Who is to blame when those passing by slip and fall?

It’s enough to worry about driving on slippery roads when it is cold and icy, but the wintry concerns don’t stop at the edge of the road.

Attorney Greg Jones said, “When we have snow and ice, it’s not just the road we have to worry about, it’s the sideways, steps, anything like that.”

So who’s to blame if you slip and fall? In North Carolina, the Statute of Contributory Negligence protects store and home owners from others slipping due to slick conditions.

That means if you can see it’s icy, and potentially dangerous, but walk through anyway, any injuries could be your fault.

Jones explained, “Just simply falling or slipping at a grocery store, sidewalk or anything, doesn’t automatically make the owner liable or negligent.”

Throwing down sand and salt are a couple things that will keep you from getting sued. It’s called premises liability; that means, if you own a property that the public walks on, it’s your responsibility to make it safe.

Jones added, “It shows that you are doing the responsible thing, sprinkling salt or sand will show someone that there is possible ice.”

It is acts like these that make it difficult for defendants to claim cases of personal injury and win.

This Statute of Contributory Negligence applies to almost everything in our state. Car accidents can fall under that law too.