Slip and Fall Lawsuit Changes Massachusetts Law

A recent case from Massachusetts has resulted in changing how the courts in that state judge the liability of property owners for slip and fall claims due to ice and snow. This case is Papadopoulos v. Target Corporation, 2010 WL 2873540 ( Mass. ).

Papadopoulos went to the mall and parked in front of the Target Store. Target controlled the area of the mall parking lot where Papadopoulos parked and Weiss Landscaping Company was the contractor retained to remove snow and ice from the parking area. After leaving the store, Papadopoulos slipped and fell on a patch of ice in the parking lot and broke his pelvis. He sued Target and Weiss Landscaping.