Is there a particular time of year in Edmonton when people sustain injuries more frequently than others? Not surprisingly, personal injuries in winter outnumber other seasons. This is because you can be hurt in many ways during winter. These injuries can be horrific, life-threatening or minor. Consequently, after an accident, many people in Edmonton go to an experienced personal injury lawyer for advice on getting damages and compensation.
The fact that wintertime temperatures plummet makes it a risky season as well. Winter accidents result in an increase in injuries, hospital admissions, and liability claims. Let’s discuss some typical wintertime mishaps and injuries and your options for recovering compensation for your losses.
Common Winter Accidents that Cause Injuries
Personal injuries can happen anytime but may occur more often in the winter than in other seasons. Here’s a look at some of the common accidents during the winter:
Slip and Fall Accidents
This accident occurs when a person slips and suffers an injury on another person’s property. When snow, ice, and slush make sidewalks slippery in the winter, these accidents happen more often.
In addition, there were nearly 9,000 hospitalizations due to falls on ice in Canada, making them the number one cause of winter injuries.
Car Accidents
Some types of car accidents also occur more commonly in the winter. If a driver fails to follow safe driving habits on icy roads or in an area with low visibility, they might be responsible for any harm they caused you. However, winter-proofing your car significantly reduces your chances of a winter weather collision.
Collisions involving snow plows and other service vehicles happen frequently in the winter. These accidents typically include the weather. However, drivers can still be held liable if they are driving too fast, distracted, or impaired.
Pedestrian Accidents
Pedestrian accidents are incidents involving pedestrians and motor vehicles. Like car accidents, pedestrian accidents can also occur more frequently in the winter, when drivers may have trouble stopping for pedestrians at intersections or crosswalks. Drivers may attempt to blame the collision on the ice road conditions, but they may also share responsibility.
Common Personal Injuries From Winter Accidents
Winter accidents cause a vast range of injuries. Some are minor injuries, while others are severe and could lead to disabilities. That’s why it is important to seek compensation through a legal process. Here are some of the common winter personal injuries:
- Back and neck injury
- Spinal cord injury
- Cuts and lacerations
- Elbow fractures
- Soft tissue injuries
- Burns
- Head injury
- Broken bones
- Wrist sprain
- Ankle sprains and strains
- Hip and wrist fractures
- Traumatic brain injury
What You Need To Know About Winter Personal Injury Cases
Several personal injuries can occur because of wintry conditions and winter weather. However, someone else’s negligence could be responsible for those injuries or at least be a contributing factor. You may successfully file a negligence claim when one or more of the following injuries occur during winter weather. These are common examples seen all the time:
- A potential customer fell or slipped because dripping umbrellas and snow boots made puddles around the business’s property, and the owner didn’t clean up the water.
- A neighbour fell or slipped on the ice because the homeowner did not apply salt on a walkway or steps.
- The driver in front of you did not give you adequate room as they passed you on the road. Even though there was information about icy roads, bridges, and weather, this still happened.
- A driver was involved in a severe accident because the driver did not slow down when roadways became dangerous due to sleet or snow.
- A potential client slipped and fell on ice in a parking lot, on a sidewalk, or on steps because the business owner neglected to distribute salt (restaurant, retail store, supermarket).
- A guest fell or slipped because a home’s entryway was wet from snow-covered boots, and the owner did not clean it up.
How Personal Injury Lawyers in Edmonton Can Help
You might have grounds to file a personal injury lawsuit if you experienced an injury resulting in illness or even wrongful death. The best way to know whether you have reason to file one of these claims is to hire a personal injury attorney.
Personal injury lawyers in Edmonton can also help you with the following:
- Find proof for your case
- Submit the necessary paperwork to begin your lawsuit
- Represent you in court
- Help you through the legal system
Personal injury attorneys can provide reliable support to give you the best chance of securing compensation once your case settles. They can also take the legal burden off of your shoulders, giving you time to heal while they handle the stressful aspects of your case.
Many personal injury lawyers also only get paid if you win your case, which means you won’t have to pay them anything if you don’t. You won’t have to worry that a lawyer will cost you more than your accident.
File Your Winter Personal Injury Claims
It is essential to note that most of these winter personal injuries are preventable. You can avoid most winter accidents by being cautious and doing the right thing. But suppose you have been injured and are convinced that the injuries result from negligence by another person. In that case, you can seek compensation through a lawsuit. It would be best if you had a trusted, experienced, reliable personal injury lawyer in Edmonton.
At Sidhu Personal Injury Lawyers Edmonton, we are an established law firm with years of experience representing clients like you. We’re committed to putting our skills to give you a chance to secure adequate compensation for your pain and suffering, missed work, hospital bills and other expenses resulting from your injury. Get in touch with us today!
