Common Causes of Winter-related Personal Injury
Accidents That Are More Common in Cold Weather
The winters in New Jersey present a wide range of conditions that contribute to personal injury:
- Accumulation of snow and/or ice on sidewalks, steps, and other surfaces—Property owners in New Jersey must take reasonable steps to monitor property for accumulation of snow or ice and reasonably respond to the presence of dangerous conditions. While residential property owners generally don’t have an affirmative duty to clear sidewalks, steps, and similar places, they may be liable for taking action that makes a dangerous condition worse. Commercial property owners do have a duty to clear snow and ice off walkways, provided they knew or should have known it was there.
- Motor vehicle accidents—Winter car crashes can result from various forms of negligence, from lack of visibility caused by failure to remove snow, ice, or frost from a car, to the failure to operate a vehicle at the appropriate speed for prevailing weather conditions. Unfortunately, due to the number of winter holidays, drunk-driving accidents also increase this time of year.
- Injuries from outdoor or indoor fires—When it gets cold outside, there’s a natural impulse to crank up the heat inside. Doing so can remove much of the moisture inside and make your home a tinderbox. It’s no wonder that winter home fires account for about one-third of all fire deaths in the United States.
- Space heater accidents—Apart from the obvious risk of a faulty space heater starting a fire, space heaters often contribute to carbon monoxide poisoning.
Contact Attorney Gregg A. Wisotsky—Partner at Javerbaum Wurgaft Hicks Kahn Wikstrom & Sinins, P.C.
I offer a free phone consultation to every prospective client. For a complimentary evaluation of your case, contact my office online or call me at 973-241-7468. I will come to your home or the hospital to meet with you, if necessary. All major credit cards are accepted.