Cautionary Tale

[kgg]

A friend of mind just this year and it's only January who has been operating her hobby in-house business for the last 15 years and was gearing down to retire has just been sued. She figures she will probably be severely hurt financially to the point of losing her home. She had operated a hobby in-house business on the assumption since it was just a hobby and operating out of the attached converted garage that she only needed to have normal home insurance. WRONG...

Well she had a client do a pick up earlier this month. That client slipped and fell in the driveway breaking her hip. The three wide paved driveway had been plowed and salted / sanded by a snow plowing company. The women was taken to the hospital for treatment, hip replacement and is recovering. 

My friend received a letter from the clients lawyer basically stating that she and everyone else involved is being sued so to contact her insurance company.

My friend did contact her insurance company who denied the claim as they considered it business related and she only had normal home owner insurance as well as they were canceling her policy.

So the bottom line:

It's probably worthwhile for fellow members to check with their insurance company and see if they have proper insurance coverage should anything unfortunate happen.

kgg

Edited January 27, 2024 by kgg

[rleather]

Never ever would I have a customer do a pick up at my in home business, just for safety's sake. You never know who what trouble you may be inviting. Thanks for posting.

[toxo]

The bane of modern "society" lawyers and insurance.

[fredk]

In the UK, at least in N.I., all visitors are 'trespassers' in law except 'legal visitors'*

'Legal visitors' are, (list not complete); post people, milk & dairy deliverers, parcel couriers, police officers, fire-fighters, paramedics . .  . . . These are covered by your home insurance. All others are not and take their chances and cannot sue for something that happens outside the home/house. They can try, and insurance companies will pay out on small sums to save having to go to court to fight it**

* I was taught this when I was postie

** 30 years ago there was a famous paving stone in a town called Coalisland. It was broken and part of it stuck up. Every month someone 'tripped' on it and 'fell'. They put a claim for hurt. The claim was usually for £2500. The council insurers paid up every time as each claim was less than the legal costs of fighting it. It took the council over two years to find the paving stone and replace it. I saw it once and the bit the people 'tripped' over was raised no more that 1/4 inch!

[kgg]

2 hours ago, fredk said:

In the UK, at least in N.I., all visitors are 'trespassers' in law except 'legal visitors'*

All visitors are trespassers. I love that. Do you get too "escort" them off your property with Mr. Winchester or at least a Shillelagh??

3 hours ago, toxo said:

The bane of modern "society" lawyers and insurance.

Sadly both are needed in this age but even sadder is the ones that will get the lions share are the lawyers.

kgg

[fredk]

1 hour ago, kgg said:

. . .  Do you get too "escort" them off your property with Mr. Winchester or at least a Shillelagh??

Yes. And in Eire/Ireland they will do just that if they don't want you on their property

[GatoGordo]

3 hours ago, fredk said:

In the UK, at least in N.I., all visitors are 'trespassers' in law except 'legal visitors'*

I am not sure I understand this correctly. Are you saying that if you walk into the local grocery store that you are trespassing?

[kgg]

27 minutes ago, GatoGordo said:

Are you saying that if you walk into the local grocery store that you are trespassing?

I think the grocery store would be considered a commercial / business not a home residence so would have different rules.In North America you can be considered trespassing and charged with trespassing at your local business under certain circumstances. Does it help with the dirtbags robbing stuff???

42 minutes ago, fredk said:

Yes. And in Eire/Ireland they will do just that if they don't want you on their property

Proper thing.

kgg 

[fredk]

In legal theory, yes

Unless you are 'invited' in. You are 'invited' in to trade by open doors and posters offering items for sale 

[GatoGordo]

2 hours ago, kgg said:

I think the grocery store would be considered a commercial / business not a home residence so would have different rules.In North America you can be considered trespassing and charged with trespassing at your local business under certain circumstances. Does it help with the dirtbags robbing stuff???

Proper thing.

kgg 

In this case, this was a business. In your words "she had a client do a pick up earlier this month." This was a customer invited into her place of business to pick up merchandise. Same as a grocery store.

2 hours ago, fredk said:

In legal theory, yes

Unless you are 'invited' in. You are 'invited' in to trade by open doors and posters offering items for sale 

The woman was invited in by being asked to do a pick up.