Living in the state of Illinois means that you may have firsthand knowledge of the dangers of walking down an icy sidewalk or crossing a parking lot during the winter. As personal injury attorneys in the St Louis area, we wanted to pass along this information.
In some cases, business owners must remove ice or snow that poses a threat to customers or clients, particularly when the sidewalk or walkway in question is used exclusively by those patrons.
When it comes to homeowners, their duty to protect individuals against slip and fall accidents will vary. Some cities have requirements in place that dictate the timeframe in which a homeowner must clear their sidewalks leading up to the residence.
However, while icy sidewalks are a threat for state residents, there are other equally perilous outdoor slip-and-fall accidents people experience.
Improperly or unmaintained parking lots
Business owners have a duty to ensure their parking areas are safe and free from obstructions. They have a duty to fill potholes and fix substantial cracks that can cause potential falls. If they don’t, they may be responsible for injuries that result from the failure to repair hazardous parking areas.
Dimly lit areas
You may also be able to hold a business owner liable if you suffer a slip-and-fall injury because of poor or insufficient lighting. For example, if there is poor lighting between a store and a parking lot and the property owner knows about it but fails to fix it, he or she may be on the hook for any injuries you experience as a result.
Slip-and-fall accidents can prove serious and even deadly in nature, and they can lead to high medical bills, time off from work and related repercussions.
