Slip and Fall on a Public Sidewalk or the Street – Liability of Minnesota Municipalities

In Minnesota, the municipality that is the owner of a public sidewalk or street has the duty to use reasonable care to maintain the sidewalk or street. What constitutes “reasonable care” depends on the facts of the case. At Pritzker | Olsen, P.A. our attorneys have the experience necessary to present persuasive arguments on the issues of “reasonable care” and compensation for injuries. This experience is particularly important for slip and fall accidents involving snow and/or ice. In Minnesota, municipalities are exempt from liability in cases of “mere slipperiness” (1).

Slip and Fall on a Public Sidewalk or Street – Liability of Abutting Landowner

Municipalities cannot delegate the duty to maintain its sidewalks and streets to abutting, private landowners. This means that, in most cases, if someone slips and falls on a sidewalk, the municipality that owns the sidewalk is liable for damages resulting from the fall, and the abutting, private landowner is not liable.

However, there are situations in which abutting landowners can also be held liable for slips and falls on sidewalks and streets:

Where an abutting landowner or possessor makes use of a sidewalk for his or her own convenience and benefit and is also “of such nature, kind or degree, that a condition is created which interferes with, and is in derogation of, a normal use of the sidewalk by the public” (2).
Where an abutting landowner or possessor creates an artificial condition associated with the sidewalk and snow and ice create a hazard (3).

If you retain the law firm of Pritzker | Olsen, P.A. to represent you in a Minnesota slip and fall accident case, our attorneys will thoroughly investigate your case to determine who may be liable for damages arising from your injuries. We will then aggressively pursue all responsible parties for damages, including your medical expenses and compensation for pain, suffering, disability and wage loss. To contact Pritzker | Olsen, P.A. about a Minnesota slip and fall accident on a public sidewalk or street, please call toll-free at 1-888-377-8900 or submit the firm’s online free case consultation form.

Teske v. Steele County, 284 Minn. 559, 560, 170 N.W.2d 234, 235 (1969).
Graalum v. Radisson Ramp, Inc. 245 Minn. 54, 60-61, 71 N.W.2d 904, 909 (1955).
Olson v. City of St. James, 380 N.W.2d 555, 560 (Minn. App. 1986).

Our Minnesota slip and fall accident attorneys have offices in Minneapolis and represent injury victims throughout Minnesota, including but not limited to the Twin Cities (Minneapolis/St. Paul), Bloomington, Eagan, Edina, Roseville, Woodbury, Duluth, Rochester, and St. Cloud.

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