Winter is near and given the harshness of the season, it should come as no surprise that many slip and fall injuries in Michigan occur due to ice and snow at residences, businesses, and other public places.

Sustaining an injury can be painful or even debilitating in these long winter months. Yet, slip and fall accidents affect property owners negatively too. Even if an injury claim is false or exaggerated, a property owner can suffer from negative reviews that might create a reputation of property negligence.

So while most property owners do their best to guard against dangerous wintry conditions by removing snow, putting down salt, and providing sufficient lighting for their visitors, they’re still held accountable to premises liability law in Michigan.

What Does Premises Liability Law in Michigan Mean?

Premises liability law is a type of law that governs personal injury claims as a result of a person getting injured on someone else’s property.

Michigan law dictates that building, land, and homeowners must keep their premises safe and free of hazards. And since the overruling of ‘open and obvious’ doctrine, if property owners fail to do this, they can be held responsible for compensation and damages.

Of course, it’s not always so cut and dry. Property owners are not responsible in every circumstance in which someone gets hurt on their property. Winters can be brutal in Michigan and even the most diligent owner may not be able to keep their property free of hazards. This is what makes winter slip and fall accidents so prevalent.

In these situations, premises liability law dictates the circumstances under which they can be held liable, as well as the types of compensation the injured visitor can receive. There are many factors involved – including the type of visitor.

Different Categories of Visitors

The governing law has different classifications for visitors (the person hurt on the property) which will dictate the property owner’s responsibilities and duty of care they can expect to pay out.

1. Invitee

An invitee is someone who was on the property for the purpose of doing business with the owner. For example, a customer for a store or restaurant. Property owners are responsible for the highest duty of care to invitees. As such, they are expected to correct or warn about any dangers they know about (or should have known about) based on examination of the property.

2. Licensee

Licensees are invited guests who do not provide any economic benefit to the owner. A friend who slipped on your icy walk while coming over for a cup of coffee would be viewed in court as a licensee. An intermediate duty of care is owed to licensees and property owners don’t have the same obligations to inspect for hazards.

3. Trespasser

Trespassers are those who are on another’s property without permission. While it may seem trespassers are owed no duty of care, property owners still owe some obligations to trespassers. For example, they can’t purposely set traps or create dangerous conditions for them and assume they won’t be held responsible.

It should be noted that children are their own subcategory of visitors and different rules apply to these cases.

Best Practices for Avoiding Slip and Fall Claims

Winter slip and fall accidents are among the most devastating for both the victim and the property owner. So as a property owner – especially a business owner – it’s crucial to thoroughly clear and salt walkways and sidewalks where people will be walking after snow or ice accumulations. Provide ample lighting and use caution signs if paths are slippery.

Keep any stairs dry and free of debris and consider using abrasive adhesives to reduce potential hazards.

And finally, don’t neglect indoor entranceways. During the winter months, keep the floors clean and dry or use rugs for areas that are prone to being constantly wet.

How Slip and Fall Accidents Affect Property Owners

Winter slip and fall victims often seek counsel with skilled personal injury attorneys. And this is smart. A lawyer can help them to successfully make a premises liability claim against property owners so they will be entitled to compensation for all of the injuries they have sustained.

This means that the defendant could receive monetary compensation for medical bills, pain and suffering damages, lost wages if their injuries prevent them from working, and any emotional distress caused by the accident.

Have You Suffered a Winter Slip and Fall Accident Injury?

Now that you’re aware of how slip and fall accidents affect property owners, you may be inclined to get the justice and compensation you deserve for your injury.

This is particularly the case if the property owner was negligent and ignored the premises liability law in Michigan.

So if you believe you have a case, contact us. Or feel free to reach out by calling 855-65CRASH to speak with a highly experienced slip and fall attorney at Femminineo Law. We are ready to fight for you.