With fall holidays quickly approaching, you may plan to have a full house of people soon. Whether you're having a big Halloween bash or just a cookout to celebrate the changing weather, you have to ensure that everyone coming to your home is safe. When having people in your home, you leave yourself open to lawsuits from any injuries that may occur. Here are some ways to keep your home safe and prevent injuries.
Lock up the dog
Dog owners pay out over $1 billion every year in damages from dog attacks. Around 4.5 million people are bit by dogs during the year, and 850,000 of them are severe enough to need medical treatment. Even if your dog is the friendliest one that you have ever known, it's in everyone's best interest to lock it away during a party. You never know what may set off your dog and it's not worth taking a chance.
If you let your dog roam free at a party you are setting yourself up for a possible lawsuit. A child may unknowingly provoke an attack, or your dog may just get aggravated from so many people being in your home. If your dog bites a guest, you could be sued for medical bills, pain and suffering, and your dog could even be taken away by animal control.
Inspect your property
Before your party, walk every inch of your property. A loose stone, large rock in the grass, or uneven ground can be a potential hazard. If there is anything that could be a hazard that needs to be repaired, make sure that the hazard is clearly advertised. If you have a pothole in the driveway or are missing a well cap, put up a sign. You can even put caution tape around the dangerous area in your yard. As long as people are properly warned, you aren't liable if they become injured.
Safeguard your pool or hot tub
If you have a pool or a hot tub in your yard, make sure that it's as secure as possible. If you don't have a non-slip deck, put up a sign warning people that it's slippery when wet. Add a warning sign or paint "no diving" on the side of the pool. If someone dives in and breaks their neck, that's not something you want to be liable for.
If no one is using the pool during the party, make sure you have a pool cover over it to deter people from going in. You can take it one step further and tape off the pool area with no crossing or caution tape to alert people that you aren't condoning pool use during your party.
Most hot tubs have heavy lids that lay on top to keep rainwater and, animals, and unwanted guests from entering. Ensure that your hot tub lid is securely in place and clipped to the hot tub if it's not being used.
Inspect playground equipment
If you have a play set in your yard, inspect it thoroughly before allowing any other children to play on it. Tighten any screws and bolts. Sand any splintered wood and check for jagged edges. If any piece of the equipment is broken, tape it off so the children know what they aren't allowed to play on. Tape off the entire play set if you don't want anyone on it during your party.
Even if you're good friends with everyone coming to your home, you never know what could happen if someone became injured on your property. The best thing that you can do is cover all of your basis. Keep your dog locked away, and caution tape anything that may be hazardous to someone. People will appreciate you keeping them safe, and you won't have to worry about a lawsuit coming your way.
If, however, someone is injured on your property and sues you, it will be in your best interest to hire an attorney, such as Attorney Robert H. Astor, to defend you.
Share28 August 2014
It can be hard to know what to do to protect yourself legally in the immediate aftermath of a car accident. You’re liable to be disoriented or in shock, you may be injured, and you’re surely worried about your passenger or the other driver. At least, that’s how I felt. The thing is, the things you say and do in the immediate aftermath of an accident may affect a legal case later. Depending on who’s at fault and what the laws are in your state, you may want to sue the other driver for damages, or you may find yourself being sued. My blog is designed to give you tips for a car accident lawsuit, no matter which side you find yourself on.