Hosting a BBQ This Summer? Protect Your Guests And Yourself!
Brian O Sutter
Personal Injury
[caption id="attachment_7658" align="alignleft" width="1024"] Children on Fourth of July or Memorial Day[/caption]Hosting a backyard BBQ is one of the best summer activities. Getting all your family and friends together to celebrate the season and eat your seasonal favorites can be a blast. However, if one of your guests gets injured on your property while you are hosting a BBQ, you might find yourself in a difficult situation. Not only do not you want to see anyone hurt, but an insurance claim against you by someone you care about can really strain a relationship. So make sure that when you host your summer BBQs that you understand your property liability and take the necessary steps to keep everyone safe.Homeowner Liability And Your Guests
Most homeowner insurance policies cover injuries to guests. Any guest you invite to a BBQ will be considered a licensee, which means they have a right to be safe on your property. Your responsibility to a licensee is that you do everything you reasonably can to protect your guests from harm on your property. Reasonable measures are considered ordinary care of your property and your guests. If you fail to provide reasonable, ordinary care, you could end up personally liable for their injuries.
Take Steps To Reduce Your Risks Before Inviting People Over
Before inviting people over, survey your property and make sure that you are going to provide a safe environment for your guests. Here are some steps you can take before you invite people over to make sure that your home is safe for guests:
- Review your homeowner’s insurance policy to make sure you have good coverage
- Remove any tripping hazards, cover slippery surfaces, and repair uneven flooring
- Repair anything broken or loose that guests might use
- Anchor any furniture so it does not tip and fall
- Lock up any dangerous items like tools, hazardous chemicals, and prescriptions
- Repair any loose or damaged stairs or handrails
- Check all your house lights to make sure they work and replace burnt out lightbulbs
Also, take note of anything you may need to warn your guests about when they come. Sometimes there are things that you may not have the time or resources to repair that can cause a hazard to your guests. In these cases make sure to remember to warn your guests of these hazards when you come in. If you take these basic steps, you should be able to remove most causes of common injuries.
Steps To Reduce Your Risks When People Are At Your Home
When guests arrive for your BBQ, there’s a few things you can do to ensure they stay safe:
- Warn them of any potential hazards or risks on your property
- Inform them of any areas that are off limits, especially for children
- Do not let them help you cook, they could burn themselves on the grill or cut themselves with a knife
- If you serve alcohol, do so responsibly
- Keep dogs away from guests
- Clean up any spills immediately
- Keep your walkways free of clutter
- Do not overload your outlets
- If you have a pool, make sure that people know the safety rules
Also just make sure to keep any eye out for any potential hazards that might pop up. If you take these simple steps can help prevent your guests from experiencing any accident-related injuries in your home. So just remember to be safe when entertaining guests in your home so you don’t end up with a personal injury claim against you.
Remember, if you are ever injured on someone else’s property and you need to file a claim, you can contact the personal injury attorneys at All Injuries Law Firm. With 30 years of experience helping people navigate property liability law, we know exactly how to help ensure you get a fair settlement for your injuries. So contact us today for a free consultation.