This month our area experienced the largest amount of snowfall we’ve had in a very long time. It was pretty, but it was also dangerous. In Texas and Louisiana, we just don’t have freezing precipitation often enough to be able to predict how it will affect roads and walkways.
Unfortunately, when winter weather intensifies, slip and fall injuries go up. It’s unsettling to be walking along one minute and the next feel your feet unexpectedly slide out from under you. If you fall, the resulting injuries can be serious.
Common Slip and Fall Injuries During Winter
Slip and fall injuries account for over 8 million emergency room visits every year in America. When people lose their balance, they reflexively put their arms out to grab support or to break their fall. The most common injuries are these:
- Broken bones – Fingers, toes, arms and legs are often broken as the individual reaches out to protect their core from damage. They also might experience fractured ribs, pelvic bones and other parts of the body.
- Sprains and strains – Some people say a strained tendon is more painful than a broken bone. Soft tissue is vulnerable, and a sprain can take a long time to heal.
- Concussions, TBIs and other head injuries – When individuals hit their head during a snow and ice slip and fall accident, the injury might not show up right away, but it can have lifelong consequences.
- Back and spinal injuries – A slip and fall on snow and ice often causes people to twist unnaturally and hit the ground hard. They might have spinal cord injuries, slipped or herniated discs or other back injuries that cause long-term pain and possibly even paralysis.
Liability in Slip and Fall Injuries from Snow and Ice
If you got hurt because you slipped on ice or skidded on snow, who should pay for your medical treatment and lost wages? Slip and fall claims always require proving the property owner had a duty of care and was negligent in performing that duty, and that your injury was a direct result.
In other words, if you went to visit your neighbor first thing in the morning after it froze overnight and you slipped on ice walking up the steps, it may be difficult to prove they were liable. Ice happens when the temperature drops, and it would be virtually impossible to keep sidewalks clear around the clock. However, if they had a reasonable amount of time to remove the ice and they didn’t do so, it might amount to negligence.
Businesses are required to use reasonable care in maintaining their parking lots, sidewalks, walkways and other common areas. If you visit a local organization and you slip and fall on ice in their parking lot and find out that ice has been there for days, you may be entitled to compensation for your injuries.
Talk to a Lawyer for Free
If you slipped, fell, and got hurt because of someone else’s negligence, you might be entitled to compensatory damages for medical expenses, loss wages, pain and suffering, reduced earning capacity and more. Seek medical attention and report the accident first, then schedule your free consultation to talk with a Monsour Law Firm attorney.
