Homeowners often find themselves responsible when someone gets hurt on their property. What happens when the homeowner suffers an injury, though? Questions arise about who, in whole or part, caused the injury and why. Even though someone suffers harm from an incident on his/her property, seeking compensation may be possible depending on a third-party's negligence. While a homeowner's policy would likely contain a clause that bars the property owner from filing a claim, he/she can still take civil action. That means the homeowner could sue the negligent party and potentially win a judgment.

Negligence, Trespassing, and Lack of Permission

Often, a neighbor or another person may overstep his/her bounds. Telling someone to stay off your property or not ever permitting them to enter creates legal questions. Anyone disrespecting property line barriers may find escaping liability claims difficult. Yet, some neighbors may do some inexplicably inconsiderate things. For example, someone may try to save money by washing his/her dog with your hose and on your driveway without asking. Cold weather turning the resultant water to ice could create a slip-and-fall hazard. If the homeowner walked out the door and slipped, a civil claim might be credible.

No Insignificant Actions

No impermissible action is truly "small." Maybe a neighbor wants to put a sign promoting a local event on the edge of your front lawn. Once again, the neighbor did not secure any permissions. And even though sticking a sign into the lawn seems minor, it isn't. If the homeowner gets hurt trying to remove the obnoxious sign, the doors again open for possible legal claims.

Partial Permissions and Negligence

Even when the homeowner gives someone permission for an action, the other person has to avoid causing harm to anyone. Imagine allowing someone to park a motorcycle inside your garage. If you tripped over the bike, filing a liability suit might be a long shot. However, if you slipped on oil, and the owner never told you about a slow leak in the bike, there could be a case. The same might be true if someone performed yard work and performed a poor cleanup and you fell. That said, arguments could be made that the homeowner had a reason to expect potential risks. Making the argument, however, doesn't mean the judge or jury would see automatically things the defendant's way.

Meeting with an Attorney

Directing questions about the merits of a civil action to a skilled attorney seems wise. If someone's negligence causes you to be hurt anywhere, including on your property, consider meeting with a personal injury attorney.