Snow and Ice

Property owners throughout the Commonwealth are responsible for maintaining safe premises. This includes removing dangerous snow and ice regardless of how it was accumulated. If you or a loved one has been injured as a result of a property owner’s failure to exercise reasonable care, you may be entitled to damages for medical expenses and lost wages.

Winter Slip-and-Fall Accident Attorneys Serving Boston and Cambridge

The lawyers at Gregg, Hunt, Ahern & Embry handle cases involving injuries resulting from snow and ice. We bring extensive experience to these matters and work closely with a number of experts to build strong cases for our clients.

The “Natural Accumulation Rule”

For more than a century, the so-called “natural accumulation rule” protected Massachusetts property owners from liability in cases involving untouched snow and ice. Only once the snow or ice became “unnatural” — altered by human actions — could an injured person successfully sue a property owner for damages.

In July 2010, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court abolished this rule and ruled that property owners can now be held responsible for failing to remove dangerous snow and ice from their premises regardless of how or why it got there. As a result, property owners have the same duty regarding snow and ice safety as they do in cases involving hazards such as cracked walkways and trip hazards. They must exercise “reasonable care” in the maintenance of their property.

For more information on this ruling and its implications for homeowners and injury victims, click here.

Contact Gregg, Hunt, Ahern & Embry

To learn more about your rights and legal options, contact us for a free initial consultation with our Cambridge snow and ice fall injury attorneys. We take snow and ice cases on a contingency basis, charging no fee until we recover damages on your behalf.