Slip and fall cases make up a good portion of injury claims in the United States, and those types of cases tend to increase in areas where snow and ice can make for tricky walking conditions during some parts of the year. Anyone who lives in Minnesota knows how difficult it can be to stay upright when walking during the winter season, and if you’re like most people, odds are you’ve taken a tumble or two if you’ve lived here long enough.
Hopefully those falls didn’t result in anything more than a sore behind and a bruised ego, but in the event you suffered a significant injury and the accident occurred on someone else’s property, you may be eligible for compensation. However, like many aspects of an injury claim, these cases can get complex in a hurry. Below, we explain how to navigate the complexities of a winter slip and fall injury in Minnesota.
Liability Issues With Slip and Fall Cases
Right away, one of the complexities associated with slip and fall cases is the rather ambiguous language the state uses to define whether or not a property owner is liable for some else’s injury. As the law reads, a property owner must take “a reasonable amount of care” to ensure it is safe for those who use it. So if you don’t shovel your sidewalk for three days and someone slips on some ice, you may have a claim taken against you since you didn’t take a reasonable amount of care. But what if it starts snowing at night, and before you can get outside to shovel in the morning, someone has had an accident on your sidewalk? Odds are this wouldn’t constitute unreasonable care, but attorneys may argue otherwise in court.
Slip and fall cases get more complex when you are injured on commercial property. For example, let’s say you slipped in the parking lot walking into the Mall of America. You might think that you can sue the mall, but what if the mall contracts snow removal to a third party during the winter season? When snow and ice removal is contracted out by a business, the third party in charge of snow removal may take on some of the liability for injuries. However, that won’t stop the snow removal company from telling you it’s the mall’s fault, and the mall will tell you that you need to file a claim against the snow removal company, so it can get complicated pretty quickly.
Because of the complexities of winter slip and fall cases, it’s imperative that you connect with a personal injury firm like Hey Workers to help navigate your case and maximize your claim. We know how to put together a case that highlights the true extent of your injuries and assigns liability to the correct party.
So whether you slipped in a parking lot, on someone’s sidewalk or when walking through the lobby on your way into the office, we can help get you the compensation you deserve. We hope you stay upright this winter season, but don’t let compensation slip through your fingers if you fall this year. Connect with Hey Workers and let us fight on your behalf.
