Snow and Ice

Removing snow and ice promptly from roads, sidewalks, driveways and parking lots is more than a neighborly courtesy. Some communities have ordinances requiring property owners to remove freshly fallen snow within hours. In some cases, failure to do so can result in fines.

For property owners and pedestrians, the consequences of failing to remove snow and ice can be far worse. In one case, a woman slipped and fell on ice in an apartment complex parking lot and broke her ankle. She subsequently died two months later from a blood clot resulting from the fractured ankle. She was survived by three minor and three grown children. Her estate's lawyer successfully sued the property's owner for failing to clear the snow that later turned to ice from the parking lot.

Have you been faced with a similar situation? If so, how did you handle it?