If a friend of mine went up to my cabin and went 4-wheeling but ended up crashing, is anything that I can do to protect myself?

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If a friend of mine went up to my cabin and went 4-wheeling but ended up crashing, is anything that I can do to protect myself?

He had to go to the hospital, got stitches and stayed overnight.

Asked on July 14, 2014 under Personal Injury, Utah

Answers:

SJZ, Member, New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney

Answered 9 years ago | Contributor

You would not necessarily be liable unless you were at fault in some way, such as:

1) If he used your 4-wheeler and your 4-wheeler was not maintained properly, and that caused or contributed to the crash.

2) He was on a trail on your land which was unsafe in some way (e.g. it had partially eroded) and you had not been maintaining it properly.

But if you were not at fault, you should not be liable simply because he was your guest, on your land, or using your 4-wheeler.

Also, even if  you were liable, the amount he could sue you for is related to his medical costs and extent of your injuries. From what you write, that would not seem to be a large amount--it would likely not be enough to justify a lawsuit.


IMPORTANT NOTICE: The Answer(s) provided above are for general information only. The attorney providing the answer was not serving as the attorney for the person submitting the question or in any attorney-client relationship with such person. Laws may vary from state to state, and sometimes change. Tiny variations in the facts, or a fact not set forth in a question, often can change a legal outcome or an attorney's conclusion. Although AttorneyPages.com has verified the attorney was admitted to practice law in at least one jurisdiction, he or she may not be authorized to practice law in the jurisdiction referred to in the question, nor is he or she necessarily experienced in the area of the law involved. Unlike the information in the Answer(s) above, upon which you should NOT rely, for personal advice you can rely upon we suggest you retain an attorney to represent you.

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