Autumn is officially upon us. In New England, the fall and winter seasons can be quite beautiful but can also pose a number of weather-related hazards. These problems can be especially troubling for pedestrians who are faced with wet leaves, freezing rain, snow, ice, and maintenance problems related to sidewalks, driveways, walkways, and parking lots.

We have represented a number of clients who have suffered significant injuries in slip and fall and trip and fall cases, many of which occur in the fall and winter months. Some of these cases involve issues such as snow or ice on a walkway that cause somebody to slip and fall; thawing and refreezing of melting snow; a lack of proper maintenance; a lack of adequate lighting; wet leaves that create a slippery walking surface; leaves that have fallen in a hole in the sidewalk thereby creating the illusion that there is no hazard; and other hazardous situations.

There are a number of things that pedestrians can do, to cut down on their risk of being injured while walking on parking lots, roadways, sidewalks, and other walkways which could include some or all of the following: if possible, avoid walking on surfaces that are covered with snow or ice; wear appropriate footwear with good anti-skid bottoms to improve traction; be careful where you walk and how you walk and avoid running on slippery surfaces; if you are older, or have trouble getting around, consider using a cane to provide you with extra stability; walk with great caution and keep your hands free to help you to keep your balance on slippery surfaces, and make sure you walk in areas with good lighting at night so you can see any hazards which might be ahead of you.

If you have been injured as a result of a trip and fall or slip and fall case that it is very important that you contact an experienced Connecticut personal injury lawyer at the earliest possible moment as there are a great number of things that need to be done to protect your interests. The first thing you should do, or someone that was with you, is to take pictures of what caused you to fall. Take pictures from a number of different angles so that you can properly show the tripping or slipping hazard.

Our Connecticut accident attorneys will contact our private investigator, if we feel it is appropriate and we may also contact our premises liability expert to visit the accident site so that measurements can be taken, pictures can be obtained and a report can be prepared to properly document the hazard. We may also have to do a title run down to find out who owns the property and to see if there are any notice of leases that show who the tenants are who may also be responsible for your injuries and damages.

If you wait before contacting a Connecticut slip and fall or trip and fall lawyer then certain evidence might change or disappear, witnesses might not remember what happened, and properly proving the liability on the part of others may be much more difficult.

Contact us today to get free information and advice before it's too late.