According to a National Center for Health Statistics report, winter cold causes over twice the number of deaths in the United States compared to summer heat. It is estimated that about 2,000 people die each year as a result of weather-related accidents and injuries. The report revealed that 63% of these deaths were caused by exposure to hypothermia, excessive natural cold, or both. Winter comes with many dangerous hazards, making it extremely important to take safety measures.
4 Seasonal Injury Risks
Winter brings icy highways, snowy sidewalks, and a number of other winter weather-related injury risks. Apart from keeping yourself safe, you should make sure that your property is safe and you drive safely as you could end up being liable for another person’s injuries. Here is a look at some winter injury risks and how you can avoid them.
Slip and fall on snow or ice: Yes, it is cold outside and the last thing you want to do is leave the warmth of your home to shovel your sidewalk. However, you should definitely clear the snow from your sidewalk. If someone slips and falls due to the snow and ice on your sidewalk and suffers an injury, you could face potential liability for their damages.
Winter car crashes: In inclement weather, car accidents are inevitable. However, there are ways that you can drive more carefully and avoid areas that are dangerous during winter. If you do not take proper precautionary measures and you are involved in a collision with another motor vehicle, your pleas that the accident was caused by the weather may fall on deaf ears.
Winter house fire: You may be concerned about your safety outside during winter, but accidents can occur inside just as easily. Your indoor holiday decorations can be just as dangerous as the foul weather outside. Igniting decorations may be rare, but you should still always carefully watch your brightly-lit baubles inside the house to make sure that they are not a fire hazard.
Bike accidents on snow: If you go on bicycle runs no matter what the weather, you should be extremely careful. If you go on rides along city streets, you might wonder if bike lanes should be plowed by snow crews along with the car lanes. This will probably differ from state to state and depend on what type of bike lane is involved. If bike lanes in your area do not have to be plowed, you should take safety measures to make sure that you do not injure yourself due to an accident on snow or ice.
Getting Legal Help for Winter-Related Injuries
If you or a loved one has been seriously injured on snow or ice due to someone else’s negligence, you should immediately seek the help of the experienced and profound personal injury attorneys at Rosenberg, Minc, Falkoff, & Wolff of RMFW Law at 212-344-1000. We have won millions and millions of dollars for past clients. You too can be on this incredible list but you need to call RMFW Law first. We will determine if your case is viable or not and if it is which is the best direction we should head that will give us the best shot at coming out on top. Call RMFW Law ASAP!
