Ever wonder who is to blame if you slip and fall on the sidewalk during the winter? Folks in Springfield made sure to clear it up.

There is a law that went into effect back in 1979 that says that Illinois home owners won't be responsible for slips and falls on sidewalks in front of their house. It is a law that is supposed to give a nudge to people to clear off sidewalks when it snows or their is ice.

The Illinois Supreme Court clarified what that means. Lets say you have an inch of ice on your entry way to your house. The court says that if there is "unnatural accumulations" of ice and snow, the homeowner should take all precautions to prevent injuries. If there is a little snow or ice, and something happens, this law, which is called "Snow and Ice Removal Act", will protect you.

Why is a law which was created in 1979 coming up in the court system again? There was a five year old case in Chicago involving a woman who was walking on her sidewalk at her condo when she broke her leg. She blamed the condo owners because the ice was formed due to the drainage being faulty.

So, if you feel lazy after a foot of snow comes thru Rockford, make sure to get some momentum to shovel before something happens to another person.

Story courtesy of WIFR TV.