Walking on a sidewalk shouldn’t be a frightening experience, as the sole purpose of sidewalks is to ensure pedestrian safety from traffic while walking down the street. Unfortunately, the reality is that when a sidewalk is not maintained to the standard that it should be, pedestrians can become seriously injured. In the event that a pedestrian slips, falls, or trips while walking on a sidewalk, they may face lacerations, a concussion, broken bones, spinal cord injuries, or other serious injuries that come with burdens for years down the road. Victims of sidewalk accidents may face economic and emotional strains in addition to their injuries. If you or a loved one has been the victim of a serious sidewalk accident in Maryland, it is important to consult with an experienced personal injury attorney that can help you hold the sidewalk owner liable and assist in recovering compensation on your behalf. The sidewalk accident attorneys from Markey & Orsi have proudly represented clients in sidewalk accident cases for nearly 30 years. Contact our firm today.
Causes of Baltimore County Sidewalk Accidents
Though we assume that all sidewalks in Baltimore are well maintained, this is not always the case. Ultimately, when a property owner fails to maintain their piece of the sidewalk, pedestrians can be seriously injured. Usually, the party that claims ownership of the sidewalk is the owner of the adjacent property, whether it is a private citizen, a business, or the municipality. There are a number of different dangerous conditions that may exist on a sidewalk, some of which include standing water, surface issues, hazardous materials, loose debris, and of course, snow or ice that has been left unattended. When sidewalk conditions cause a pedestrian to become seriously injured, the victim may want to consider his or her legal options and speak with an experienced personal injury attorney.
Accidents Caused by Weather Conditions
As stated above, weather conditions can be quite hazardous to pedestrians. When a person slips and falls because of snow, ice or standing water, they can be seriously injured. While regularly, people need to address standing water, ice or snow on their section of sidewalk, towns across Maryland have different rules and regulations regarding the clean up after a storm. Reasonably so, people have a certain amount of time after a snow storm to clear their property and adjacent sidewalks. Our offices are located in Towson and Forest Hill. In Baltimore County, property owners have 24 hours to clear foot pavements of snow and ice. If a person was to be injured after this allotted time period, the property owner could be held liable. If a person was injured within that time, they are likely not able to sue for damages as they made the choice to take that chance. When it comes to snow and ice, time can quickly erase evidence.
Proving Negligence in a Sidewalk Accident
One of the most important components of any personal injury case is the requirement that the injured party (the plaintiff) is able to prove that the property owner knew or should have reasonably known about the dangerous conditions and failed to remedy them, which ultimately caused the accident. Sidewalk accident cases are no different. The injured party will have to work closely with their attorney to come up with evidence so they can fulfill the burden of proof. This is why it is so important for the sidewalk accident victim to take pictures of the dangerous conditions that caused the accident before they leave the scene. If they try to come back and take pictures at a later date, the property owner may have fixed the hazards in an effort to cover up their negligence.
Contact Our Maryland Sidewalk Accident Attorneys
If you or a loved one has been injured in an accident while walking on a Baltimore County sidewalk, it is important to consider your legal options. A successful personal injury case can allow you to recover significant compensation for your lost wages, medical bills, and emotional distress. If you need an experienced sidewalk accident attorney, contact Markey & Orsi today to discuss your case.
