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Columbus Personal Injury Attorneys Serving Families Throughout West Georgia and East Alabama
If you've been injured by the negligence of another person, you are suddenly faced with many unexpected problems. These problems can include payment for medical bills, lost wages, ongoing medical needs, lost employment or educational opportunities and even difficulties in family relationships. If your life has been changed by an accident, put one of "the good guys" on your side.

We have been serving Columbus, Ft. Benning and the valley area for over 20 years. We hope our blog can help shed some light on issues we see in our practice on a daily basis. If you have any questions, want to discuss your personal situation or just need information, please do not hesitate to contact us - via email, phone or by an in person appointment.

We hope you never need our services, but if you do, we promise to do all we can to help resolve the matter in the most effective manner possible for your family.

Friday, January 31, 2014

Winter Conditions Lead to Liability Questions

Following the recent winter storm which left the Columbus area largely shut down for a couple days due to snow, many are wondering what responsibility others have for problems due to the snow.  Our office has received numerous calls about injuries somehow relating to the icy conditions.For example:

"I slipped and fell on ice outside of a business.  Are they responsible?"
Unfortunately, the law in these instances is not very favorable.  Courts treat icy conditions much like wet conditions and rainy day situations.  The law will basically say that if a person knows it is cold and icy outside, it is their personal responsibility to exercise care for themselves.  While it can be possible if a business contributes to a particular icy hazard, the general ice and snow (much like rain puddles) do not lead to strong claims.  Of course, the duty owed by a business is higher than that of an individual homeowner. Meanwhile the local government usually has absolute immunity for icy conditions on public sidewalks.

"My car skidded on ice, and I hit someone.  Am I responsible?"
 Usually, the answer is going to be yes.  Poor weather conditions generally will not bear the responsibility of causing a wreck.  The decision to drive and specifically how to drive rest with the individual.  If someone loses control due to the icy bad weather, it would likely mean that they were driving too fast for conditions and should have either slowed down or stayed off the road altogether.  Remember driving a vehicle is a choice and privilege that should be used with caution and care. 


Each individual set of facts may have something that sets them apart under the law however.  Always speak with an attorney before making any determinations on who may be responsible or what action may be taken.



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