In Central Florida, most homeowners take pride in their properties. This is because most homeowners spend a lot of time, money, and effort into beautifying their homes and making them more welcoming.
However, it is an undeniable fact that accidents can still happen no matter what precautions or home improvements are undertaken by homeowners. Whether it’s a slip on a wet walkway, a fall down the stairs, or an accident in the yard, homeowners can be held legally responsible if someone gets injured on their property.
Therefore, it’s very important for homeowners to understand their legal obligations and know the ways they can protect themselves from liability in the event of an accident on their property. Let’s explore some key safety tips below and outline when you might need to consult a personal injury attorney if an accident ever does occur on your property.
Understanding Premises Liability
If you have never heard of it before, premises liability is the legal responsibility of property owners to guarantee the safety of their visitors. Under Florida law, homeowners are mandated to maintain their property to a reasonable standard of safety. This ensures that no personal injuries occur while visitors are around. After all, homeowners can be held liable for damages, including medical bills and lost wages.
There are three categories of visitors in Florida. These categories were made in order to determine the extent of one’s liability on the status of the injured person:
Invitees
Invitees are people who are invited onto the property. They could be friends, family members, or acquaintances. Homeowners must take proper care of their invitees as invitees’ safety falls under their responsibility. Homeowners must always make sure that there are no hazards in their home when they invite people over.
Licensees
Licensees are people who enter the property for their own purposes. An example would be door-to-door salespeople. Homeowners must warn licensees of existing hazards to make sure licensees are not harmed.
Trespassers
Trespassers are those who enter the home without permission. Homeowners do not have any responsibility over trespassers, as they enter at their own risk. However, homeowners must still avoid intentional harm.
What Are Common Hazards on Residential Properties?
It’s important for homeowners to understand the most common hazards so as to be able to avoid them effectively. These are the following:
Slippery Surfaces
These include wet floors, driveways, or walkways. When these surfaces are wet, they could easily cause someone to slip and fall. Homeowners should always put up a sign indicating that the floor, walkway, or driveway is wet so that visitors can take precautions and tread carefully.
Broken Steps or Railings
It’s best for homeowners to have broken steps or railings fixed first before inviting people over. However, if it’s unavoidable for homeowners to have guests over, some barricades or barriers are necessary to avoid accidents. Signs and verbally telling visitors about broken steps or railings also help.
Poor Lighting
Poor lighting can definitely cause accidents. Therefore, homeowners must make sure that there is adequate lighting all over their property. This way, slips and falls can be avoided.
Pools
If you have a pool, make sure that it’s enclosed with proper fencing and gates to avoid unauthorized access that could lead to accidents. This is especially important if some of your visitors have children that may roam around and fall into the pool.
How Can Homeowners Protect Themselves from Liability?
One of the best ways to for homeowners to protect themselves from liability is being proactive about maintenance. If ever there are necessary repairs in the property, it would be best for homeowners to avoid having people over until the repairs are complete.
Homeowners insurance can only go a long way in protecting homeowners. Taking precautions and being proactive about guaranteeing safety is still the best path to take.