Committed to helping you heal while we recover.

‘Tis the Season for Slip and Falls Involving Snow or Ice

On Behalf of | Dec 8, 2016 | Slip-and-Fall Accidents

By Pendergast Law on December 8, 2016

The winter months are fast approaching in Seattle and ‘tis the season for slip and falls involving snow and ice. During these months, patches of ice can quickly form on cold cement, and piles of snow can quickly crowd out sidewalks, making them quite dangerous. If you slip and fall, it can lead to injuries such as cuts and bruises, broken bones, or worse. This can ruin anyone’s holidays, and it’s natural to be angry and wonder who’s to blame. The experienced Seattle personal injury lawyers at Hardwick & Pendergast P.S. can help you find out who that is.

 

  • A business. If you slip and fall on the sidewalk, in the parking lot, or on any part of a business’ property, they may be to blame for the accident. Businesses are responsible for making sure that anyone entering their building can do so in a safe manner, including removing snow, and clearing up any icy patches. If they’ve failed to do so, they might be to blame.
  • An individual. If you slip and fall in an individual’s driveway, or on the sidewalk outside of their home, the home owner, renter, or landlord might be to blame. The City of Seattle clearly states that homeowners are responsible for clearing the snow surrounding their drives and walkways and if they haven’t, they might be at fault for your accident.
  • The city. If you’re on a sidewalk, or other public property, and you injure yourself in a slip and fall accident, it’s natural to think that the City of Seattle is to blame. However, that might not be the case, and filing a claim against the city can be very tricky. Seattle has certain conditions in place that could exonerate them and place fault on someone else. For instance, if a homeowner were to clear their driveway of snow, but shovel the snow onto a public sidewalk that’s already been cleared, the city might not be at fault. Also, there are strict statutes that must be followed when placing a claim against the city, such as the statute of limitations.

If you’ve slipped and fallen on ice or snow, call Hardwick & Pendergast, P.S. toll-free at 888-539-9211. We’ll be happy to listen to the details of your situation, and provide you with an initial free case consultation. The holidays are supposed to be one of the happiest times of the year, not a time when you’re worrying about filing lawsuits and making claims. We want to help make it easier. Call and speak to one of our compassionate and experienced Seattle slip and fall accident attorneys today.