What Happens If I am Injured at a Friend’s House?

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By Yosi Yahoudai
Founder and Managing Partner

Every day, thousands of people suffer slip and fall or other injury accidents on someone else’s property. 

If you’ve suffered an injury accident, take heart. Premises liability laws provide recourse against negligent property owners and help victims get much-needed compensation to aid in recovery. 

As California personal injury attorneys, we help navigate personal injury claims for victims of California injury accidents.  While all injury claims are unique, we commonly help victims whose injuries were sustained at the home of someone they know. 

We are often asked, “What happens if I am injured at a friend’s house?” 

Let’s consider four things to do if you experience a slip and fall or other injury accident at the home of someone you know. 

3 Steps to Take if You Are Injured at a Friend’s House?

Following an injury accident, mounting medical bills, lost wages, and lifestyle adjustments can easily overwhelm an injury victim. A personal injury claim between friends isn’t always easy, but you are entitled to damages for your suffering and losses. Here are 3 steps to take if you’ve been injured at a friend’s house:

1. Seek Medical Attention Immediately

Often, injury symptoms resulting from a slip and fall, slip and trip, product defect, or other injury accident manifest weeks or months after the injury accident. It’s critical to seek a thorough medical exam following the incident, even if you don’t feel injured. 

Internal organ damage, spinal injuries, and traumatic brain injuries are significant examples of life-altering and life-threatening accident injuries often characterized by a delayed onset of symptoms.

Examination by a skilled medical professional will determine the extent of your immediate injuries and what symptoms to be watchful for in the coming months. 

2. Gather Evidence

It’s essential to fully document the accident’s circumstances, your injuries, and the impact of your injuries on your daily life. 

Maintain a journal detailing:

  • Incident location, date, and time
  • Name and relationship to the homeowner
  • Witness information, including names, addresses, phone numbers
  • Photographic evidence of the scene and your injuries
  • Medical records of your injuries 
  • Medical expenses
  • Lost income resulting from your injuries
  • Lifestyle alterations, i.e., home modifications for wheelchair access

You can never gather or present too much evidence to substantiate a personal injury claim. 

3. Ask Your Friend for Their Homeowner’s or Renter’s Insurance Information

Liability coverage under a homeowner’s or renter’s insurance policy will likely pay for medical and other losses associated with your injury. It would be best to get the name of the policyholder and the insurance company’s name and contact information.

If your friend rents their home or apartment, you should also collect the landlord’s insurance policy information. The landlord may share some liability for your injuries. 

Consult a Personal Injury Lawyer

Personal injury claims are tricky to navigate, especially when a friend is a negligent party. It’s a good idea to strategize with an attorney about how to move forward with a personal injury compensation claim.

At-fault parties will try to deflect blame and minimize their financial liability. Your friend might be afraid of how your claim for damages will impact them and insurance companies will attempt to reduce or deny your claim, perhaps even painting you as the at-fault party.

Skilled personal injury attorneys know how to negotiate with anxious parties, present a substantive argument toward a settlement, or proceed to trial if necessary. 

Hire a California Personal Injury Attorney Today 

If you were hurt in an injury accident at a friend’s house, balancing your right to financial damages against your personal relationship with the negligent party can be a juggling act at best. 

You need a personal injury lawyer on your side.

Experienced California personal injury attorneys operate in the facts of the injury accident and the legal framework of California personal injury law.

Contact our legal team today to learn more about recovering financial damages after a personal injury accident. 

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About the Author
Yosi Yahoudai is a founder and the managing partner of J&Y. His practice is comprised primarily of cases involving automobile and motorcycle accidents, but he also represents people in premises liability lawsuits, including suits alleging dangerous conditions of public property, third-party criminal conduct, and intentional torts. He also has expertise in cases involving product defects, dog bites, elder abuse, and sexual assault. He earned his Bachelor of Arts from the University of California and is admitted to practice in all California State Courts, and the United States District Court for the Southern District of California. If you have any questions about this article, you can contact Yosi by clicking here.