How Can I Keep from Being Sued?

In today’s litigious society, the truth is, you can’t keep from being sued.  Anyone can sue over almost anything.  When someone can win millions after spilling drive-thru coffee in their lap, it’s safe to say the plaintiff’s attorneys may come after you for almost anything.  The American Dream used to be working hard and making enough money to buy a big Mercedes.  Now, many people dream of getting hit by a Mercedes.  “It won’t happen to me,” you think. Could any of these things happen to you?

Your mower throws a rock into the window of a passing car, causing the driver to hit a parked car.  Your dog bites someone, or your cat scratches a child’s face.  A snake bites someone in your yard.  One of your friends, a guest at your New Year’s Eve party, has too much to drink and causes a serious accident.  Your six-year-old grandson helpfully repaints your neighbor’s golf cart.  Your child’s friend slips and falls while running around your pool deck, knocking out a tooth.  In a fit of anger, you make an ill-advised social media post, making an accusation that comes back to haunt you.  While on a tour of Italy, you stumble into someone, knocking them down, resulting in a broken elbow and a destroyed camera.  While pulling your luggage off the airport baggage carousel, you knock over an older woman, breaking her hip.

Every single one of these examples is from the real world! These were everyday liability claims that were paid by an insurance company.  When you think of liability insurance, you most likely think about your car insurance, but what if you aren’t in your car?  The bad news is you need liability insurance to cover these situations. The good news is you probably already have it.  If you have home or renter’s insurance, it’s almost certain liability coverage is built into the policy.  If you don’t have such a policy, it’s not difficult or expensive to buy a Comprehensive Personal Liability policy.  Usually, $1 million in coverage is less than $300 a year.

You should check with your insurance agent to see exactly what coverage you have and if there are any gaps you need to close. Keeping attorneys out of your pocket will be well worth the modest cost.