Premises Liability / Results
Tenant Fell on Black Ice
Building Owners Failing Treat Black Ice.
Tenants develop an expectation that the landlord has properly treated icy pavement that appears wet.
Tenants Pay For Quality Snow Removal
Experienced Snow Removal Injury Lawyer
Tenants of office buildings and tenants of apartment complexes observe the snow and ice removal procedures instituted by the landlord. After observing the landlord implement procedures tenants develop an understanding as to when it is safe to walk to or from the building. The landlord almost always will blame the tenant for falling on ice due to a landlord failing to follow their snow removal procedures. The argument is the tenant knew or should have known that the sidewalk, parking lot or road was covered in a layer of clear ice.
The following are examples of lawyer George Patterson’s clients that believed it was safe to walk on what appeared to be wet pavement before they fell and suffered serious injuries:
A nurse arriving to work at a medical office building that treats oncology patients, orthopedic patients and the elderly. The nurse knew that medical tenants require the highest level of snow removal and ice prevention treatments. She rightfully believed that the pavement that appeared wet must have been treated with salt before she fell. The landlord usually followed strict snow removal procedures.
A Tenant that spent one and half days in her apartment after a severe snow storm to give the landlord sufficient time to complete their snow removal procedures. She heard the contractors using snow blowers and left her apartment. She knew from prior years that the landlord would clear the snow and salt the walkways. She saw what appeared to be wet pavement before she fell.
A tenant that went to his car about 18 hours after a small snow storm stepped on what appeared to be wet pavement and fell. He believed that the landlord had cleared the snow and treated the paved areas as they had always in the past.
In Maryland if you have a reasonable belief that it was safe to walk on wet pavement then you arguably did not assume the risk of stepping on ice and falling.
Legal Help For Injured Tenants
Black Ice Fall Lawyer
Lawyer George Patterson represented a tenant that fell on ice at a Gaithersburg Apartment complex. The client had resided at the complex for two years and knew that the landlord would clear and treat the walkways within one day of the snow fall ending. The tenant waited for that time to pass and she fell on an icy sidewalk. The paramedics that arrived documented that the tenant fell on ice.
The landlord and the corporate designee for the complex were deposed. Those depositions revealed that the landlord considered it their duty to place salt on the sidewalks to prevent refreezing as part of their snow removal procedures. Photographs taken after the fall showed that the crews failed to clear an area of snow on a staircase near the area of the fall. An expert in snow removal hired by lawyer George Patterson visited the site and concluded that the snow from this uncleared location melted and then froze over the area that the client fell.
The insurance company faced with the admissions that were obtained in depositions, the expert reports and photographic evidence agreed to settle the case for $200,000. The offer before suit was filed was $30,000.
The personal injury lawyers at Patterson Law have litigated cases involving falls on ice for the past 20 years. The injury lawyers have prevailed in fall cases on black ice when the law was unfavorable to plaintiffs and have continued to prevail in snow removal cases now that the law is more lenient on those who have fallen on ice.
A landlord may hire a contractor to handle snow removal but the landowner remains legally responsible for failures to properly clear and treat ice.
Prior to this experience, my only knowledge about lawyers was from TV and through others experiences. Needless to say, I was intimidated and uneasy when it came to seeking legal-council. George changed all of that for me. George was extremely professional and made this process as pleasant as possible. He walked me through each step, ahead of time, so that I was properly prepared and informed throughout it all. I could not have chosen a better attorney, and am extremely pleased with the outcome. Please save your time and energy searching for an attorney. He's the one!
Amanda
A client that fell on ice.
what to do
Our Successes
Patterson Law takes pride with every client that recovers. Recovery is more than the settlements and verdicts obtained for our clients. Each and every one of these clients had been shepherded through a process where powerful insurance companies fought to defeat or minimize their claims. Each result represents a client’s dignity being affirmed.
Bowie Wrongful Death Lawyers
Maryland wrongful death laws are the last thing that you want to worry about after a tragic crash…
Texting While Driving
Cell phones are addicting. Just like addictions to drugs and alcohol, this addiction is the cause…
Hotel Security
Hotels provide a home away from home for their guests. A guest is entitled to be protected at a…
Rockville Car Accident Verdict
Montgomery County Circuit Court is considered unfriendly to personal injury clients. Attorney…
FTCA
The earliest forms of government did not permit the people to sue the government or the individuals…
Fatal Car Accident
Attorney George Patterson identified an insurance company failure to obtain required documentation…
Car Crashes into Store
Engineers design stores to protect customers from drivers that may lose control of their cars in…
Baltimore County Car Accident Verdict
George Patterson pursued a soft tissue injury case before a Baltimore County and obtained a verdict…
Beltway Truck Accident
Commercial trucks are heavily regulated. Most of the regulations are safety rules. If you were…
Tenant Fell on Black Ice
Tenants develop an expectation that pavement that appears wet has been treated to prevent the…

Lawyer George Patterson was selected to Elite Lawyers of America. Membership is limited to lawyers that have obtained a settlement or verdict of at least two million dollars.
Maryland inadequate snow removal lawyer, George Patterson is available for free consultations at the Annapolis or Bowie offices of Patterson Law. The Annapolis office is located in the Patterson Law Building by the Maris Apartments, the James Apartments and the Apartments at the Annapolis Town Center. The Bowie office is located in the Omni Medical Building, 4000 Mitchellville Road, Suite A202, Bowie, Maryland. This location is close to the Heather Ridge Apartments and Governor's Green Apartments.
Get Started Today
If you fell on ice and you reasonably believed that the area was not covered with ice please give the top rated Maryland injury lawyer, George Patterson a call to schedule a free consultation at 301-888-4878. The injury lawyers at Patterson Law have tried dozens of cases involving injuries that occurred as a result of inadequate snow removal procedures by a landlord. These trials have been for falls in Annapolis, Bowie, Upper Marlboro, Forestville, Suitland, Oxon Hill, Silver Spring, Landover, Largo, Laurel and College Park, Maryland.