What Should I Do if My Handyman Is Injured on My Property?
When you have people come on your property, it is your responsibility to ensure that they are able to leave it without incident. However, that does not guarantee that you are going to avoid having to deal with a potential injury if your handyman is injured while on your property. Ultimately, it will depend on exactly why and how the handyman is injured. If this does happen, there are some steps you should take to reduce not only the injury, but also the risk to you.
What do I do if my handyman is injured on my property?
The first thing you should do is ensure that your property is safe from the very beginning for your handyman to work on. Make sure that you do not have any potential tripping hazards, shock hazards, or slipping hazards, as all of those could lead to even an experienced handyman sustaining injuries while working on your property. Of course, this is just good advice in general, as it ensures that your handyman and just about everyone else is safe from injury. That said, once an injury does occur, all of this is going to be moot, so the next best thing is to try to reduce the impact of that injury. Once you notice that your handyman has been injured, get whatever medical care is needed to deal with it. After all is said and done, however, still make sure to make efforts to make your property safe.
Some things are going to be less detrimental than others. For instance, someone may have twisted their ankle; this is not especially dangerous, but it is still an injury that should be treated, nonetheless. The best steps to reduce the injury and prevent too much swelling from occurring is to apply ice and compress the ankle. There are other steps, such as rest and elevation, so make sure they have the opportunity to handle the swelling instead of making them continue to work or making them walk off on it.
On the other hand, if someone is burned, the burn could be mild or rather significant, ranging from the worst of it with first-degree burns to third-degree burns (a first-degree burn is a surface-level one, while a third-degree burn affects more). Immediately after the burn occurs, make sure that they have access to cool tap water and/or a cold, wet compress to help. Pain medication may also help deal with the burn, so if they are able to take some (such as ibuprofen or an acetaminophen), make sure to offer it if available. After they have had an adequate amount of time to apply cold tap water and/or petroleum jelly, assist them in wrapping the affected areas in bandages, ensuring that they are kept safe from the sun and from getting hurt further.
A second-degree burn is much more serious, and along with a first-degree burn, call 911 right away. Make sure not to apply ice so as to avoid lowering body temperature and leave the blisters alone. A third-degree burn needs to be handled much more seriously. You should not soak them or apply any gels or ointments, as it could cause infection. Dress the burned areas with a bandage that won’t get any lint in the wounds, and make sure that fingers and toes are bandaged separately. Give them the chance to lie down to prevent shock, elevating feet 12 inches and, if possible, elevating the affected area above the heart. An airway burn victim should not be given a pillow, and if the burn is on the face, make sure they sit up instead. Make sure to monitor them until emergency services arrive.
In general, when someone experiences a fall or any form of blunt force damage, you should quickly assess, make common sense treatments (such as providing ice to prevent swelling), and, if you suspect that something serious may have happened, contact emergency services — or at least, make an effort to consult with your handyman about whether they need it. Ultimately, you want to ensure that you have done all due diligence to protect them after an injury has occurred, as if it is due to your negligence, you would be culpable for damages. So reducing the potential damages they incur would be better for you in the end, although if you have homeowners insurance it won’t affect you directly as much. Mind, this should not be the only reason you do it — after all, you should have empathy for someone injuring themselves, even if you are not involved or responsible at all.
Of course, you are not always responsible if your handyman is injured on your property. It is going to depend on the circumstances of the injury. Negligence is a factor that has to be accounted for; if the handyman were to behave in an irresponsible, negligent way, where nothing you did or did not do resulted in the injury, being the target of any personal injury cases would certainly be an unfair thing to have to deal with, and something a good lawyer could help you deal with.
