When Icy Sidewalks Aren’t Maintained, Florida Slip & Fall Accidents Can Occur

Just as it is important for property owners or property possessors to keep their premises safe and free from hazard during the summer, fall and spring, it is even more critical that property possessors keep their properties free from danger throughout the winter time.

During the winter months, rain, frost, sleet and snow–although rare–can occur. Even though snow, sleet and ice are far more uncommon in Florida than in many other states, these weather conditions have occurred in the Sunshine state and will occur again.

If a hard freeze happens and ice isn’t scraped off the walkways, sidewalks and parking lots, a property owner may be responsible for a person’s slip and fall accident in Florida that led to lower extremity injuries, such as:

• Hip injury – dislocated hip, fractured hip, femoral head fracture
• Pelvic injury – pelvic fracture, internal bleeding
• Knee injury – ACL, MCL, torn meniscus, other ligament injuries
• Leg injury – broken leg, lower leg fracture
• Ankle injury – sprained ankle, fractured ankle, twisted ankle

Not only can slip and fall accidents lead to lower extremity injuries, but they can also cause upper body injuries, head injuries and even death. By law, property owners, or those that occupy a property, have a duty of care to maintain the property for their employees, tenants, and guests of the property. When negligent parties don’t remove the ice, fail to put down slip resistant mats, or don’t caution off the area or warn people of the danger, they may be held responsible for a person’s fall injury.

A slip and fall accident in South Florida that results in one of the above mentioned injuries could occur on the walkways of apartment buildings, condominiums, office complexes, grocery stores, malls, or any other public place.

Parties responsible for a slip and fall accident due to icy sidewalks can include:

• Landlord
• Property management company
• Maintenance company
• City
• Employer
• Contractor

If any of the above parties knew about the winter weather conditions on their premises, or should have known about the conditions, and failed to make their property safe or warn you about the dangerous condition, then you may have a premises liability lawsuit in Florida. However, slip and fall cases are quite complex and tough to prove liability. For this reason, you need to contact a skilled South Florida slip and fall lawyer as soon as possible so that the attorney can start investigating your case immediately.

To talk with an experienced Broward County premises liability lawyer, contact the Law Offices of David Benenfeld at 954-807-1334 to find out more about your rights in a free consultation today.