Premises Liability Extends To Personal Property Owners

If a handyman or other professional gets hurt at a private house, can the homeowner be held responsible? In many California premises liability cases, workers suffer injury and are not able to recover damages because property owners carry inadequate homeowners’ insurance. Liability coverage for homeowners in the state is often too low, leaving victims with no choice but to seek legal help. With insurance companies that are resistant to paying victims under all circumstances, an underinsured homeowner can be a big obstacle to getting the money you need.

What types of injuries could I suffer as a lawn care worker doing work at someone else’s house? Flying debris from lawn mowers is a major hazard for people who perform yard care. Think about the teenagers who go from lawn to lawn for their summer jobs – these youngsters could easily be harmed by hazardous conditions on a neighbor’s lawn. Personal injury for this type of victim could include compensation for property loss and workers’ compensation, but civil claims could also be brought against the homeowner.

How can workers protect themselves? For the most part, informal yard workers do not have the ability to pursue professional insurance for themselves. These assistants should determine whether their clients are worth working for, given the risk of potential hazardous conditions in the yard.

What can I do if I get hurt working at someone else’s house? Victims who suffer injury because of their work at another person’s home may be entitled to compensation under the homeowner’s insurance policy. A personal injury attorney can help you learn more about your legal rights and options when it comes to recovering damages from a negligent property owner, even if it is a neighbor.

Source: Safety Insurance, “Who cares if the guy mowing my lawn isn’t insured, injuries are his problem, not mine. Right?,” accessed May 26, 2017