When someone is a guest on another person‘s property and gets injured, it may be the property owner’s fault. Perhaps they allowed a dangerous condition to exist and didn’t take proper steps to correct it. Maybe they even created that dangerous condition.
But when people are trespassing on a property, the owner may think that any injuries they suffer are not their responsibility. After all, that injured person had no legal right to be on the property. In fact, some homeowners will even consider setting up traps that are supposed to deter or injure intruders. Can they do so?
Setting traps is illegal
No, property owners cannot set traps that are designed to injure or kill these intruders. The problem is that traps are a danger for everyone. Say that there is an emergency and first responders are called to the home. They could also suffer injuries due to these traps. So, even if the person who gets injured was trespassing at the time, it is still illegal to have intentionally set up a trap to cause those injuries.
What this means is that the property owner may still be responsible for the cost of the injuries. People are sometimes surprised to learn this, assuming that they would never be liable if someone else broke into their house or intruded on their land. However, a property owner who has caused these injuries on purpose may certainly be responsible for covering the medical costs.
At the end of the day, it’s just important for all property owners to remember that they have a responsibility to create a safe environment for everyone. Those who have been injured when this obligation is not met need to know how to seek financial compensation.
