Parents Sue After Their Kid Hurts Herself Climbing Neighbor’s Fountain, Learn A Harsh Lesson

Seeing someone get hurt is bad enough. But even if you rush to help them, if the injury happens on your property, you may be liable. If the person’s loved ones are getting ready to sue you for everything that you have, suddenly, it’s your financial survival at stake here, too.

This is what happened to one person who turned to the internet for legal advice after finding themselves in a nightmare situation. They shared how a local kid got badly injured while horsing around in their front yard. Their parents, furious at what happened, decided to take the neighbor to court. Scroll down for the full story and an important update from the author.

It’s utterly horrible to see someone from your neighborhood get hurt. But when this happens in your yard, you might find yourself summoned to court

Child with backpack receiving first aid on injured leg outside, highlighting kids using neighbor’s yard without asking incident.

Image credits: seventyfourimages (not the actual photo)

A person asked for advice after their neighbors sued them. The couple’s child trespassed and got badly injured

Text excerpt about a neighbor being sued for $10,000 after kids used their yard without permission and a girl ended up in the ER.

Text describing kids using neighbor’s yard without permission until injury leads to lawsuit seeking $10,000 in damages.

Text excerpt describing a child injured by a toppled fountain leading to an emergency room visit and parents suing neighbor.

Suburban yard with fountain and landscaping related to kids using neighbor’s yard without asking incident

Image credits: Bamboozleddicotomy (not the actual photo)

Text message about being served court papers as neighbor claims failure to secure fountain caused child’s injury and lawsuit.

Text on screen showing someone asking about preparing for counter arguments regarding kids using private property without permission.

Image credits: zener0n

Some readers shared practical advice with the distraught author

Comment on a forum suggesting to call homeowners insurance after kids use neighbor’s yard without permission leading to injury and a lawsuit.

Comment discussing kids using neighbor’s yard unsupervised, mentioning injury and legal action over $10,000 lawsuit.

Screenshot of Reddit comment discussing homeowner's insurance duty to defend in a legal dispute over kids using neighbor’s yard without asking.

Comment discussing legal advice about kids using neighbor’s yard leading to injury and lawsuit for $10,000 settlement.

Screenshot of an online comment advising to file a police report for kids trespassing on neighbor’s yard without permission.

Screenshot of an online comment discussing legal advice about kids using neighbor’s yard without asking and related liability issues.

Comment discussing lawsuit over kids using neighbor’s yard without permission leading to injury and legal action.

Comment discussing filing a police complaint for trespassing and suing neighbor for damages after child ends up in ER.

Screenshot of a forum comment discussing small claims limits in California related to a neighbor dispute lawsuit.

A lot depends on your local laws. If you fail to maintain your property, and someone gets hurt, you are opening yourself up to legal liability

Whether or not you are liable for someone’s child getting hurt on your property depends on your national and state laws, as well as the specific circumstances of the event. There are no easy answers here.

For example, FindLaw notes that you may potentially be exposed to liability if you are a property owner or renter and have been negligent in maintaining the property.

What’s more, you may also be liable if your property contains so-called ‘attractive nuisances’ (e.g., swimming pools, trampolines, construction sites, etc.), or have agreed to babysit someone or to supervise a playdate.

“For instance, if a guest in your home slips and falls on a wet floor, or a hole in the stairs, that you did not warn them about, and they’re injured, they may have an injury claim against you. This is true regardless of a guest’s age. However, not every injury leads to liability,” FindLaw states.

“When children are playing on your property, under your supervision, and one is injured, you could also be held liable under a theory of negligent supervision. Generally, when a parent/person agrees to allow children to gather at their home, they are accepting the responsibility of keeping them safe. When children trespass, liability may not be as cut and dry.”

Child sitting on grass with parents caring for injury, highlighting kids using neighbor’s yard without asking.

Image credits: RDNE Stock project (not the actual photo)

As a landowner, you may be liable for any injuries to trespassing kids if you have things like pools or trampolines on your property, and you fail to secure them

Meanwhile, you might expose yourself to legal liability if you don’t take enough action to prevent kids from trespassing on your property to use the ‘attractive nuisances’ on your property that they’re curious about.

