When you enter a home and you are injured, you may be eligible for financial compensation since the person who owns that home is supposed to make sure that it is safe. Naturally, they cannot prevent everything from happening, but they need to take reasonable steps to make sure the home is safe and that there are no obvious dangers.
However, if the case goes to court, a big part of it is going to focus on what type of visitor you are. There are four main types, as listed below.
First, you could count as an invitee, which means someone else asked you to come in. They do not have to ask you in person. For instance, if you go into someone’s place of business while it’s open, you’re an invitee.
Next, you could be a licensee, which typically means you were invited in as well, though it may be for your own purposes. This just means that the owner has consented to your presence.
Third, you may be considered a social guest. As the title implies, this simply means you were invited over, perhaps because you are a friend or a neighbor.
Finally, you could be a trespasser, which naturally means no one invited you. This distinction is important because homeowners may not be held to the same standards of safety since they did not want you on the property in the first place.
If you’ve been injured, be sure that you know not only what type of guest you were, but also what impact this is going to have on your rights.
Source: FindLaw, “Premises Liability: Who Is Responsible?,” accessed May. 06, 2015