Planning Holiday Parties At Your Home This Year? How To Protect Yourself Against Personal Injury Claims

If you're going to be throwing holiday parties this year, you need to make sure that you're not setting yourself up for a personal injury claim. You never know when someone is going to injure themselves on your property. When they do, you may spend the rest of the holiday season looking at a lawsuit for those injuries. This is particularly true if you knew about the hazards on your property, and did nothing about them. However, it's important to note that even if you didn't know about the hazards, you could still be held liable for the injuries your guests sustain while at your parties. To help you avoid personal injury claims this holiday season, here are some steps you should take to safeguard your property:

Keep Your Sidewalk Free of Ice

The weather can get a bit frosty during the winter, which means you could end up with ice deposits on your sidewalks and driveway. To avoid slip and fall accidents, make sure you keep your sidewalks and driveway free of ice. The best way to do that is to apply road salt to the surface at least once a day. You should also use your shovel to scrape your sidewalks and driveway whenever you see a buildup of snow. Another way to prevent slip and fall accidents is to place non-skid rugs along the entire length of your sidewalks leading up to your home.

Secure Your Holiday Decorations

If you're going to be decorating for the holidays this year, you need to make sure that they're properly secured. Extension cords should be secured and covered to prevent trip and fall accidents. If you're going to have decorations on your roof or hanging above your door frames and patios, make sure they're secured, and don't pose a threat to people who may be walking underneath them. You don't want your overhead decorations to drop on your guests and cause injuries.

Repair Concrete Damage

Concrete damage can pose serious risks to your guests, especially if you've got deep cracks, potholes, and uneven ridges in your sidewalks and driveway. Before you plan your parties, inspect your sidewalks and driveway. If you've got visible damage, be sure to repair the concrete before you begin planning your holiday parties.

Keep Your Dogs Locked Up

If you've got dogs, you need to keep them locked up during your holiday parties. One dog bite could open you up to liability. Even dogs that have never bitten before can get agitated during a chaotic party, and lash out at a guest. Protect yourself and your guests by keeping your dogs locked in a separate room during your parties. If you're worried that your dog will get upset at being locked in a room, consider sending it to a boarding facility during your party.

If you're planning on having holiday parties at your home this year, use the tips provided here to reduce your chances of being held liable for a personal injury case. If a guest does suffer injuries on your property, you should seek legal representation.

Contact a company like Zohar Dan Pa for more information and assistance.