I Was Injured At A Friend’s Home. What Do I Do Now?

When legal matters intersect with your personal life, uncertainty and hesitation are bound to follow. One of the most common ways this happens is with serious injury on a friend or family member’s property. Medical bills, therapy, and missed work can add up to a large sum of money.

You likely don’t want to ruin your relationship, but you also need to make sure you’re taken care of.

So what do you do? First, liability needs to be determined to know whether or not your friend is at fault.

Determining Liability

Sometimes, liability is very obvious and simple to determine. Other times, it’s less clear. Was your injury caused due to negligence on your friend’s behalf? This could include a broken step that wasn’t repaired, a missing railing, a spill that wasn’t promptly cleaned up, and etc.

If the property owner knew there was a problem and didn’t take action to fix it, then they’re likely liable for your injury.

Other common injuries at friend and family member’s homes include animal bites and swimming pool injuries. If you were served alcohol by the home owner, and your intoxication leads to an accident, they could be determined as liable for that as well.

If you are injured and your friend or family member is liable, then it is their responsibility to cover your expenses. The good news is, as long as they have insurance, that should cover your needs.

Filing A Claim

A friend or family member may offer to pay for your expenses directly. If they are unwilling or unable to, you’ll likely have to file a claim against their insurance. Home insurance policies, as well as many renter insurance policies, have liability coverage built into them.

This allows you to get the coverage you need without having to face a friend or family member in court.

Speak To A Personal Injury Professional

If you’re seriously injured in an accident, you should seek legal guidance. Talking to a personal injury attorney doesn’t mean you’re about to sue your best friend over an accident. It’s simply the best way of ensuring you get the coverage you are owed.

Michael T. Edwards is a personal injury attorney in Springfield, Ohio that can help you navigate through a difficult situation such as being injured at a friend’s home. Contact us today.