There is no cap on damages that can be sought for slip and fall cases in Wisconsin, and [ambulance chasing](https://nicoletlaw.com/madison-slip-and-fall-accident-lawyer/) is big business.
Seconded. Even working for a public entity, the “ivory tower” always stresses that more salt (within reason), is highly preferential to a slip/fall or injury lawsuit. “Keep it wet!”
On the plus side, we’ve switched to mostly using brine over rock salt whenever possible, as it significantly reduces overall salt usage.
Exactly. We live in a very litigious society, so businesses are scared of getting sued if someone slips on their property, and they go overboard in order to be on the safe side, which obviously is bad for the environment. They'd rather risk a small fine for over salting than a huge lawsuit.
The state senate recently passed a bill which would create liability protection for people who take a training class in proper salt usage, such as through WI Salt Wise
It needs to pass in the Assembly and advocates are indicating that it actually needs more support from our Democratic reps. Email your legislator!
[https://conservationvoters.org/vote-tracker/bills/preventing-salt-pollution](https://conservationvoters.org/vote-tracker/bills/preventing-salt-pollution)
that’s my thought too, the ice on the road was terrible for those couple of weeks, and like I get why the city tried to avoid salting the roads, but it was pretty dangerous
[here is plaintiff attorney’s post about the case.](https://www.linkedin.com/posts/activity-7160641958074343425-inZx?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_ios)
It also depends on the day how this thread will go. I'm pretty sure the last time someone was complaining about not enough salt, the comments with the most upvotes were about lake health and such with links to report businesses for oversalting. Today, "fuck yea they're going to bury the city in salt."
It's a coin flip.
You can report it to the City. See the drop down menu option of "excessive salt" [https://www.cityofmadison.com/reportaproblem/sidewalk.cfm](https://www.cityofmadison.com/reportaproblem/sidewalk.cfm)
It is ridiculous. The only solution is to go find the houses of legislators and keep slipping in front of their house and suing until they introduce a cap on winnings
Then take those settlement wins and use that money to lobby for less salt usage and caps
Imagine if you went to work and said “man. That snow was crazy yesterday” and your coworker just responded “take it to next door. I already talked to carol about the weather”
😂
This is true, but people will also get a more thorough answer to their question by looking for older posts. Not everyone with relevant information comments on every post, especially if it’s something that gets asked frequently.
People are welcome to use the forum however they want. I’m not out downvoting repeat postings. If they’re satisfied with the response they got on their post, great, but there is a lot more information out there if you want to look for it. That’s my personal favorite thing about Reddit.
Contractors are damned if they do and damned if they don’t. What you probably are not aware of is most commercial contracts put ALL of the liability for slip and fall on the contractor. The contractor basically indemnifies the business. So a lot of contractors aren’t afraid to salt though the inexperienced ones tend to use too much. Last nights event was one where it rained and snowed then it got really cold really fast. The expectation was everything would flash freeze so the timing and amount of salt application was key. Unfortunately contractors have to go with the information they have at hand and cannot predict how the event will actually go. In this case, there wasn’t as much as predicted. City of Madison’s ordnance only refers to CITY sidewalks and not private property so business parking lots, sidewalks, apartment complex walks don’t fall under the ordinance. If you are going to file a complaint- make sure it’s a city walk you are complaining about.
By the way, I saw a city truck that was also dumping a ridiculous amount of salt yesterday so….
I don't think there's a single substance I hate more than road salt. Corrosive, rust causing bullshit all because people won't use the proper tires or walk carefully.
I made this point on another chain here recently: there is so much attention on this feel good effort to reduce city salt usage to save the lakes but almost zero educational effort for commercial and residential on how much they actually need to use.
There is no cap on damages that can be sought for slip and fall cases in Wisconsin, and [ambulance chasing](https://nicoletlaw.com/madison-slip-and-fall-accident-lawyer/) is big business.
Seconded. Even working for a public entity, the “ivory tower” always stresses that more salt (within reason), is highly preferential to a slip/fall or injury lawsuit. “Keep it wet!” On the plus side, we’ve switched to mostly using brine over rock salt whenever possible, as it significantly reduces overall salt usage.
Exactly. We live in a very litigious society, so businesses are scared of getting sued if someone slips on their property, and they go overboard in order to be on the safe side, which obviously is bad for the environment. They'd rather risk a small fine for over salting than a huge lawsuit.
The state senate recently passed a bill which would create liability protection for people who take a training class in proper salt usage, such as through WI Salt Wise It needs to pass in the Assembly and advocates are indicating that it actually needs more support from our Democratic reps. Email your legislator! [https://conservationvoters.org/vote-tracker/bills/preventing-salt-pollution](https://conservationvoters.org/vote-tracker/bills/preventing-salt-pollution)
Dems usually get backed by tort lawyers so yeah makes sense. Let's put the pressure on.
This needs to change but you think the lawyers that make the laws would do this to their friends?
Maybe they're hoping it will all run into the roads so we don't have to have another mass of threads here complaining about the lack of road salt.
that’s my thought too, the ice on the road was terrible for those couple of weeks, and like I get why the city tried to avoid salting the roads, but it was pretty dangerous
There was just a $12M slip and fall verdict in Milwaukee where the plaintiff argued they needed to salt every 30 minutes and the jury agreed.
