Reducing Liability Concerns When Holding an Event
If you’re planning to hold a large event, you may have concerns about liability if something were to go wrong. This is not about being paranoid; in fact, this should be part of your advance planning because there are a number of things you can do to limit your liability. Though you cannot control everything, simply showing that you made every effort to hold a safe event can go a long way in a courtroom. The adverse is also true; if you suspect that a particular scenario may be unsafe and yet did nothing to mitigate that concern, the victim or victims could more easily hold you accountable.
There are many ways in which something unanticipated could cause harm to your guests, and there are many ways to avoid the unexpected. Here are solutions to several of the most common liability concerns that an event organizer faces:
Premises Liability
Where will you hold your event? If you plan to have it in your own home, you are more likely to be held responsible if an accident occurs during your event. Here are some ways in which this could happen:
- An incorrectly wired outlet could shock a guest or cause a devastating electrical fire. Even a small fire could cause panic and people might get hurt in the exodus. In the worst case scenario, the fire itself could fatally injure your guests.
- Perhaps you have a swimming pool but you are not using it for the event. If an invited guest, or the child of a guest, gains entry to the pool (even if they hop the fence to access it) and is subsequently injured or dies, you could be held liable.
SOLUTION: Rent a venue for your event. In many scenarios, the venue will be held responsible for accidents such as the above, and they will likely be insured for that. A respected wedding venue Glendale CA trusts will make every effort to avoid allowing hazardous conditions to exist, because otherwise it’s bad for business.
Accidents
Accidents can happen anytime and anywhere, but in the following scenarios, you are especially vulnerable to being held liable:
- A faulty bannister or torn stair carpeting could cause a guest to fall and seriously or fatally injure them. If you had previous knowledge of this hazardous condition and had the opportunity to fix it before the accident occurred, you might be held liable for the victim’s damages.
- A slippery floor surface could cause a guest to slip and fall and seriously injure themselves. If you knew that there was a risk of spilling a liquid on your kitchen floor and someone was hurt as a result, you might be held liable for the victim’s damages.
Play it Safe and Limit Your Liability
Though as stated above—you can’t control everything, you have a legal and moral obligation to make every effort to hold a safe event in a safe place. You may be best served by investing in renting a venue which is overseen and maintained by professionals. That will also allow you to more easily focus on enjoying your event along with your guests.
Thanks to our friends and contributors from Metropol Banquet for their insight into event venues.