Who Is Responsible if I Slip on the Ice? | Atlanta Slip Fall Lawyer | Savannah Slip Fall Attorney

Who Is Responsible if I Slip on the Ice?

Winter weather doesn’t just create dangerous conditions on roadways - snow and ice can also create slippery surfaces that are unsafe to walk on. Property owners have a responsibility to keep walking areas safe. If you have been seriously injured as the result of a slip and fall accident in Georgia, you may be able to pursue a claim for your injuries.

As a personal injury lawyer, I am frequently contacted by people who have become seriously hurt after slipping and falling on a patch of ice or snow on the way into or out of a business. Depending on the facts of how the injury occurred, a negligence claim against the business owner can be pursued. Often, these types of falls produce very serious injuries, such as broken bones and head injuries.

Property owners have the responsibility of maintaining their property for the safety of customers and other visitors. If someone comes onto the property and is injured as the result of the negligence of the owner, the injured party has a legitimate claim for damages. Georgia statute maintains that to pursue a negligence claim, two standards must be met:

1) The owner had to have known about the danger on the property. Even if the owner was not aware of a specific dangerous condition, the owner is still negligent if he or she should have known about it, and has failed to exercise reasonable care in inspecting the premises. 

2) The injured party must not have known about the dangerous condition, despite exercising reasonable care.

How does this apply to a slip and fall on ice? If a business owner had time to find and remove dangerous snow or ice on the property but failed to do so, he or she can be proved negligent. Business owners are responsible for the condition of sidewalks and parking lots. If a customer or visitor slips and falls on the way into a store or business and the owner knew about the dangerous condition and failed to fix it, the injured person has a valid claim for damages.

Of course, proving a business owner knew or should have known about a dangerous condition can be difficult. That's why it is important to hire an attorney who is experienced in handling this type of claim. A personal injury attorney who is experienced in Georgia slip and fall cases knows how to investigate each incident for evidence of negligence. It is important that you contact an attorney right away so that an investigation can begin. Photos of the dangerous area and witness interviews can determine the success of your case.

If you would like to speak to an attorney, give Ty Wilson a call at 1-888-689-5224 to discuss your claim. Ty encourages anyone who has been injured on someone else's property to educate themselves on the topic of premises liability by reading his articles, blog and by watching his videos at TyWilsonLaw.com.