Is there ANY liability?

[Dr. Giggles]

Hey guys.
Im thinking about hosting a haunted house at my own house this halloween. Yet the problem is everyone ((at my house)) thinks its a horrible idea because of the liability. Is there really a huge liability at having random strangers walking through my house only to be terrified out of there wits? Hmmm sounds different when worded like that.
See i want to know because last year it was kind of a 10 foot walk through in my garage with my friend in a butchers apron, and a chainsaw, and me with a a black jumpsuit on a mauled up face and a Knife. We had a strobe light going of and a fog machine, we sucessfully scared the....10 people that came in haha. ((Didnt have very good advertising.)) And when i read all these other posts it seems your haunted houses are big houses with big rooms rooms occupied by maby one or sometimes even two actors and they freak em out then they move on to the next room...so is it not as...well scary to have a walk through haunted house, and if it is as scary any tips?

[monsterwax]

Is there any huge liability? Unfortunately, yes. Thanks to the lawyers and the leeches who will sue anyone to "get rich quick", anyone can be sued today no matter how stupid. If anyone is on your property for any reason-- even to rob it-- and they get hurt because you created a dangerous situation for them, they can sue you. If they fall down your stairs, they can sue you for "slip and fall", etc. It's stupid, and it costs everyone added fees because we all have to pass on the cost, but until we get serious tort reform (something the media seems hell bent on preventing) we will continue to live under this cloud.

You can buy liability insurance. I suspect your current insurance would not cover injuries from a haunted house event. Or you can risk it and do everything you can to make it safe. I ran a haunted house for friends 15 years back and there were no injuries and no law suits. But if someone gets hurt, then yes, they can sue you and if they are a stranger, they will probaby try to do just that. (Even friends do it.) The personal injury lawyers charge NOTHING unless the collect, so people feel they have nothing to lose and a possible jackpot to gain. If you own the house free and clear, or have other assets, then the lawyer is much more likely to sue.

I'm not saying don't do it, but you do need to be aware of the real risks.

[Dr. Giggles]

Ahh alright see thats what im afraid of. I asked our insurance company...losers wont cover it. But thats a damn shame that people will go to a haunted house to have fun probably get hurt from their own stupidity then sue the haunted house ruining it for everyone...i mean cant we pass a bill or something saying that if you pay to go into a ride/haunted house you are entering under your own free will and that if you get hurt all parties are not liabel....i think im going to try and pass that bill. Gladly with the initiative act we are allowed to put bills on the ballot if we have enough signatures. So we need EVERYONE here to sign that they agree to the bill

[SomeThingInTheIce]

Anyone can sue you, the guy that reads the ele. meter falls because you left a garden hose out can sue you, even trick-or-treaters coming for candy can sue if they get hurt. Your insurance should cover it even if they say they will not. if your just passing out candy and not charging any thing. You could get insurance just for the event, it does not cost that much.

[Dr. Giggles]

Wait i can get insurance for jsut the event? Because im not charging?

[UnDeRTaKer313]

we have AAA home owners insurance, and i think its just basic coverage,
can i add liability coverage or get better coverage just for the time the even it open, or at the least just for a short time instead of permanently adding it to our plan?

[Jim Warfield]

A woman was invited to a big league baseball game by her friends, a bat broke, the wood hit her in the face, she almost died and will have plastic sugergy and guess who pays?
Not the pro baseball team! Their ticket says liability is yours as a ticket holder-end of story.
This was in Yahoo news very recently.
The local ski lodges here see numerous injuries and mangled legs when they are real busy, yet that lift ticket you have to have and wear says the liability is yours.
The one ski lodge has been in business for 45? years?
I am not a lawyer, neither is Mr. Tuxedo, Spookhouse cat.

[UnDeRTaKer313]

so basically if we give out tickets that say were not liable and have signs and stuff were fine?

[Dr. Giggles]

Alright so if i hand out a ticket letting them know that if they get hurt in the huanted house its there fault because they are dumb @$$'$ and that i took every precaution anyway im not open to get sued? Sweet!

[MindWerxKMG]

You can still be sued even if the ticket has a liability clause. The plaintiff just needs to prove negligence on the part of the haunt.