Trespassing occurs often. In fact, you may trespass without even realizing it. For example, walking through a neighbor’s yard as a shortcut may feel innocent, but it can actually cause a lot of problems. If you are injured on another person’s property due to his or her negligence, you may be entitled to recover compensation. But, what if you weren’t supposed to be there in the first place? Can you still recover compensation? Read on for more information regarding trespassing injuries in New Jersey and who will be held responsible.
The General Rule:
For the most part, a property owner will not be held responsible for trespassers injured on his or her property. But, there are a few exceptions to this.
What are the Exceptions?
- Discovered trespassers: A homeowner cannot expect trespassers to enter his or her property. But, if it becomes clear that the property is used by trespassers often, the homeowner can no longer claim that he was not aware of people on the property. So, if a homeowner knows that there are people walking on the property and that they could potentially become injured, he may be held responsible in the event that an injury does occur.
- Willful and wanton conduct: If a homeowner participates in conduct that could injure another person, he or she can be held responsible for injures that occur, even if it is on one’s own property. Additionally, it is important to understand the rules of deadly force. There is a big difference between harming someone while defending yourself against an intruder, and harming someone who is simply walking through your yard.
- Dangerous dogs: Big dogs can be powerful and can cause a lot of damage to a trespasser. For this reason, it is important to put up signs warning trespassers of a dangerous dog on the property. If there are no signs and you are injured by a dog, you may have a case.
If you or a loved one has been injured while trespassing, it is easy to feel hopeless. You may be struggling emotionally, financially, and physically and in need of compensation to help with these burdens. Our firm is dedicated to exploring every legal avenue when it comes to recovering the compensation you need to recover from your injuries.
Contact our Firm
Our firm understands how serious criminal and personal injury cases are. We are prepared to guide you towards a favorable outcome because we believe false accusations or preventable injuries should never cause a person harm. This is why those who require experienced legal counsel in New Jersey should do themselves a favor and contact The Law Office of Andrew S. Maze today for any criminal and personal injury matters.
