Wisconsin often gets slammed by winter storms that leave the roads nearly impassable. Those are the same storms that will also coat sidewalks and parking lots with ice and snow that property owners may struggle to remove in a timely fashion.
When someone doesn’t maintain their property, they could put you at unnecessary risk for injury. Even if you’re wearing great boots, it is still possible to slip and fall when traveling through icy or snowy parking lots, walking on untended sidewalk or entering a business with wet floors due to snow melt.
Property owners have an obligation to maintain their premises
Owning a property or managing a business involves protecting the public from risks and yourself from financial liability. Removing snow and ice accumulation is a basic task that enhances public safety and mitigates the risk property owners have to worry about. Cleaning floors that get wet due to melting snow from boots and putting down rugs for traction and water absorption are smart steps as well.
When businesses don’t clear their parking lots or homeowners don’t clear their sidewalks, people using these spaces could wind up severely hurt. Broken bones, spinal cord injuries and even brain injuries can result from someone slipping and falling.
If you or someone you love gets hurt in a slip-and-fall accident, it may be possible to bring a premises liability claim against the person who owned that property. In some cases, insurance will cover all of the costs, while in others, a civil lawsuit may be necessary to recoup your lost wages and medical costs.
