Homeowners in upstate New York may not realize that they could be financially responsible for injuries suffered by contractors on their premises. Premises liability insurance covers injuries suffered by door-to-door salespeople, social guests and friends. However, property owner’s coverage does not usually include building contractors and their workers. Although it might make sense to choose the contractor with the lowest quote, it could end up being the most expensive choice — if an uninsured worker should suffer catastrophic injuries.
Homeowners are advised to hire reputable construction contractors. Before contracting a construction team, check that the contractor has bodily injury liability insurance for him or herself and all the contractor’s workers. Even so, the homeowner might still be vulnerable. For large projects, contractors often hire various subcontractors, such as electricians, roof workers, window installers and more.
If anyone in the crews of subcontractors is injured, the homeowner may face claims for damages. Main contractors do not typically have insurance that covers subcontractors and their workers. If those subcontractors are uninsured, it could leave unsuspecting property owners having to foot the bill for bodily injuries, and that could come to thousands of dollars.
An uninsured injured worker may decide to file a claim against the homeowner. If such a claim is successfully presented, a monetary judgment might include hospital bills, lost wages, rehabilitation costs, earning capacity losses, pain and suffering, home care, and loss of consortium. In many cases, injured workers hire experienced New York personal injury attorneys with experience in premises liability cases to advocate for them.