ABA Family Legal Guide

Personal Injury

Negligence

Injuries at Your Home and on Your Property

A door-to-door salesperson tripped on our front steps, injuring himself. May he hold me responsible?

Perhaps. A door-to-door salesperson may expect that you will warn him about dangerous conditions on your property that may not be obvious. If your steps were in perfect condition and he merely lost his footing, a court would not hold you responsible. However, if he tripped because one of the stairs was wobbly and you knew about it, you should have repaired it or posted a warning sign.