Icy Walkways and Slip and Fall Injuries: How to Stay Safe and Seek Legal Help
By Ross Cellino
During the winter, people who walk to work or school must stay wary of icy walkways, such as sidewalks, streets, and parking lots. Slush and ice can form in wintry conditions and turn a normally safe walking surface into one that can cause a slip and fall accident.
If someone is not careful, they can lose their balance when walking on such a slippery surface, fall to the ground, and suffer severe injuries. Some safety tips for avoiding a slip and fall accident from icy walkways include walking slowly, wearing non-slip shoes, taking short steps, and keeping your hands free to break your fall.
In the event that you suffer an icy walkway slip and fall accident, you will have legal options for pursuing compensation for damages. You could file a slip and fall accident claim with a property owner who failed to clear their icy walkway and caused your injuries through negligence.
How Can Icy Walkways Cause Slip and Fall Accidents?
One walking hazard that can cause a slip and fall accident during winter is icy walkways. They can cause slip and fall accidents similar to wet floors inside buildings, as the slippery surfaces can make it difficult for someone to maintain their balance.
However, the major difference is that wet floors occur in one spot that a property owner can warn visitors about with a sign. Icy walkways are unavoidable; someone can slip and fall from the slippery, icy walkways that can appear during wintry conditions.
Ice, snow, sleet, and slush can appear in states like New York during wintertime. Someone who walks over an icy walkway may struggle to maintain balance because the wintry conditions cause the walking surface to become too slippery.
Severe Injuries Caused by an Icy Walkway Slip and Fall Accident
Icy walkways that can cause slip and fall accidents include sidewalks, parking lots, and streets. They can cause a slip and fall accident because they can result in someone being unable to maintain their balance.
During a slip and fall accident caused by an icy walkway, a person can fall and crash to the ground. They can experience significant blunt-force trauma from the impact of falling onto the pavement or asphalt. This physical trauma can result in severe physical injuries.
The following are some serious injuries caused by an icy walkway slip and fall accident:
- Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs)
- Spinal cord injuries
- Back and neck injuries
- Shoulder injuries
- Facial injuries
- Knee injuries
- Upper extremity injuries
- Lower extremity injuries
- Broken bones
After a slip and fall accident, victims should seek medical help to diagnose their physical injuries. Slip and fall accident victims should go to the hospital to seek medical treatment to prevent severe injuries from getting worse and causing more significant health complications.
Safety Tips for Avoiding an Icy Walkway Slip and Fall Accident
Preventing having to deal with serious injuries from a slip and fall accident requires people to walk safely on icy walkways. If someone walks like they normally would, they cannot keep their balance, leading to them falling and suffering a slip and fall accident.
However, there are adjustments to how someone walks that can make a difference and prevent them from falling to the ground. Walkers who take their time and employ safety techniques while walking on an icy walkway can save themself from weeks, months, and possibly years of pain and suffering from slip and fall accident injuries.
The following are some safety tips for walking on an icy walkway:
- Take short steps
- Shuffle across the icy walkway
- Walk slowly and flat-footed
- Keep your hands free to maintain balance
- Bend forward to avoid falling on your head
- Wear non-slip shoes
Can You File an Icy Walkway Slip and Fall Accident Claim?
A slip and fall accident on an icy walkway may be unavoidable, even if you take the necessary precautions to avoid falling. Slip and fall accident victims can suffer significant economic and non-economic damages, such as medical bills, lost wages, and loss of consortium.
You may wonder what your options are for pursuing compensation for damages. It depends on where your slip and fall accident occurs. If you slip on a sidewalk, it’s unlikely that you will be able to file a slip and fall accident claim, as holding the city, a property owner, or a landlord accountable for an icy sidewalk has proven difficult in the past.
However, you can file a slip and fall accident for an icy walkway on a property. For example, property owners of restaurants, stores, and museums must ensure their parking lot does not have walking hazards. Failing to salt their parking lot properly is a negligent action that can leave them liable for a slip and fall accident claim.
Hiring a Slip and Fall Accident Lawyer to Help Recover Compensation for Damages
Recovering compensation for a slip and fall accident claim alone can be difficult. You likely do not have intimate knowledge of premises liability necessary to handle the slip and fall accident claim process.
Hiring a slip and fall accident lawyer is your best chance to recover fair compensation for damages. A slip and fall accident attorney who has handled other claims will know how to prove the at-fault party’s liability, what evidence can help with your claim, and what steps to take to maximize your chances of success.
Contact Cellino Law for Help With Your Icy Walkway Slip and Fall Accident Claim
At Cellino Law, our experienced slip and fall accident lawyers can use their expertise to help with your claims process. They have helped other victims of icy walkways left by negligent property owners and can use their experience to inform your claim process.
Our slip and fall accident lawyers have been involved in the settlement process of other cases and can use their experience to help you recover fair compensation from the at-fault party’s insurance company. Contact Cellino Law today for a free consultation by calling us at (888) 888-8888 or leaving a message on our online contact page.
Content checked by the personal injury attorney Ross Cellino
Ross Cellino
As a family man and a trial attorney, I pride myself on winning cases and serving the community. With over 35 years of experience, I understand the function of a jury, how juries arrive at conclusions, and the role that the jury plays in administering justice. I know how to win cases. You can find us in Manhattan, Buffalo, Melville, Rochester, Brooklyn, The Bronx, Queens and other locations throughout New York.
