Winter is upon us in Central New York, complicating our morning commutes and creating more work for us each morning as we clean off our cars and shovel our driveways. Recently, in the City of Syracuse, clearing snow from sidewalks has become a hot button issue as the Common Council contemplated whether to impose fines on landowners who fail to shovel their walks. Syracuse city counsilors recently decided not to impose fines on residents who do not clear their sidewalks, but this doesn’t necessarily mean the issue will not come up again. So, what is your obligation as a homeowner to keep a public sidewalk that abuts your property free from snow and ice? Continue reading “To Shovel, or Not to Shovel”
Tag: accident
Don’t Trash That Evidence!
If you are a home or business owner and someone is injured on your property, your gut reaction is probably to fix or remove the dangerous condition that caused the accident as soon as possible. An uneven brick paver or pothole that causes someone to trip and fall; a bottle of cleaning solution with a defective cap that spills on someone; a product display with a sharp edge that lacerates a customer. These are all conditions which you, the conscientious property owner, will try to remedy as quickly as possible. In doing so, however, you may unwittingly compromise your defense position if future litigation ensues. Continue reading “Don’t Trash That Evidence!”
Someone Was Injured On My Property . . . Now What Do I Do?
Many people complain that our society has become obsessed with litigation. It seems as though everyone who gets hurt wants to sue, even if the accident was their own fault. You must be prepared in the event someone claims they were hurt on your property. If you ever find yourself the recipient of a complaint that someone was hurt at your business or on your property, here is a list of actions you should consider in New York.
Continue reading “Someone Was Injured On My Property . . . Now What Do I Do?”