How many parties will you attend this holiday season? It’s the most common time of year for attending office parties, school parties and for hosting parties in your home. Unfortunately, there will be stumbles and even some falls so it’s a good idea to know how much damage your insurance will cover.
If you have homeowners’ liability coverage, you have coverage if your house burns or is blown away in a tornado, and you also have coverage if someone attending your party slips and falls and injures themselves.
However, just because someone falls, it does not mean that they can recover under liability insurance. The injured party must be able to prove that you were somehow negligent in the way that you maintain your home. They must be able to prove that the accident was your fault, due to a hazard about which you weren’t made aware.
Most homeowners’ policies have an additional coverage called Med Pay, which pays for medical bills up to a certain limit. The limit depends upon how much your policy covers. The minimal is usually around $5000 on a regular homeowner’s policy.
But what if you’re a commercial property owner and you’re hosting the company Christmas party; or if you’re a shop owner inviting customers in to purchase your goods or services? Then you have the highest duty and responsibility to find the dangers on your property and insure that they are repaired promptly.
If you fail to keep your property safe for your employees and customers, you’re liable if they slip and fall, or if a shelf collapses and causes an injury.
If a store creates a hazard, even not meaning to do so – such as water hitting the floor when produce is watered with the little sprinkler systems – then the store is responsible for your injury if you fall. However, if another shopper drops a banana peel, for instance, the store is then not liable if you step on that peel and fall.
If you have questions about an accident or injury, please consult our Online Legal Directory for an attorney in your area.