Keep Your Property Safe During Halloween

When trick-or-treaters or friends arrive at your house for Halloween, you are responsible for keeping them safe on your property. Trick-or-treaters are considered “guests” unless you take specific steps to keep them off off your porch. To keep your visitors safe from harm and prevent a premises liability accident, we have a few tips for you.

Keeping Halloween Safe for Children and Friends

As with any other time of the year, you have a responsibility to keep walkways from the street to the door well-lit and free of obstructions. Remove all loose bricks, boards, or other objects likely to cause a slip and fall. Never place anything across doors or other access points. Other things to remember specifically for Halloween include:

• Ensure all decorations are secured to the ground or walls.
• Use battery-powered lights. Never use candles in your pumpkins or other decorations.
• Keep dogs safely secured away from where people congregate.
• Avoid giving unwrapped candy or even homemade treats that could potentially cause an illness.

Some neighborhoods may have community guidelines regarding decorations, trick-or-treating hours, and candy. Property owners should keep these in mind when making plans.

What if Someone Is Injured on My Property During Halloween?

Property owners are responsible for any accident that happens on their land. You can help limit your liability by quickly addressing accidents on your property, regardless of what happened. If someone is injured, call 911, and later contact your homeowner’s insurance company and report the accident.

Beyond these immediate steps, it is important to document the situation thoroughly. Collect what evidence is available and take photos of the accident scene. Snapshots of lighting, walkways, decorations, costumes, and weather conditions can help clarify what occurred. If there are witnesses (neighbors, parents, other trick-or-treaters) gather their names and contact information. Make note of anything that could have contributed to the incident, including loose decorations, slippery leaves, or startled pets.

You may also want to save copies of any communications you receive afterward, such as messages from the injured person, their family, or insurance adjusters. These details can help protect your rights if there is a dispute about what caused the accident.

Halloween incidents can be confusing and emotional, especially when children are involved. You may need legal assistance after a Halloween accident to determine whether the homeowner’s insurance policy will cover the claim, explain your responsibilities, and guide you through any next steps if the situation escalates.

Call Us If There Has Been a Halloween-Related Injury

At Jan Dils, Attorneys at Law, we want everyone to have a good time visiting friends, chaperoning your kids as they get candy, or decorating your yard for the season. However, accidents sometimes happen when people are not careful. Please call our Personal Injury attorneys if you or your child were hurt while visiting someone’s home during Halloween.