Massachusetts General Laws

Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 84, § 17 (2026)

Injury or damage caused by snow or ice

✓ current as of July 2026

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Section 17. A county, city or town shall not be liable for an injury or damage sustained upon a public way by reason of snow or ice thereon, if the place at which the injury or damage was sustained was at the time of the accident otherwise reasonably safe and convenient for travelers.

Notes of Decisions

Cited in 12 cases, 1924–2005 · leading case: Intriligator v. City of Boston, 480 N.E.2d 1002 (Mass. 1985).

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Intriligator v. City of Boston, 480 N.E.2d 1002 (Mass. 1985). · cites it 5× “If the injury had occurred solely as a result of ice on a public way, she could not have recovered against the city because of the limitations on municipal liability for injuries caused by snow and ice on public ways set forth in G. L. c. 84, § 17 (1984 ed.). Because the injury…”

Goulart v. Canton Hous. Auth., 783 N.E.2d 864 (Mass. App. Ct. 2003). “” G. L. c. 84, § 17. Gamere v. 236 Commonwealth Ave.”

Gamere v. 236 Commonwealth Avenue Condo. Ass'n, 474 N.E.2d 1135 (Mass. App. Ct. 1985). “See G. L. c. 84, § 17. Johnson v. Orange, 320 Mass.”

MacDonald-Lefebvre v. Town of North Attleboro, 7 Mass. L. Rptr. 442 (Mass. Super. Ct. 1997). · cites it 6× “The defendant City of Boston argued that the action was governed by G.L.c. 84, §17 which relieved the municipaliiy of liability for any injuiy sustained upon the public way by reason of snow or ice thereon.”

Naze v. Inhabitants of Hudson, 145 N.E. 468 (Mass. 1924). “G. L. c. 84, § 17, provides that a town is not liable for an injury or damage sustained in a public way by reason of snow *371 or ice thereon, “if the place at which the injury or damage was sustained was at the time of the accident otherwise reasonably safe and convenient for…”

Mix v. Commonwealth, 563 N.E.2d 229 (Mass. 1990). · cites it 2× “84, § 15) and with the prospect that she would recover nothing if the only defect causing the injury had been snow and ice (G. L. c. 84, § 17). If the public way had been constructed by the State as part of a State highway, the plaintiff could not have recovered for any defect…”

Dooling v. City of Malden, 155 N.E. 636 (Mass. 1927). “G. L. c. 84, § 17. It is manifest from the letter of the city solicitor that he construed the notice as pointing out ice as the sole cause of the injury and that, therefore, there could be no recovery.”

Mahoney v. City of Worcester, 265 Mass. 94 (Mass. 1928). “A municipality is not liable "for an injury or damage sustained upon a public way by reason of snow or ice thereon, if the place at which the injury or damage was sustained was at the time of the accident otherwise reasonably safe and convenient for travelers.”

Reiter v. City of Northampton, 406 N.E.2d 416 (Mass. App. Ct. 1980). · cites it 2× “540, the *822 statute from which G. L. c. 84, § 17, 2 was derived, to mean that a plaintiff cannot recover unless the way is defective when bare of ice and snow and such other defect contributed to the plaintiff’s injury.”

Tovey v. City of Cambridge, 174 N.E. 474 (Mass. 1931). “G. L. c. 84, § 17, reads: “A county, city or town shall not be liable for an injury or damage sustained upon a public way by reason of snow or ice thereon, if the place at which the injury or damage was sustained was at the time of the accident otherwise reasonably safe and…”

Wade v. City of Boston, 20 Mass. L. Rptr. 375 (Mass. Super. Ct. 2005). “These cases do not provide support for Plaintiffs contention that summary judgment is not appropriate in this case.”

Dowd v. City of Boston, 154 N.E. 923 (Mass. 1927). “” The way at this point was about twenty-five feet from curb to curb and the curbstones about six inches high.”

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