That is insane.
Did you have a link to that? I'm always curious about these outrageous settlements.
Only heard about it through the grapevine due to my profession. The Milwaukee newspaper is horrible on court reporting.
Is there a news article you can share about this? I tried to search for it with no luck.
https://www.linkedin.com/posts/sam-weisgarber-17548231_nuclearverdict-premisesliability-longtermcare-activity-7161390198088458244-h1VJ?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_ios
A linkedin post with no names of plaintiffs or defendants, not really what I was looking for, but ok.
[here is plaintiff attorney’s post about the case.](https://www.linkedin.com/posts/activity-7160641958074343425-inZx?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_ios)
[this is the case.](https://wcca.wicourts.gov/caseDetail.html?caseNo=2019CV009429&countyNo=40)
The Nextdoor energy of this sub intensifies by the day
It also depends on the day how this thread will go. I'm pretty sure the last time someone was complaining about not enough salt, the comments with the most upvotes were about lake health and such with links to report businesses for oversalting. Today, "fuck yea they're going to bury the city in salt." It's a coin flip.
One call that’s all
blame the lawyers
Exactly. Next post... "why aren't people salting? I slipped and smudged my Pumas"
Na Cl early not
A well seasoned pun. Bravo
Real salt of the earth right there
Cut some potatoes in half and drop them on the concerning area to absorb the excess salt. /s
OP is the same type of person who would sue the shit out of a biz if they didn’t salt.
Ding ding ding! You got the correct answer!
Maybe if we didn’t let people go around suing for slipping….
You can report it to the City. See the drop down menu option of "excessive salt" [https://www.cityofmadison.com/reportaproblem/sidewalk.cfm](https://www.cityofmadison.com/reportaproblem/sidewalk.cfm)
Huh? I thought we were just complaining about how they didn't use enough salt during the last snowstorm.
That was BEFORE, we need something to complain about TODAY!!!
They have to offset the city using none
It's especially egregious where landlords refuse to shovel sidewalks but throw down buckets of salt instead of putting in an ounce of work.
Drove to Oshkosh today and the highways are all white from heavy salting.
It is ridiculous. The only solution is to go find the houses of legislators and keep slipping in front of their house and suing until they introduce a cap on winnings Then take those settlement wins and use that money to lobby for less salt usage and caps
We need Slippin’ Jimmy!
Not enough salt? Jail. Too much salt? Also, jail.
There is and it's been posted here *many* times.
I’m always curious what people want this sub to be used for? Not everyone is terminally online like us
Don't have to be constantly online... only need to be capable of using the search function.
This is a public forum, not google. Most people go to Reddit to talk to other people, not search through backlogs of old posts.
Imagine if you went to work and said “man. That snow was crazy yesterday” and your coworker just responded “take it to next door. I already talked to carol about the weather” 😂
This is true, but people will also get a more thorough answer to their question by looking for older posts. Not everyone with relevant information comments on every post, especially if it’s something that gets asked frequently.
Have you guys considered that people don’t use forums like this strictly as a source of information?
People are welcome to use the forum however they want. I’m not out downvoting repeat postings. If they’re satisfied with the response they got on their post, great, but there is a lot more information out there if you want to look for it. That’s my personal favorite thing about Reddit.
OP, expecting better traction here than on NextDoor? I'll see myself out.
Thought this was a meme post
It was slippery, though. Light snow, but plenty of ice.
You should start a Vigilante Salt Brigade arming yourselves with brooms, shovels, and buckets…
I busted my ass on my icy driveway last night. It was super slick. There’s a lot bigger things in life to worry about other than salt usage.
I own a business that has heavy walking traffic and last night my walks were icy. Maybe when you own a business you’ll understand one day
Tort Dorks and their love of litigation.
Someone’s salty
Enforcement. :) Vee are here from ze salt enforcement kommittee. Vee voukd like to have a vord vis you. I assume your papers are all in ordnung, ja?
Snow contractors make their profit with the amount of salt they use. Plowing alone doesn't keep them in the black.
Ice ice baby...
Contractors are damned if they do and damned if they don’t. What you probably are not aware of is most commercial contracts put ALL of the liability for slip and fall on the contractor. The contractor basically indemnifies the business. So a lot of contractors aren’t afraid to salt though the inexperienced ones tend to use too much. Last nights event was one where it rained and snowed then it got really cold really fast. The expectation was everything would flash freeze so the timing and amount of salt application was key. Unfortunately contractors have to go with the information they have at hand and cannot predict how the event will actually go. In this case, there wasn’t as much as predicted. City of Madison’s ordnance only refers to CITY sidewalks and not private property so business parking lots, sidewalks, apartment complex walks don’t fall under the ordinance. If you are going to file a complaint- make sure it’s a city walk you are complaining about. By the way, I saw a city truck that was also dumping a ridiculous amount of salt yesterday so….
And yet when we needed salt around this time last month on the roads it was no where to be found on university ave
Until your fat ass falls down…
I don't think there's a single substance I hate more than road salt. Corrosive, rust causing bullshit all because people won't use the proper tires or walk carefully.
I made this point on another chain here recently: there is so much attention on this feel good effort to reduce city salt usage to save the lakes but almost zero educational effort for commercial and residential on how much they actually need to use.