If a Contractor is injured on the job at your home, are you liable?
Orlando, FL – Winter is a good time to complete indoor home-improvement projects and the time to plan for spring projects. When hiring a contractor, you will likely ask if they have insurance to cover any accidents or damage caused by their crew. It’s an excellent question, but you also may want to take the time to examine your own insurance.
As the owner of a property, you are responsible for the safety of those you invite into your home, even contractors who are in your home doing things like walking on the roof or working with the electric. In fact, since a contractor is there for business purposes, homeowners owe them the highest degree of care.
Provide a safe working environment
This can be a confusing concept, given that contractors are usually called to a home to fix safety issues. Rest assured, if roofers are called in to fix a hole in the roof and a crew member falls through that hole and gets hurt, they won’t be able to hold you liable; after all, they were made well aware of the hole. If the roofers needed access to the attic to work on the roof, and the homeowner failed to tell the workers that the attic ladder was broken, and a crew member was injured, the homeowner could be held liable for not providing a safe working area and not warning the crew of the hazard.
Don’t micromanage
You may also want to be careful about how closely you interact with contractors. If you start giving opinions or making demands about how a job should be completed and what tools should be used, you could unwittingly be taking on the liability for any damages resulting from the changes you request.
If you should be sued by a contractor injured at your home, your homeowner’s insurance should cover the claim; however, before a big project, verify that you have adequate coverage. When hiring a company, be sure it has general liability insurance coverage and workers’ compensation insurance for their employees. If the company utilizes subcontractors, make sure that they also have insurance coverage.
About The Vaughan Law Group – Orlando Workers Compensation Attorney
Specializing in personal injury, workers’ compensation and consumer law for more than 25 years, The Vaughan Law Group has provided the highest quality legal representation for individuals in Florida and the United States. Their attorneys have extensive experience handling various injury cases including automobile accidents, class action lawsuit as well as personal injury cases involving tourism. The Vaughan Law Group provides quality legal representation and individual attention essential to successfully resolve the most complex cases. For additional information please contact The Vaughan Law Group toll free at (877) 461-9083.
