Decorating your house for the holidays is supposed to be fun. But when someone gets hurt, things can get ugly, fast. Especially when friends or family members are involved.

There are so many things that can go wrong around the holidays — believe us. We’ve seen it all.

• You trip over an extension cord running across the floor to power Christmas lights at a holiday party and break your arm.
• You fall while stringing lights on the second-story of your brother’s roof, resulting in an expensive trip to the ER with a major concussion.
• You slip on a poorly cleared walkway decorated with your neighbor’s holiday inflatables, causing you to fall on ice hidden beneath the decorations. You now have chronic back pain and have likely herniated a disc.
• A large holiday wreath or Christmas tree falls from an unsecured mount at your best friend’s house … hitting you square in the head.

These injuries are always so uncomfortable for our clients to make claims on. After all, it can feel a little bit awkward to “sue” your mom. Or your neighbor. Or your best friend.

But here’s the thing: if you are hurt because of holiday decorations, you aren’t suing your loved one. You are simply asking the homeowner’s insurance that they pay for to do its job.

Homeowner’s insurance and injuries during the holidays

If you get hurt at someone’s home, it’s normal to be concerned about paying for medical bills or not being able to work.

The good news is that their homeowner’s insurance can help pay for your injury costs. Most homeowners’ insurance plans have liability coverage, which protects against accidents that happen to guests on their property.

Here’s how it typically works:

In addition to covering medical bills, homeowner’s insurance can also help pay for other expenses, like legal fees if there are questions about what happened or if you need to make a formal claim. It might feel a bit uncomfortable to talk about this with friends or family, but this coverage is designed for situations like these, so you both don’t have to stress about surprise costs.

We have decades of experience navigating these awkward conversations. If you need help getting started, give us a call.

Filing a claim:

To file a claim, your friend or family member should contact their insurance provider with details about the incident, including medical records or photos. Insurance agents are supposed to facilitate a smooth process, but we have found that they often do not.

That’s where we come in. We are here to make sure you get the treatment you need promptly and that it doesn’t put you out of pocket.

Why you need a lawyer:

At the end of the day, it’s normal to feel unsure about making a claim on someone’s homeowner’s insurance, especially if you’re close to them. However, that’s what it’s there for: to help with unexpected events like this.

Making a claim is not about pointing fingers. It’s really just about ensuring everyone is safe and that injuries don’t lead to money problems.

Changing your mindset from “I’m suing my mom” to “my mom’s insurance is doing its job” is the first step to a conflict-free process.

Contact McCready Law today