Construction is a notoriously dangerous profession, and even smaller residential projects that take just a few days to complete can pose serious hazards. According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, 1 in 5 worker fatalities that occurred in the private industry in 2016 were in construction.
If you want to renovate your home, it is natural to be wary of devastating accidents on site, especially because you could be responsible in certain scenarios. If you have questions about premises liability or if you sustained injures on someone else’s property, turn to Eells & Tronvold Law Offices, PLC.
Our legal team is proud to help victims of other parties’ negligence secure the compensation they deserve. Call 319-393-1020 to schedule a free consultation with an accident lawyer in Cedar Rapids.
How Can You Avoid Liability When Renovating Your Home?
If you do not want to expose yourself to considerable financial risk upon hiring contractors, there are a few steps you can take. Read to learn more:
- Check the General Contractor’s License
In certain scenarios, a homeowner’s insurance policy might cover the damages following a construction accident on your property; however, most policies do not cover property damage or bodily injury if you knowingly hired an unlicensed contractor.
Because contractors must meet strict requirements in order to get and maintain a valid license, hiring a licensed team will provide peace of mind that your contractor is at least somewhat credible and professional. You can view a company’s current registration status with the Iowa Division of Labor online.
- Check the General Contractor’s Insurance Coverage
In order to obtain a license in the state of Iowa, a contractor must have at least $500,000 in public liability insurance coverage. Even if you have confirmed a company’s licensure, it is still wise to ask for proof of this insurance. At the end of the day, you could be financially liable if an uninsured worker is hurt on your premises.
- Check Any Subcontractors’ Insurance Coverage
When completing fairly large projects, it is not uncommon for contractors to delegate certain tasks to subcontractors. Although some of the parties may fall under the general contractor’s insurance coverage, many of them may not.
Thus, it is not enough to confirm that your general contractor has adequate liability insurance. You must also make sure that everyone whom they bring on board to work on the project falls under this coverage or has insurance of their own. Otherwise, you could be responsible for medical bills, lost wages, and other expenses if a subcontractor slips and falls on the property.
In addition to following the above tips, it is wise for homeowners to maintain their premises to a reasonably safe standard to reduce the risk of a serious accident. In fact, all property owners owe this duty of care to both licensees and invitees.
If you were hurt in a preventable slip and fall incident because of someone else’s negligence, contact Eells & Tronvold Law Offices, PLC today. Call 319-393-1020 to schedule a free case evaluation with an accident attorney in Cedar Rapids. You can learn more about personal injury claims in Iowa by visiting the USAttorneys website.
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