Yes, You Can Be Sued If Someone Is Injured Inside Your Home

If you don’t own a business or a commercial property, you may not give much thought to keeping your home safe for those who come onto your property. You invite friends, visitors or business contacts or contractors inside your home all the time, but likely, don’t give much thought to being sued if someone who walks into your home, is sued while they are inside it.

But when keeping your property safe, you need to think of yourself in the same terms as a business would—because if someone walks into your home and falls, or is injured in some other way, you, as the homeowner, can find yourself being sued the same way any other commercial business can get sued.

Remember the Little Things

It is easy to get lackadaisical about keeping our homes safe. That’s because we know every inch of our home, including the little imperfections that to others could be dangerous.

You know your child leaves Legos all over the floor so you watch out for them. You know the stairway hand railing shakes a little bit towards the bottom, so you are prepared for it. You know that a wood panel in the kitchen flooring juts up and out just a tad, and you avoid it.

But we do not often look at these seemingly minor imperfections, and potential hazards for those who come into our home.

That means that you should do what a store does, and fix everything and anything that could be a hazard, as soon as possible.

Warn if You Can’t Fix

Can’t get to a fix immediately or is a fox too expensive right now? Then do the next best thing—warn people. You can do that verbally, but the better practice is to have a little rope or a sign or something else that alters others to be wary where they are walking or stepping.

Debris and Slipping

When it comes to the safety of floors, remember you don’t have to have an imperfection on a floor, or have something spill, for the floor to be dangerous. Many surfaces get very dangerous, simply when people traipse water or grime from outside. Diligent cleaning can help prevent slips and falls.

We’re not all super organized, and it can be easy to have items on the floor, or sticking out into walkways. Kids can, in an instant, bring toys or wires or other items right where people walk. Always make sure to inspect walking areas, and keep walkways and pathways clear for visitors, to prevent them falling over objects or items.

Supervising Kids

Remember that you as an adult can be liable for failing to monitor or supervise kids that come into your home. Make sure that you don’t have more kids in your home than you can safely monitor—and when they are there, make sure a watchful adult eye is around.

Were you injured inside someone’s home or property? Call the Knoxville premises liability lawyers at Fox Farley Willis & Burnette, PLLC, today.

Sources:

justia.com/real-estate/home-ownership/owning-a-home/homeowners-insurance/liability-to-guests-on-premises/

nationwide.com/lc/resources/home/articles/what-is-personal-liability-insurance