Different Kinds Of Visitors On Your Property Have Different Expectations Of Safety

If someone gets hurt at your home, they may want to sue you so that they can get money for their injuries and pain and suffering. It can be hard for you to know whether or not you are liable if someone does get injured on your property. The thing is that you aren't liable for everyone who gets hurt on your property or for all those injuries of those people, as long as you are keeping your property in good condition. There are certain circumstances that have to be met for you to be liable for their injuries. 

Visitor's Status

There are a couple of things that can affect whether or not you are liable for injuries that someone on your property incurred. One of them is what the status of the visitor is. There are several different kinds of visitor status. 

• Trespasser: A trespasser is someone who came onto your property without your permission. They aren't supposed to be there in any way, shape, or form. When it comes to a trespasser, they have absolutely no right to assume that any reasonable care has been taken to make sure that they won't be injured on the property. If someone walks onto your property without your knowledge or permission, falls over a tree branch, and breaks their arm, it is likely that you probably won't be liable for their injuries. 
• Invitee: An invitee doesn't necessarily mean someone that you have invited to come visit you. Instead, it means someone that has been invited onto your property for doing something like visiting a store that you have on your property. They do have an expectation that you have taken reasonable care of your property and that they won't be injured while on your property. 
• Licensee: Someone who is a licensee is someone you have invited onto your property to visit or is someone who is there on their own business. For example, if you invite your mother-in-law over and she falls down and breaks her arm, you may be liable because she was there at your invitation and with your permission. A meter reader is another example of a licensee. They would enjoy the same expectations that your social guests would expect. 

If you are being sued by someone who was injured on your property, then you should see a lawyer such as Hart Law Offices, PC, who handles civil litigation. They will be able to answer all your questions and help you defend yourself.