Winter weather can turn sidewalks, walkways, and parking lots into hazardous areas where a slip and fall accident can result in severe and painful injuries that require costly medical care and treatment. While slip and fall injuries are among the most common winter injuries, determining who is responsible is not always straightforward. Connecticut law is particularly nuanced in this regard, as property owners, tenants, and maintenance companies can all have legal duties to maintain public walkways in a safe condition.
Understanding liability for snow and ice injuries on the sidewalk is critical to protecting your rights. Every situation is unique, and proving liability for a slip and fall injury caused by ice or snow can be challenging.
The Lebedevitch Law Firm, LLC, represents individuals who were injured in slip and fall accidents throughout Fairfield and New Haven Counties. Contact our law firm today to schedule a free, confidential, no-obligation appointment to discuss your situation and how we can assist you.
A slip and fall on ice or snow can result in severe, debilitating, and life-altering injuries. Some of the most common injuries caused by a slip and fall accident include:
Even a seemingly minor incident can lead to significant medical issues, and symptoms can worsen over time.
Premises liability law generally applies when an individual is injured on someone else’s property. However, determining liability for injuries caused by a slip and fall accident due to ice and snow poses unique challenges.
The general rule for Connecticut slip and fall injuries is that the property owner is responsible for removing ice and snow, and may be held liable for injuries caused by their failure to do so. However, Connecticut law regarding liability for winter slip and fall injuries is nuanced. Liability can depend on who owned the property, whether there was an ongoing storm, how long it took the property owner to remove the ice or snow, and whether the owner created the hazardous condition that caused the slip and fall accident to occur. Additionally, local ordinances can impact who is liable for slip and fall injuries caused by snow and ice.
On private land, the property owner is responsible for maintaining sidewalks, walkways, and parking lots. Property owners may be liable for injuries that occur if their failure to remove snow or ice in a reasonable time after a storm results in a slip and fall accident or creates a hazardous condition that causes injuries. They can also be liable for injuries sustained in a slip and fall accident if they failed to treat sidewalks, such as by not applying a non-slip material like salt or sand on icy areas.
A property owner can also be liable if they created a hazardous condition that caused a slip and fall injury, such as failing to maintain a downspout that diverted water onto a sidewalk where it froze.
Connecticut’s ongoing storm doctrine suspends liability for slip and fall injuries that occur while a storm is in progress and for a “reasonable” cleanup time once the storm ends.
State law exempts cities, towns, and boroughs from liability for injuries caused by the presence of snow or ice on public sidewalks, unless the municipality is the owner or is in possession and control of land that abuts the sidewalk. For example, municipalities may have liability for slip and fall injuries that occur in front of the town hall or the police or fire stations.
Connecticut municipalities can transfer liability for snow and ice injuries to the owner or person in possession of land abutting a public sidewalk, meaning the owner or occupant of buildings that abut public sidewalks can be liable for injuries that occur if they fail to abide by municipal snow and ice removal policies.
Legal claims for snow and ice injuries caused by a slip and fall accident are complex and nuanced, and obtaining the compensation you deserve can be challenging. The Lebedevitch Law Firm can investigate the cause of the accident, identify who was responsible, gather evidence to prove your claim, handle negotiations with the property owner’s insurance company, and, when necessary, file a lawsuit to protect your rights and pursue compensation for your injuries.
The Lebedevitch Law Firm is based in Fairfield, Connecticut, and represents people who were injured in slip and fall accidents in Stamford, Greenwich, New Canaan, Norwalk, Darien, Rowayton, Fairfield, Trumbull, Westport, Wilton, Weston, Danbury, New Haven, Bethany, Woodbridge, Milford, Stratford, Bridgeport, and throughout the State of Connecticut.
Contact The Lebedevitch Law Firm today to schedule an appointment to discuss your situation and how we can assist you.
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