Slip and Fall at Work...

by Draphet
(Maryland)

I had a slip and fall at work and don't know what kind of case it is. Ice fell during the night and our company acknowledged a 2 hour delay to work. I got to work at 10:08 and parked my car. After coming out of the car walking to the building I slipped and fell on the ice.

The snow removers already plowed that area of the parking lot and that is one of the reasons I parked there. I sprained my wrist in the process and have back pains. The issue is that the owner of the parking lot is also my employer.

Would this be a workman's compensation and/or an injury case, if I decided to sue? One of the more important issues is that I don't want to lose my job if I sue. What is your advice?

Disclaimer: Information provided in our response is NOT formal legal advice. It is generic legal information based on the very limited information you provided. Under no circumstances should the information in our response, or anywhere else on this site be relied upon when making decisions about your case. You should always get a formal case review from a licensed attorney.

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ANSWER for "Slip and Fall at Work...":

There are certain situations for which there will be no liability and one of them is called an "Act of God." Things such as ice, snow, sleet, and rain are considered acts of God, such that even remedial measures cannot either predict or remove such items in a timely fashion.

You have indicated that snow removal had already been there, so clearly someone was responsible for trying to eliminate as much as naturally and humanly possible. Additionally, people in general need to be aware of their surroundings and do their best to mitigate or reduce the likelihood of injuring themselves.

In this case, the existence of ice is not the fault or responsibility of the property owner unless they were capable of removing it and knowingly failed to do so. This is likely not the case.

Since laws change frequently and across jurisdictions you should get a personalized case evaluation from an attorney licensed in your state (if you haven't already). Find an experienced local attorney to give you a FREE personalized case review here.


Best of luck,

Law Guy