Getting involved in a personal injury lawsuit can be a major headache. Many people worry that they are going to be sued, and wonder what they can do to protect themselves. Although you cannot account for every situation, there are some things that you can do to protect yourself from being sued. Here are a couple ideas.
1. Be Kind and Diffuse The Situation
It is amazing how many lawsuits are filed because people simply are mad at each other. A neighbor might become angry at their neighbor because they had a fight over a property line. The two could have settled it on their own, but because one or both parties chose to be unreasonable, the fight ends up in the courtroom. Although it might be hard to swallow your pride and try to resolve it on your own, it can save you lots of money and preserve the relationship.
It is important to mention that although you should be kind and try to resolve it on your own, you should never admit fault. By admitting that you did something wrong, you give a litigious person a free pass for suing you. You can say that you are sorry for their situation, but you shouldn't ever say outright that you caused the problem.
2. Get Verbal and Written Agreement
Before you enter into any kind of agreement with your neighbor, friend, or acquaintance you should get a verbal or written statement that you both agree to. This doesn't have to be formal. It could be an email or text message stating that both of you were aware of the risks and that you agreed to it.
In addition, you should make sure that if you are hosting children at your house for an activity, such as a swimming, or birthday party you should make sure that you get written release forms. This will prevent the child's parents from suing you in the case that their child is injured on your property.
3. Post Signs
When having people over to your house to swim, jump on a trampoline, or play high-risk games, you should have signs stating that they play at their own risk. Even a simple sign that says "swim at your own risk" can save you in the case that you are sued. This proves that you did not assume responsibility for those visiting your home.
By doing these simple things you can protect yourself from lawsuits that could drain you of all your financial resources. For more information, contact a lawyer like those at Parker & Frey.
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