Although Winter brings along the joys of the holiday season, it also brings some of the most dreaded weather conditions along for the ride. With the increase in snow and ice on the ground, high wind, and low visibility, it pays for you and your family to take extra precautions against potential accident and injury. When it comes to your loved ones, weather related accidents can, in the worst case scenario, even result in death.
Watch Your Step
Slips and falls can cause serious or permanent bodily injury, and in some cases, even death. You should always tread carefully and avoid iced-over areas, especially if you’re using a ramp, stairway or other uneven surfaces. Negligence on the part of property owners when it comes to clearing away ice and snow is a serious matter, and can even pave the way for a lawsuit, especially if fatal injuries are a result. In Kane County, a wrongful death lawyer can help you file a suit against the property owner in question if death is the result of fall. The elderly are especially at risk for falls, so be sure to look after your older loved ones and advise them against going outside in bad weather.
Drive Carefully
The US Department of Transportation’s Federal Highway Administration says that 22 percent of annual car crashes occur on account of weather, and on average, over 700 people are killed annually in snow and ice related accidents. If it’s not absolutely necessary to drive in bad weather, don’t! If you’re going to have to drive, make sure that your car is in good condition and has received proper maintenance. And keep a spare ice scraper handy.
Bundle Up
WebMD says that frostbite is most likely to occur on body parts like fingers, noses, and ears, so during periods of extremely low temperatures and wind chill, it pays to put special attention on keeping those areas warm. Earmuffs, thick gloves, and a scarf or other face covering are all musts in intensely cold weather.
Above all, keeping safe during the winter should be your first priority. Don’t forget, however, that weather isn’t an excuse for negligence when it comes to accidents. Law firms like Woodruff Johnson & Palermo handle wrongful death lawsuits for a reason; business owners who don’t keep their property safe or drivers who hit-and-run in low visibility weather are just two examples. Taking precautions to protect yourself and your loved ones from unfortunate scenarios like these are especially relevant when the snow starts to fall.
Personal responsibility for negligence doesn’t pause in bad weather. If you’ve lost a loved one due to an ice-related fall or auto accident in Kane County, a wrongful death lawyer at Woodruff Johnson & Palermo can help.
