Slip and fall accidents in winter are made worse by the fact that what we walk on is black. Parking lots, driveways, and crossing a blacktop road is dangerous because the ice is black as well, and that’s if there’s no snow atop the ice. It’s a good idea to know a NH slip and fall lawyer just in case. How can winter snow and ice slip and fall accidents be avoided?
PREVENTING WINTER SLIP AND FALLS
You can do your part before you even step outside your door to prevent slip and fall accidents:
• Keep your hands out of your pockets. Face planting on an icy sidewalk is no fun. Wear gloves to keep your hands warm but keep them out of your pockets. You’ll need them for support.
• Wear proper shoes. Sneakers and boots with a waffle maker-type tread or other raised tread patterns are best for walking on snow and ice. They get a better grip than smoother tread shoes. Avoid wearing dress shoes, plastic, or leather shoes on snow and ice.
• Baby steps. You can’t stride on snow and ice. Taking baby steps or walking like a duck prevents your body weight from taking you down. If grass is available, walk on it to avoid falling on the pavement.
• Hold onto something. Even if it’s only the brick wall of a building, something to hold onto gives us a feeling that something has our backs if we slip. It helps us to brace ourselves.
• Walk, don’t run. Don’t run across an icy surface. If you do, remember your Nashua personal injury attorneys phone number.
• Don’t carry. Carrying boxes or something else across an icy surface blocks your view. You can’t see what you’re stepping on, which could end up with you on your back or butt. Never carry anything across an icy surface.
PREVENTING SLIP AND FALL ACCIDENTS ON YOUR PROPERTY
What happens if someone falls on your property? Before you call your slip and fall attorney NH, try these prevention tips for everyone’s safety:
• Shovel. Either shovel or snow-blow your drive, walkway, steps, and porch before someone steps on them.
• Use salt. Salting the drive, walkway, porch, and steps adds a layer of protection to visitors walking on your property.
HOW A NASHUA SLIP AND FALL ATTORNEY CAN HELP
Private or commercial property owners have an obligation to make their properties safe for people to walk around. Negligence or flat-out doing nothing puts them at risk of encountering the Coates Law Office.
Property owners who remove the risks of slip and fall accidents will shovel and/or salt their properties. They will post caution and warning signs, or orange cones to alert people to a problem. Posting about slippery floors indoors is also part of the warning system.
Generally, it’s up to the person bringing the claim against the property owner to prove that unsafe conditions resulted in injury. Your personal injury attorney Nashua will review all the information and consult the law before making a determination.
For instance, was the property properly shoveled and/or salted? Was the property well-lit so you could see where you were stepping? Was there something to grasp for balance or bracing?
FOR WHAT WILL A PERSONAL INJURY LAWYER NASHUA LOOK?
You’ll hear the word “reasonable” throughout the whole personal injury proceeding. The property owner must show that the property was as “reasonably” safe as a prudent person would have ensured and that he wasn’t negligent. What does this mean?
• Was the icy surface icy long enough that a reasonable person would have shoveled or salted the surface at least once?
• Could the icy conditions be made less hazardous through the placing of warning signs or roping off the hazardous area?
• Was the area well lit?
• Did the property owner check periodically for hazardous conditions? Was there a log to document this? Was the slip and fall accident noted in the log?
If you’ve been the victim of a slip and fall accident in winter, you should first seek medical attention. If you think a Nashua personal injury attorney can help, then call at your earliest opportunity. You might be eligible to file a suit against the property owner or the responsible party for reparations for your injury. Feel free to call today to schedule a consultation.