Who’s Responsible for Accidents on Slippery Snow or Ice on Commercial Properties?

All property owners have a legal duty to keep their properties clear of snow, ice, and other potentially hazardous conditions that may injure a pedestrian, visitor, or customer. But owners of commercial properties have a greater responsibility to uphold this legal duty. Failure to uphold this legal duty of care is considered negligent.

Commercial Property Owners and The Legal Duty of Care

Slip and fall accidents caused by winter weather hazards, such as snowy, icy, and slippery surfaces, usually occur in sidewalks and parking lots outside commercial areas. All property owners are legally obligated to exercise reasonable care regarding the maintenance of all areas whether customers and other people are reasonably expected to walk on or pass by.

This legal duty of care normally involves the regular inspection of the potentially hazardous areas and the remediation or removal of ice and snow buildup within a reasonable timeframe to minimize the risk of slips and falls. Failing to fulfill this duty is considered negligence in the eyes of the law. This means that if someone gets injured on the property, the owner can be held liable for that person’s injuries and losses.

Often, however, commercial property owners hire companies to perform ice and snow remediation to keep their sidewalks, parking lots, and other exterior public spaces safe for other people. But whether it’s the owner or a company they hired to perform these maintenance activities, the duty of care still falls on the owner to anticipate the hazards posed by ice and snow and to conduct maintenance activities as needed.

On the other hand, all people also have a legal obligation to exercise reasonable care when they walk on areas they know are, or reasonably expect, to be icy, snowy, or slippery. This means that failure to uphold this duty can significantly reduce your financial compensation or bar you from recovering anything in a premises liability claim under the New Jersey comparative fault rules.

Damages You Can Recover in a Premises Liability Claim

You can recover all the medical expenses related to treating your injuries resulting from the slip and fall accident by suing the commercial property owner. You can likewise recover lost earnings if your injuries rendered you incapable of working or working less than you would otherwise due to the severity and nature of your injuries. Additionally, you can recover damages for emotional distress and pain and suffering you suffered because of your injuries.

Seek Legal Guidance From a Skilled Morristown, NJ, Premises Liability Lawyer Now

Anyone can slip and hit the ground the wrong way on an icy or snowy surface and sustain severe injuries. But when the conditions that caused the accident stem from the property owner’s negligence or mistakes, our dedicated Morristown, NJ, premises liability lawyer can pursue fair compensation against the liable party.

Call 973-984-1414 or reach out to the Leonard Legal Group online to set up a free consultation and find out more about your case. We only get paid when we obtain compensation for all the losses you suffered.