable if they knowingly allow others to walk on unsafe or hazardous ground.
Protect yourself – Know what to do if you’re injured
If you are injured on someone else’s property, either private or public, information and documentation are your best friends. Write down an account of the incident as well as take photographs of the area as soon as you can. Get the names of any witnesses as well as the names of the land owner or manager. Make sure you notify the property owner of the injury and get a copy of their documentation of the incident.
Don’t wait to see a medical professional. See your doctor or go to an urgent care center if the injury is more serious. You could have suffered a sprain or done internal damage that is not immediately noticeable, but could turn into a lasting injury if not spotted right away. If you would need to seek damages by way of a personal injury lawsuit, the quicker your injuries are documented by a medical professional, the better.
If you believe you’ll need legal help to deal with the incident, you should quickly consult a personal injury lawyer that’s experienced in slip and fall injuries. Wait too long and your case might be thrown out because you’ve exceeded the statute of limitations.
Prevention is always the best, but even the most careful person can become a victim of a dangerous situation. Don’t wait to get the help you need after an accident.
