The Five Point Winter Safety Check For The Outside Of Your Home Or Apartment

With winter quickly approaching you should take some time to make sure the outside of your home or apartment is ready.  What do we mean by ready?  You should perform a series of safety checks to make sure you and your home are prepared for what could be a long, cold, and snowy winter season.  If you don’t prepare you may find yourself trudging through snow to protect yourself, your neighbors, or your home from damage or injury this winter.

By not performing certain safety checks and leaving things up to chance during the winter you might find yourself knee deep in a New Haven personal injury case which will cause you headaches and could cost you significant amounts of money.  The items on this five point safety checklist are quick and easy and shouldn’t cost you much money at all.  It’s worth the time to save you the hassle and time in the future.  Take the following steps and you’ll be able to sleep easy knowing that you’ve done your due diligence before the season starts.

1. Clear away any yard debris that might be leftover from the fall.  Leaves and sticks can be tripping or slipping hazards and could cause an accident especially if they are left on sidewalks, walkways, stairs, or driveways.  Add a layer of snow on top of these leaves and the injury could be much worse.
2. Check your winter tools.  Making sure you have the proper equipment to clear snow and ice away will give you peace of mind that your neighbors or a stranger passing by will not slip and fall and hurt themselves on your property.
3. Cover and clearly mark your in-ground pool.  It can be dangerous if it is not clear to someone where your in-ground pool begins.  If they can’t see the cover, step on it, and fall in it can cause severe injury.
4. Test that your outdoor lights are working.  If an area is not well-lit in the winter months it can lead to serious injuries from a slip.  Keep in mind that the days are far shorter so you may have pedestrians passing by more frequently in the dark and if your home is not well-lit this could be dangerous.
5. Make your driveway, walkway, and stairs as safe as possible.  Fill any holes that might exist, tighten railings, and mark any area clearly that cannot be fixed before the first snowfall.  While you may not be able to prevent every accident, if you can prevent one, it was worth the time.

Winter months can cause serious harm for your home and also those either visiting or passing by.  Spending a few minutes before the first snowfall to make sure some of these items are taken care of and are off your list can mean the difference between a joyous and peaceful winter season and one that is filled with difficult New Haven personal injury issues.

If you have experienced an injury and believe there may be some repairs that were not done at a home that caused your injury, contact our office and one of our attorneys will review your case.