The winter months can be very unforgiving no matter where you live in the United States. Blizzards, Nor’Easters, and nuisance snow storms are the norm in many parts of the country. Whether you encounter snow, sleet, ice, or freezing rain; the danger exists that you could suffer a slip and fall accident if you venture out during a winter storm, even if you make a quick trip to the local Dollar Tree or Family Dollar. It’s always best to remain at home during a winter storm, or even in the hours following a storm, but if you must go out it’s important that you understand how property owners are to protect their visitors and customers from suffering a slip and fall accident on snow and ice on a sidewalk.

The Dangers of Snow and Ice on a Sidewalk

Sometimes it can be impossible to see ice on a sidewalk. This is what’s known as black ice and you might not know it’s there until it’s too late and you’ve already slipped and fallen. What about snow? It seems as though snow wouldn’t create such a hazard on a sidewalk, but it can. Why? When snow is not removed from a sidewalk it can melt when the sun comes out and then freeze at night, turning the sidewalk into a dangerous situation for anyone. Snow and ice on sidewalks need to be removed or remediated in a timely manner to protect anyone who visits or works at a Dollar General.

Timeframe to Remove Snow and Ice

Property owners are not expected to stand outside while a winter storm is in progress monitoring the conditions of the sidewalks in front of their Family Dollar stores. But, once the storm is complete, the snow and ice should be removed in a reasonable amount of time. In many states this means that there should be a safe, clear path within eight hours of the storm ending. In other states this means that there should be a safe, clear path within 24 hours of the storm ending. Either way, property owners have a duty of care they must provide their customers after a storm hits.

Who Can be Held Liable?

If you have suffered a slip and fall accident on snow and ice on a sidewalk and it led to injuries you will want to hold someone accountable for those injuries. In this case, it can be difficult to prove that the owner of a Family Dollar was responsible for your injuries. Why? For starters, there’s something known as the natural accumulation rule. This rule helps to protect property owners from liability when the hazards were caused by an act of nature and not some other factor. If you are able to hold an entity accountable for negligence in a slip and fall accident it could include the store owner, the manager of the property, the snow removal company and even the tenant of the store (if separate from the owner of the actual building).

The first thing you should do when you are injured in a slip and fall accident on snow and ice on a sidewalk is to call 911 and seek medical treatment. Document the incident with pictures and an explanation in writing so you do not forget any details at a later time. You should then speak to a personal injury attorney about your Family Dollar injury.