If you are like many people this holiday season, you will be welcoming out of town guests into your home. While having guests can be exciting and a wonderful experience, it can also put you at risk for liability. You know the nuances of your home, and you may be able to avoid injury. Your guests don’t have the same privilege. If you don’t prepare your house for your friends and family, you may be putting yourself at risk of liability.
- Make Repairs
It’s not unusual for people to put off minor repairs to their home. We all have lists on the fridge that we look at but never quite manage to complete. If you have such a list, get busy. Loose handrails, wobbly toilets and warped floorboards all pose a risk for you and your guests.
- Kid Proof
If you don’t have children or your own are older, you may not have considered childproofing your home for the holidays. If you will be having any little guests, take the time to childproof your home as much as possible. Put safety plugs in outlets, put caps on the knobs of your gas stoves and secure your lower cupboards. If you have steps, put up a baby gate or block the off with a piece of wood.
- Take a Look Around
There are things in your home that could be dangerous to guests with unique or specific needs. If your elderly relative uses a walker, for example, area rugs can be risky. Roll them up and put them away for the holidays. If you have a guest with respiratory issues, consider using battery-operated candles instead of traditional ones that can trigger attacks. These are just two examples. Consider your guests’ needs as you look around your home.
- The Exterior
The outside of your home can pose risks. If you have cracked or failing walkways, your guests are at risk of slip and fall injuries. If you can’t make necessary repairs, block these pathways off to prevent anyone from walking on them.
- Alcohol
If you will be serving adult beverages during the holidays, make sure that no one is driving away from your home. You may not be criminally liable for their poor choices, but you can be held civilly liable in some instances.
If you are injured this holiday season and believe that you are entitled to compensation, call our offices. Our team of personal injury attorneys is here to assist you. We will review the details of your case at no cost to you and advise you how to proceed. Call now.
About the Author
Michael Steinger
MICHAEL S. STEINGER, founding partner of Steinger, Greene & Feiner, believes in representing real people, not big businesses. Since the firm’s creation in 1997, Steinger, Greene & Feiner has never represented an insurance company or large corporation, and he vows to keep this promise. Over the course of his career, Michael has handled thousands of Florida accident cases, recovering millions of dollars for his clients and earning him membership into the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum.
Staying up-to-date on the ever-evolving laws protecting injury victims and their families, Michael is an active member of the American Bar Association, the Palm Beach, and St. Lucie Bar Associations, and sits on the Auto Insurance Committee of the Florida Justice Association.
Michael Steinger
MICHAEL S. STEINGER, founding partner of Steinger, Greene & Feiner, believes in representing real people, not big businesses. Since the firm’s creation in 1997, Steinger, Greene & Feiner has never represented an insurance company or large corporation, and he vows to keep this promise. Over the course of his career, Michael has handled thousands of Florida accident cases, recovering millions of dollars for his clients and earning him membership into the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum. Staying up-to-date on the ever-evolving laws protecting injury victims and their families, Michael is an active member of the American Bar Association, the Palm Beach, and St. Lucie Bar Associations, and sits on the Auto Insurance Committee of the Florida Justice Association.