Snowy weather looks beautiful, especially when a person can watch it from inside. However, everyone must venture out from time to time and winter can increase the likelihood of a slip and fall. Slip and fall accidents can leave a person with serious injuries and expensive medical bills.
Common injuries and risk factors
When a person slips on ice or snow, they can suffer injuries such as broken bones and fractures. These injuries commonly occur in a person’s wrists and arms when trying to break a fall and in legs, hips and ankles from slipping. In some serious situations, a fall can result in a traumatic brain injury causing hospitalization or even death.
There are some factors that increase the likelihood of a fall, such as age, chronic conditions, poor vision or previous falls. However, a dangerous slip and fall can happen to anyone.
Prevention and maintenance
There are also some precautionary measures a person can take to avoid a slip and fall. These include checking for icy spots before entering or exiting a vehicle, wearing proper footwear and allowing for extra time in snowy conditions.
Slips and falls can also happen when a property is not properly maintained by its owner, such as failing to shovel sidewalks, neglecting to plow roadways and not thoroughly salting high-traffic areas.
If a person has a slip and fall, he or she should first assess their injuries and call for emergency help if needed. An experienced attorney can pursue a claim for compensation on the slip and fall victim’s behalf.