Living with treacherous sidewalks and parking lots is a way of life in upstate New York. After all, with all the snow that we receive during the winter (and unfortunately sometimes during the spring) you would think that store and building owners would know that they have a legal duty to keep entry ways and parking lots reasonably free of snow and ice.
Unfortunately, it does not always happen that way. Because of this, pedestrians are injured in slip and falls during the winter. However, as the old adage says, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. With that, we offer some helpful tips for pedestrians as they navigate icy sidewalks, entryways and parking lots.
Make storeowners aware of dangerous conditions – As we alluded to earlier, property owners have a duty to take reasonable steps to make ingress and egress safe for customers. However, if they are not put on notice about dangerous conditions, it may be difficult to establish liability for an owner who does not know that such conditions exist.
Beware of snowbanks – When clearing paths, the snow has to go somewhere. As such, it is common to see snow banks on the sides of sidewalks, or even snow mountains in parking lots. For those who park on streets, trying to scale a snow bank to get to a store is not a good idea.
With pedestrian accidents, there is likely to be a vigorous defense from a store or building owner. As such, an experienced personal injury attorney may be needed to help you obtain compensation.
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