It is important for everyone to start being cautious of snow and ice now that the winter season is approaching. Unfortunately, these weather conditions can lead to serious accidents, thus causing significant injuries. While these can sometimes be avoided, some accidents may occur due to the negligence of another party. In these cases, the injured party may be able to recover compensation as coverage for any physical, emotional, and financial damages related to the accident. If you or someone you know was injured in a snow or ice accident, it is important to an experienced personal injury attorney to discuss your case.
Common Causes of Snow and Ice Accidents
There are a number of different ways that snow or ice accidents can happen. This can include some of the following:
- Walkways left uncleared past the legally acceptable window of time
- Failure to properly salt steps and walkways
- Icy handrails
- Failure to remove any hanging icicles
- Leaks left unaddressed
Who is Liable?
In the state of Pennsylvania, all property owners are required to maintain their grounds to ensure the safety of others. This includes clearing snow and ice off of the sidewalk adjoining their property. It is important to know that municipalities offer a period of time for property owners to accomplish this. In Pennsylvania, property owners are allotted 24 hours after the snow stops falling to rectify the situation or provide notice of the dangerous situation if it cannot be cleaned. In the event that they do not and a person becomes injured as a result, that person may be able to hold the property owner liable.
Recovering Compensation
Once liability is established, the injured party often wishes to hold them responsible for their suffering. This can be done through a personal injury lawsuit. It is important to know that during this time, the individual is required to prove, with evidence, that their injuries were a direct result of the property owner’s negligence. This can prove to be difficult, an experienced attorney should be enlisted for assistance.
Statute of Limitations
Many people hesitate after an accident to pursue legal action for a personal injury case. While this is understandable, it is important to not wait too long. This is because a statute of limitations is in place that holds an injured person to a deadline under which they must file. If they fail to do so within the given time period, they may lose their chance to file a claim altogether. In Pennsylvania, the statute of limitations for personal injury cases is two years from the date of the injury.
Contact our Firm
If you or a loved one has been in a personal injury accident in Pennsylvania, it’s important that you contact an experienced Philadelphia personal injury attorney to help you with your case and to make sure that you are not taken advantage of. Contact Spear Greenfield to get the right attorney in your corner.
Call or text (215) 985-2424 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form
