When people think of filing a personal injury claim, they often think about car and motorcycle accidents, slip and fall claims against grocery stores and office buildings, medical malpractice lawsuits against negligent doctors, and so on. But when people are injured at a private residence, they may hesitate to sue for personal injury because they’re afraid of going after the personal assets of a friend or relative.
If you’re injured at someone else’s private residence, do you sue the homeowner? Or, is there another way to collect compensation? Actually, quite a few injuries occur on private properties – swimming pool accidents, slip and fall accidents, falls downstairs, sexual assaults, falls through creaky attics, dog bites and attacks, and so on.
Much like car accidents, injury attorneys do not usually seek compensation from the homeowner’s personal bank accounts or their paychecks. Instead, such claims are filed against a homeowners insurance policy. Read on as we explain how personal injury claims are often paid by homeowners insurance policies, not by the homeowners themselves.
Homeowners Insurance in South Carolina
Regardless if people live in homes or apartments, everyone should protect their home and its contents from negative events, such as burglaries, fires, and storm damage. When people purchase homeowners or renters insurance, it can help cover their losses if something bad were to happen, but they can also protect the homeowner’s personal assets if someone was injured on their property.
When someone takes out a mortgage on their home, usually the lender requires that the homeowner purchase homeowners insurance. Homeowners are encouraged to protect themselves with “liability insurance” in case they are legally responsible under South Carolina law for injuries to visitors or invited guests. Here’s what you need to know:
- Property insurance protects someone’s home and its contents, such as art, furniture, TVs, computers, etc.
- Liability insurance protects homeowners in case someone is injured on their property and the homeowner is legally liable for that person’s damages.
- Medical expenses coverage pays for non-residents who sustain bodily injuries caused by the homeowner’s negligence.
If you were injured on someone’s private property, for example, if you were attacked by their dog, or if you fell in a hole and broke your ankle in the yard, or if a broken garage door hit you in the head, or if you fell down slippery stairs, it is very likely that you may be able to collect compensation from the homeowner’s insurance policy.
Don’t be afraid to file a personal injury claim because the injury occurred on the property of someone you know and respect. Accidents happen all the time at private residences, which is why lenders require homeowners to carry homeowners insurance. To explore filing a claim, contact the Law Office of James R. Snell, Jr., LLC today.