Winter will soon be upon us in Ontario, and for many property owners, that means ensuring that areas are maintained and safe for the people who use them during the cold and snowy months.
With safety in mind, Gluckstein Lawyers would like to take a few moments to discuss some of the potential hazards that could lead to injury on another person's property during winter.
While trips, slips and falls are certainly common during wintertime, property owners are nonetheless responsible for keeping walkways, parking lots, stairs, driveways and ramps free of hazards such as snow and ice. Property owners must also ensure that areas used by pedestrians and drivers are adequately lit.
During winter, uneven surfaces where people walk can become covered with snow, and a concealed crack or gap in a stretch of pavement could result in serious injury to an unsuspecting pedestrian. Stairways should also have properly maintained handrails to help prevent falls.
In some cases, the very equipment used to clear a snowy walkway could contribute to an accident. For example, if a shovel or other tool is left concealed beneath snow, then the object could pose the risk of a trip-and-fall injury. When a path is known to be unsafe, the proper signage should be in place to warn others of the risk.
When a person suffers injury because of wintry conditions that should have been addressed by a property owner, the injured person has a right to bring an occupiers' liability claim against the negligent party. Gluckstein Lawyers represent individuals who have been injured because of occupier negligence.
You can find more on this area of law in our previous post, When Is a Property Owner Responsible for a Person's Injuries?
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