When you buy a property, you assume responsibility for any harm that befalls visitors to your property as long as that harm could have been reasonably prevented. Thus, one of your first steps when assuming ownership should be to comb over your property looking for anything that might pose a risk. It helps to know how the law looks at liability cases and what types of damages the court typically awards.
Attractive Nuisance
Let's say that you have a rope swing on your property. Chances are that neighborhood kids will be aware of the rope swing, and if they play on the swing while you are away, and they get hurt, you can be on the rope for their damages. Thus, you will either want to remove the swing or disable it while you are away. The same goes for any other objects on your property that could attract children or other visitors to their own harm.
Abnormally Dangerous Activity
If you are doing something on your property that could pose a risk to others, you will be on the hook if somebody gets hurt. For example, if you are doing target practice and you fail to see hikers walking by, you would be responsible if one of them got hurt. Thus, even though you might think that you can do whatever you want on your own property, you still have to make sure that the actions you take on your property don't pose a risk to others.
Negligence
Simply failing to take proper care of your property can pose a risk to others. For example, if a criminal breaks into your house, then trips over a faulty stair on your staircase, you just might find yourself on the hook for the thief's medical bills. This might seem like a farfetched scenario, but even invited guests to your property might be injured by pieces of your property that have not been properly taken care of. Inspect your property as often as you can and make all necessary repairs when you have the time.
These are just three examples of how your actions or failure to act on your own property could leave you exposed to a personal injury case. It is worth your while to look at your property and what you can do to prevent others from getting hurt. While you cannot prevent every possible injury, you owe it yourself to take what preventative measures you can.
Contact a business like The Kirbo Law Firm to learn more.
Share9 March 2016
