Our attorneys have litigated numerous cases involving injury and death as a result of allegedly defective or hazardous premises. Legal principles commonly involve the legal status of plaintiff and whether he/she was an invitee, licensee or trespasser. This determines the extent of the legal duty owed to plaintiff. Common defenses are notice, open and obvious condition of the premises and contributory/comparative negligence.
In terms of ice and snow removal, in Michigan a landowner or possessor of premises has a legal duty to take reasonable measures within a reasonable time after a natural accumulation of ice and snow. In Ohio, there is no legal duty to take any measures with regard to removing natural accumulations of ice and snow. Unnatural accumulations created by the landowner may be actionable.