Why You Must Remove Ice From Your Store’s Sidewalk

Every store has a responsibility to protect its customers from harm while they are on the premises. This is not only good customer policy, it is also the law. That is why store owners should take care to remove, or warn customers about, any obstacles or hazards that could cause them harm. If they fail to do so, then they could be held liable for any injuries that occur as a result of the store owner’s negligence in creating a safe environment for their customers.

That is also why any customers who have suffered a slip and fall in a store due to the store owner’s negligence should contact a personal injury attorney to help them. The customer deserves to be compensated for the injuries they suffered as a result of the accident and an attorney can help them. Prominent slip and fall accident attorneys recommend that victims get legal help as soon as possible in order to ensure that they get the maximum amount of compensation.

Premises Liability Law

Every person who owns, or is in charge of a property is subject to premises liability law, which means that they must maintain a duty of care to their invited guests. A duty of care  means that they must make sure that their property is safe and free of any hazards that could cause harm to any visitors. If there is a condition on the property that could endanger guests, then the owner or manager should fix it as quickly as possible or provide ample warning about it. Failure to do either of those things means that the owner can be held liable if the visitor suffers an accident and gets hurt on the property because of the owner’s negligence. 

Premises Liability Law and Sidewalks

While premises liability law is fairly straightforward when it comes to the actual property it can become a little more tricky regarding the surroundings of the property, particularly the sidewalk. The reason is that a sidewalk is generally considered to be public property, but there are some cases where a private owner is responsible for the upkeep of the section of sidewalk that is in front of their property. So if someone slips and falls on a slippery sidewalk in front of someone’s property, then the entity that should be held liable depends on the state where the accident happened.

Some states maintain that the city or municipality is in charge of all sidewalks while others, such as Washington D.C., claim that property owners are responsible for the sidewalk in front of their property. So if you suffered a slip and fall on a sidewalk in front of a store, you should contact a personal injury attorney to find out who should be held accountable so that you know from whom you should receive compensation. That is also why property owners should make sure to remove ice from their sidewalk if they live in a state that holds the property owner responsible for maintaining the sidewalk in front of their property.

Contact an Attorney If You Were Involved in a Slip and Fall Accident

Whether you were the victim or the slip and fall occurred on your property, you need an attorney to help you. A personal injury attorney can help to determine liability and discover who is responsible for the accident. Once that is determined, they can then facilitate the process of getting or denying compensation as needed.