Winter can take quite a toll on our bones if we aren’t careful while walking. Every season brings different risks for slip and falls — autumn’s beautiful but slippery piles of leaves, and the slick surfaces of spring showers — but ice and snow are without question the most dangerous of these seasonal variations.
As a Memphis slip and fall lawyer, I want to take a minute to talk about the precautions we must take this time of year. In our city, we get our fair share of the winter cold, but we don’t see the harsh blizzards found in other parts of the country. This actually doesn’t mean we have a lower potential for slip and falls. By and large, people in Memphis aren’t as prepared for the snow. We are inexperienced when it comes to navigating icy or snowy terrain, and we often lack the gear you need to make it safely through the season.
While many comedies elicit laughs with hysterical scenes in which a person falls on his or her backside, I know, from years of experience as a Memphis slip and fall lawyer, that there is nothing funny about a slip and fall. They can cause serious back and joint injuries, which last a lifetime in some cases, severely affecting one’s quality of life.
Property owners have a responsibility to take the weather into account and ensure the safety of everyone on the premises. In winter months, that responsibility entails removing ice, snow, and other potential weather-related hazards in a timely manner. If you are injured after falling on snow or ice on someone’s property, you could be entitled to compensation.
Understanding reasonable care
In Memphis, where it often gets icy during the colder months, property owners must take steps to remove it from their property, keeping sidewalks safe and ice-free. If you slip on someone’s property and are not sure whether or not the owner showed reasonable care, here are key questions to consider:
– Did they attempt to remove all the snow or ice from walkways?
– Did they warn pedestrians about dangerous spots?
– Did they offer alternatives to icy paths?
Understanding workers’ compensation
Slip and falls can happen anywhere — on public property, private property, or in the workplace. If you are injured at work, depending on the circumstances, you could be entitled to workers’ compensation.
Say you slip and fall on a patch of ice in your office’s parking lot on the way to work. The injuries keep you out of work for several months. The courts consider the parking lot to be your means of access to work, and I have seen victims granted workers’ compensation in those cases.
An experienced Memphis slip and fall lawyer can help you understand your options and determine the best course of action.
Talk to a Memphis Slip and Fall Lawyer
If you’ve been injured in a slip and fall accident, our Memphis slip and fall attorneys can help. Our lawyers are known for our compassion and our results. We understand the emotional toll of an accident, and we have helped thousands of injured people get the compensation they need and deserve.
Contact me today to get started. The conversation is absolutely free.