Dangers of Working Outside in the Winter

The cold winter weather of New England forces most of us inside where we crank up the heat to a comfortable level, however many thousands of people are forced to endure the harsh temperatures outside in order to do their jobs and make the money they need to support themselves and their families. Working outside in the winter can be a dangerous proposition, and if you or someone you love was injured while doing so, the Cambridge personal injury attorneys at Altman & Altman LLP can help.

When the temperature drops surfaces become slippery, making normally solid footing unsteady and potentially hazardous. In jobs such as construction, maintenance, roofing or any occupation that involves working at perilous heights, this can spell a tragedy resulting in costly medical bills or even a wrongful death. In certain cases, you may be able to pursue a personal injury claim against a negligent company or third party that shares responsibility for your accident.

Even if you are merely trying to collect workers’ compensation from an unwilling company for an injury that occurred, our professional team of personal injury attorneys have helped our clients from all over Massachusetts get the money they are entitled to and need.

Slip and fall injuries are consistently among the most common injuries to happen all throughout the year, but they become even more common during the winter months, when black ice may form on sidewalks and roads. Slips and falls can also occur from a buildup of snow that slickens after a thaw and re-cooling period. Indoors, people tracking snow and wet weather inside from the elements outside can create hazardous floors prime for slips and falls if they are not properly dealt with.

Businesses, workplaces and residential property owners have a serious responsibility to prevent slips and falls when possible, meaning if a business fails to shovel the sidewalk in front of their building, or an apartment complex fails to clean up a slippery entryway, they may be liable if you fall on their premises and injure yourself. Nearly 25,000 of these incidents occur daily, so it can happen to anyone.

Those working in construction or other jobs where you are required to work high above the ground are at an increased risk of catastrophic injury during the wintertime, when surfaces may become slick and wet with snow or freezing rain. All companies that require their employees to work at high heights must ensure proper fall protection, and not put workers at increased risk of injuries if there is inclement, dangerous weather occurring while a job is being done.

Some jobs require employees spend their entire days outside, even if the temperature drops into dangerously cold territory. In these instances, workers may find themselves at serious threat of developing frostbite or hypothermia, which can result in hospitalization and even amputation of extremities if the damage and exposure is severe enough.

If any worker has been subject to cold conditions long enough to suffer from hypothermia or frostbite, there is a good chance their employer was negligent in their responsibility to protect them, either by equipping them with adequate gear to fend off the cold or by neglecting their need to get inside and warm up during adversely cold weather.

There are no two personal injury claims that are the same. With more than 50 years in practice, the experienced personal injury attorneys at Altman & Altman have handled every different type of claim imaginable, but we also understand that every client has a unique circumstance with their own important needs.

Whether you are seeking damages against a negligent third party for failing to prevent an injury, looking to file a wrongful death claim or you are trying to secure workers’ compensation payments for an injury that occurred in the past, our staff will take the time to understand your case and find the right legal strategy to help.

Contact us online or call for a free consultation to go over the details of your case today at 617-492-3000 or toll-free at 800-481-6199. We are available 24/7.