Personal Injury
Slips & falls and occupiers' liability
Falls on ice, unsafe premises, and poorly maintained property, including the short notice periods that apply to snow and ice.
Ontario's Occupiers' Liability Act requires property owners and those in control of premises to take reasonable care that visitors are safe. Reasonable care is not perfection, which is why these claims turn on maintenance records, weather data, and what the occupier actually did.
Notice periods are unusually short
For a fall caused by snow or ice, written notice must be delivered to the occupier and any contractor within sixty days. For municipal sidewalks, notice is ten days. These periods are strict, with narrow exceptions, and they run from the date of the fall.
Evidence that decides these cases
Photographs of the surface taken the same day, the footwear you were wearing, witness names, an incident report, and prompt medical attention. Winter maintenance logs and contractor records are then obtained through the claim itself.
Questions clients ask
I fell weeks ago and gave no written notice. Is it too late?
Not necessarily — the statute allows for reasonable excuse where the occupier is not prejudiced, and the sixty-day rule applies to snow and ice specifically. Call promptly so the position can be assessed rather than assumed.
This page is general information about Ontario law, not legal advice for your situation. Book a consultation for advice on your own matter.
Consultation
Find out where your claim stands.
A short, confidential conversation is usually enough to tell you whether there is a claim, what the deadlines are, and what the next step would cost you.
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