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A not-for-profit organisation
committed to injured people
A not-for-profit organisation
committed to injured people

Get to grips with clearing snow and ice, say lawyers

21 Dec 2017
APIL news

Members of the public do not need to worry about being sued if they use common sense when clearing paths and driveways of ice and snow, says a leading personal injury lawyer.

“After the recent snowy and icy conditions, the myth is still circulating that you will be held legally responsible if anyone slips on a path or driveway you have cleared,” said Brett Dixon, president of APIL, a national not-for-profit group which represents injured people.

“I am not aware of any successful claims against good neighbours who have cleared paths or driveways. As with any personal injury claim, negligence must be proven for it to succeed.

“Just don’t be reckless with your acts of kindness. Using grit and a shovel to clear ice and snow is a sensible, neighbourly thing to do. But using hot water to melt snow which is then going to refreeze into a dangerous sheet of ice, for example, makes the situation far more dangerous and someone could be hurt,” Mr Dixon explained.

“It is a real shame that a baseless rumour has been allowed to go as far as preventing people from doing good deeds for each other. We need a greater understanding about the difference between accidents which cannot be helped, and negligence which causes needless injuries,” he said.

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Notes to editors:

  • APIL (Association of Personal Injury Lawyers) is a not-for-profit organisation whose members are dedicated to campaigning for improvements in the law to help people who are injured or become ill through no fault of their own.
  • For more information contact APIL's communications manager Jane Hartwell on t: 0115 943 5416, e: [email protected], or assistant press and communications officer Lizzy Freeman t: 0115 943 5431, e: [email protected].
  • Visit the association's website at www.apil.org.uk.
  • Follow @APIL on Twitter: www.twitter.com/APIL.

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Head of Campaigns and Communications
Lorraine Gwinnutt
0115 943 5400
[email protected]

Communications Manager
Jane Hartwell
0115 943 5416
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Press and Communications Officer
Julie Crouch
0115 943 5408
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Communications Assistant
Zach Wheelhouse Steel
0115 943 5431
[email protected]