Halloween has long been one of America’s favorite holidays. Parents and children alike enjoy braving the chilly October night to visit friends and go trick-or-treating. Unfortunately, not everyone approaches the holiday with the same good-natured desire for fun.
Some pranksters inevitably take their jokes too far, resulting in pain, injury and occasionally even wrongful death. Halloween should be a safe, enjoyable holiday, but it pays to be prepared. In the event of an accident, who is liable? A wrongful death lawyer can make your life much easier in these events.
Halloween has always been a showcase for tricks and pranks. Although they often seem like a good idea, from a legal standpoint, pranks are a terrible idea. There’s just too much that can go wrong, and the stakes are often dreadfully high.
When a would-be prankster accidentally hung himself on Halloween in 2013, many people began wondering about liability in cases of wrongful death. It doesn’t take a lawyer to realize that endangering yourself or others in a prank is a bad idea. However, even for non-pranksters, Halloween liability can be a concern.
If your porch lights are on, guests can legally assume you’re home and accepting visitors. This means that you’re potentially liable for any injury or damage sustained by trick-or-treaters on your property.
Chances are your front yard isn’t a death trap, but it’s still a good idea to double check for anything that might potentially cause injury or wrongful death. A lawyer can help in exigencies, but it’s much better to prevent accidents before they happen. Something as simple as a raised crack in the pavement or forgotten garden tool could seriously injure someone.
If there is an obstacle or hazard that can’t be easily removed, (a tree with dead limbs, for example) make sure that it’s clearly identified and that trick-or-treaters understand they’re entering your property at their own risk. It might seem like overkill, but in the event of an accident you’ll be glad you did it.
Even if you don’t celebrate Halloween, take care to clear your property of dangerous objects. When a home’s porch light is off, a homeowner has no legal obligation as a host to protect those on his property. In fact, unannounced guests in this situation would be considered trespassers. But even trespassers can hire a lawyer and sue if they’re injured.
Halloween doesn’t have to be a legal horror story. Appropriate precautions and disclaimers can ensure your family enjoys many safe, stress-free holidays.
Tanner Wadsworth is a legal writer reporter for Fusion 360, an SEO and content marketing agency. Information provided by Robert J Debry. Follow on Twitter
Some pranksters inevitably take their jokes too far, resulting in pain, injury and occasionally even wrongful death. Halloween should be a safe, enjoyable holiday, but it pays to be prepared. In the event of an accident, who is liable? A wrongful death lawyer can make your life much easier in these events.
Halloween has always been a showcase for tricks and pranks. Although they often seem like a good idea, from a legal standpoint, pranks are a terrible idea. There’s just too much that can go wrong, and the stakes are often dreadfully high.
When a would-be prankster accidentally hung himself on Halloween in 2013, many people began wondering about liability in cases of wrongful death. It doesn’t take a lawyer to realize that endangering yourself or others in a prank is a bad idea. However, even for non-pranksters, Halloween liability can be a concern.
If your porch lights are on, guests can legally assume you’re home and accepting visitors. This means that you’re potentially liable for any injury or damage sustained by trick-or-treaters on your property.
Chances are your front yard isn’t a death trap, but it’s still a good idea to double check for anything that might potentially cause injury or wrongful death. A lawyer can help in exigencies, but it’s much better to prevent accidents before they happen. Something as simple as a raised crack in the pavement or forgotten garden tool could seriously injure someone.
If there is an obstacle or hazard that can’t be easily removed, (a tree with dead limbs, for example) make sure that it’s clearly identified and that trick-or-treaters understand they’re entering your property at their own risk. It might seem like overkill, but in the event of an accident you’ll be glad you did it.
Even if you don’t celebrate Halloween, take care to clear your property of dangerous objects. When a home’s porch light is off, a homeowner has no legal obligation as a host to protect those on his property. In fact, unannounced guests in this situation would be considered trespassers. But even trespassers can hire a lawyer and sue if they’re injured.
Halloween doesn’t have to be a legal horror story. Appropriate precautions and disclaimers can ensure your family enjoys many safe, stress-free holidays.
Tanner Wadsworth is a legal writer reporter for Fusion 360, an SEO and content marketing agency. Information provided by Robert J Debry. Follow on Twitter