Of course, you have to remember that everything depends on your local and state laws.

A&S Personal Injury Lawyers explains that you may be liable as a landowner if an injury is caused by “a dangerous situation that was likely to attract children who, because of their age, could not appreciate the risk that the condition posed—regardless of the fact that they were trespassing when they were injured.”

For instance, if you have a swimming pool in your yard, you must properly enclose it, and take proper steps to secure it.

“Just because a child is injured by an attractive nuisance on someone else’s property, does not necessarily mean that the doctrine applies. For example, if a landowner constructs a 6-foot fence around their pool and locks the gate, but a child climbs over the fence and falls into the pool, the landowner would likely not be held liable as their efforts to keep children out of the pool were reasonable.”

What are your thoughts? How would you react if a neighbor’s child got injured after trespassing in your yard? What would you do if their parents then took you to court? Have you ever had any major problems with your neighbors? Share your thoughts and experiences below.

Backyard pool and brick house surrounded by trees in a neighbor’s yard where kids used without asking.

Image credits: Max Vakhtbovycn (not the actual photo)

Later, the person shared what happened in court. The injured child’s parents were furious at the outcome

Lawyer presenting case in courtroom as judge listens, relating to kids using neighbor’s yard without asking incident.

Image credits: AnnaStills (not the actual photo)

Text update about neighbor suing for $10,000 after kids use yard without permission and girl ends up in ER.

Court ruling on kids using neighbor’s yard without asking after injury and related parents’ lawsuit for $10,000 compensation.

Judge ruling on kids using neighbor’s yard without asking after girl’s injury leads to parents suing for damages.

Text about neighbor dispute after kids use yard without asking, leading to girl’s injury and parents suing for damages.

Parents sue neighbor after kids use yard without permission and girl ends up in ER, seeking $10,000 compensation.

Image credits: zener0n

Here’s how the internet reacted when they read the second chapter of the story

Comment about knowing camera blindspots and suggesting adding another camera pointed at the original blindspot for security.

Text of an online comment discussing neighbor disputes and securing property to prevent children using neighbor’s yard without asking.

Text comment discussing installing another camera in blindspots and offering congratulations in an online forum.

Screenshot of a comment discussing Child Protective Services and a video showing a child unattended for several minutes.

Screenshot of an online comment discussing kids using neighbor’s yard without asking before a girl ends up in ER.

Kids use neighbor’s yard without asking causing injury, leading to ER visit and parents suing neighbor for $10,000 compensation.

Comment text reading kids use neighbor’s yard without asking until girl ends up in ER and parents sue for $10,000 in a simple black sans-serif font on a white background.

Comment about litigious neighbor’s kids using yard without permission, leading to dispute after girl injured and parents sue.

Text comment about hiring a lawyer and restraining orders related to a neighbor dispute involving kids and injury.

Comment with advice on using multiple security cameras to prevent trespassing and record incidents on a property.

Comment text on a forum discussing kids using neighbor’s yard without asking leading to injury and lawsuit.

Comment about parents suing neighbor after kids use yard without asking, mentioning kids ending up in ER and $10,000 lawsuit.

Screenshot of an online comment suggesting more cameras to protect against kids using neighbor’s yard without permission.

Kids use neighbor’s yard without asking, girl ends up in ER, and parents sue neighbor for $10,000 compensation.

Comment about parents not supervising kids who used neighbor’s yard without asking, leading to injury and lawsuit.

Comment discussing use of outdoor cameras, motion-activated sprinklers, and asking neighbors for Ring footage related to neighbor disputes.

Parents sue neighbor after kids use yard without asking and girl ends up in ER from dog bite requiring stitches.

Comment discussing getting an attorney involved after kids use neighbor’s yard without asking and related legal concerns.

Screenshot of a comment discussing $10,000 lawsuit after kids use neighbor’s yard without asking and injury occurs.

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