Reducing Exposure To Liability for Sidewalk Injuries

In some jurisdictions, it is a homeowner's responsibility to take care of the sidewalk in front of his or her home. If that is the case in your area, then it means you could be liable for injuries that occur on the sidewalk. Take the following measures to ensure you don't end up liable for these types of injuries.

Deal with Gaps and Holes

Gaps and holes on your sidewalk can trip up pedestrians, block baby strollers, and catch wheelchair wheels, among other things. These are all things that can result in serious injuries. Therefore, it's in your best interest to fill up such spaces before they cause an injury.

Ensure Proper Sidewalk Drainage

You will have a major drainage problem on your hands if your sidewalk is lower than the curb. Such a setup ensures that water flows easily onto the sidewalk but doesn't drain off easily. Such water pooling is dangerous because it increases the risk of slipping and falling. It's even more dangerous if it freezes and becomes a slipping hazard. There are several ways of dealing with the problem; for example, you can dig trenches to drain away the water so that it doesn't pool.

Get Rid of Sidewalk Obstacles

Discarded toys, fallen tree limbs, loose bricks, are examples of tripping hazards that could occur on your sidewalk. You don't have to sweep your sidewalk squeaky clean, but you should get rid of such obstacles so that they don't trip up sidewalk users.

Get Rid of Plants on the Sidewalk

If the sidewalk is rather old, then it's likely that it may have some plants growing between the bricks or expansion joints, depending on how the sidewalk is constructed. Such weeds, plants, or tree roots are also tripping hazards that should be removed as soon as possible.

Shovel Snow Promptly

Apart from sidewalk damage, snow and ice accumulation is another risk that can easily cause slip and fall accidents. This is one risk that plagues even the best-maintained sidewalks, because sometimes snow falls without warning. Make sure you shovel away the snow not long after it falls.

Put Up Warning Signs during Repairs

Lastly, you should be aware that conducting repairs on the sidewalk may also make it riskier, temporarily. For example, if you are digging trenches or replacing missing bricks, the holes or your tools can trip and injure sidewalk users. Therefore, put up warning signs whenever you are working on the sidewalk to prevent such injuries.

Make sure you have home insurance in place to cover any potential liability claims, too. For more information, go to sites about homeowner's insurance.