Content provided by legal writers

Is your home a safe place? Does it present any hazards for neighbors, passers-by, or visitors? Of course, homeowners go to great lengths to make certain they their living space presents minimal danger for themselves and family members. But when it comes to making a house lawsuit-proof, there’s a lot to consider. Unfortunately, too many people are late to discover that they’re on the wrong end of a legal action for damages, injury, or worse. What are the most common culprits that can cause you, a law-abiding property owner, to land in legal hot water? Here are five of the most frequent things that cause people to file lawsuits against homeowners, along with suggested solutions.

Large Trees

It’s easy to overlook the many problems that beautiful trees can create. The trouble with some of the largest, most majestic trees is that their high limbs often fall off during high winds and storms. If a heavy limb from your favorite backyard tree snaps off and lands on a neighbor’s car, in a pool, or onto a roof, you’ll soon be getting a call from a lawyer, and it won’t be your own. The solution is to keep all your trees trimmed and pared down to the extent that they present no hazards to neighboring property.

Rickety Staircases

Falling down a flight of stairs that are old, poorly maintained, or just plain hard to negotiate can result in death, serious injuries like paralysis, broken limbs, and head trauma. Owners who want to avoid these kinds of problems often install home elevators in older, classic homes. Not only are elevators becoming more common in residential spaces, they can be put into new, old, or prefab homes to add a touch of elegance, and safety, for owners who are older or who just want to eliminate the risk of injury for guests.

Slippery Walkways

Whether you live in an area where ice and snow are common, or reside in a sunny resort location, slippery walks can lead to high dollar legal problems. Slip and fall lawsuits are one of the most frequent legal actions against property owners. Fortunately, it’s easy enough to avoid hazardous walkways by keeping them dry, free of debris, shoveled after snowfall, and de-iced.

Outdoor Fire Hazards

Backyards hold all kinds of potential dangers, particularly if you maintain a firewood stash. Having fresh wood to fuel the family fireplace is one of the great benefits of home ownership. However, if your wood pile is too high and damages a neighbor’s fence or house, you’ll lose your nostalgic love of fireplaces rather quickly. If you do like to store wood, keep it in a contained casing. Most home stores sell wood corrals that can hold any amount of fire fuel for an average size home. Better to spend a little on an encasement now that a ton of money on a legal settlement later on.

Swimming Pools

If you own a pool, speak with your insurance agent about the best kind of fencing and secure walls to put in. While not the most common source of legal actions, being sued for a drowning in your swimming pool can be a financially devastating event.

This content is provided by an independent source for informational purposes only and does not contain legal advice. Consult an attorney or financial advisor when making decisions. This information is provided by legal writers and does not reflect the views or opinions of The Daily Sundial editorial staff.