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Bundza & Rodriguez, P.A. Proven Trial Attorneys
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Are You Responsible For Property Damages To A Neighbor’s Home?

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Residential property damages in Daytona Beach should be reported to your insurance company immediately. Your homeowner’s coverage will generally cover the costs of repairs, but what happens when incidents involving your property end up impacting neighbors? Find out more about your liability in this type of situation.

Personal Liability Coverage In Your Homeowner’s Insurance Coverage 

The Florida Department of Financial Services offers a homeowner’s insurance toolkit that provides extensive information regarding the common types of coverage available from insurance companies in our state and what your policy is likely to cover. In addition to protecting you against personal losses, it also helps you avoid being held liable for damages suffered by others. Personal liability is typically included as a provision and can prevent you from facing a claim or civil lawsuit in the following types of situations:

  • When invited guests to your property are involved in accidents, such as slips and falls;
  • When delivery people, mail carriers, and other visitors suffer personal injuries due to potentially hazardous conditions on your property, such as low hanging tree branches or uneven walkways;
  • When someone’s car or other personal property is damaged while visiting at your home;
  • When a neighbor suffers damage to their home or land as a result of your negligence.

Negligence is a legal team that means taking actions that put others at risk or failing to take the appropriate precautions to prevent them. For example, failing to warn a neighbor about moving their car prior to cutting down a tree that is close by could be considered an example of negligence, as could failing to properly trim branches or remove diseased limbs.

Having an otherwise healthy and maintained tree land on your neighbor’s property due to a lightning strike or heavy winds is generally not an example of negligence but rather an ‘act of God’. This means you would not be liable for their damages and instead, they should seek compensation for the cost of repairs through their own insurance policy.

Reducing Personal Liability Risks 

Taking preventative measures to help ensure conditions on your property do not cause damage to others is part of being a good neighbor. It is also part of your legal duty as a property owner under the Florida Statutes and reduces your risks of being held liable either through an insurance company claim or a civil lawsuit. This includes:

  • Regularly trimming low-hanging branches and removing dead or diseased trees;
  • Replacing worn shingles and other loose objects, which could become projectiles;
  • Draining ponds prior to storms and taking other steps to prevent flooding;
  • Maintaining walkways and landscaping to prevent accidental injuries.

Reach Out to Us Today for Help 

Personal liability claims due to property damages and injuries suffered by visitors to your home can end up costing you significant amounts out-of-pocket. To protect your rights in these types of claims, get Bundza & Rodriguez on your side. Contact our Daytona Beach property damage attorneys today to request a consultation.

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