DIY projects have grown in popularity since the COVID lockdowns, from home improvement to flipping furniture. Painting, making furniture, or completing full remodels brings a lot of satisfaction as well as some risks.

Personal injury claims can get complicated if you get hurt completing a DIY home repair. Even seemingly simple projects can cause debilitating injuries.

When the plaintiff is on their own property, completing an optional, unpaid project, who is liable? Settling the legal issues surrounding these types of claims may be tricky and often requires the insight of an experienced Florida premises liability lawyer.

Common types of DIY injuries

Sometimes, the cause of a DIY home repair injury reveals the liable party. It may not always be entirely the fault of the homeowner. Some of the most common ways an amateur home improvement specialist can get hurt include the following.

Trips and falls

Falls can happen from either tripping over uneven surfaces or debris as well as falls from heights. All types of falls may cause serious head injuries and brain trauma, broken bones, soft tissue damage, and more.

Cuts, lacerations, and degloving

Working with sharp tools like knives, saws, and drills or rough tools like a sander or planer is inherently dangerous. Even with the right protective gear such as guards and gloves, the tool could slip, cutting into your skin and muscles or even removing swaths of skin and connective tissue (degloving).

Electrocution

Many homeowners attempt electrical work themselves, but doing so without proper training can be deadly. Failure to turn off the power, failure to warn others not to turn the power back on, or improperly completing the work could cause electrical shock, burns, or fatal electrocution.

Eye injuries

Flying dust, debris, or chemical fumes can cause permanent eye damage or blindness if you don’t wear proper eye protection. Power tools in particular send small particles flying at high speeds, which can be especially dangerous.

Back injuries

Back injuries often come from improper lifting techniques or lifting a heavier load than you should. Herniated discs, muscle strains, or damage to ligaments and tendons are common in DIY projects that involve heavy lifting.

DIY home projects and legal implications

Can you file a personal injury lawsuit if you are working at home on a project you chose to complete? Maybe.

Florida personal injury claims are usually based on the negligence of one party causing injury to another. If you injured yourself on your own property, you really can’t sue yourself. However, you may still be a victim of another party’s negligence.

If you were injured because the tools or products you were using were defective, malfunctioned, or the manufacturer failed to warn about possible dangers, then you may be eligible to file a product liability suit.

Some other DIY injury victims may be able to file a premises liability suit. If you were working on someone else’s property, even if it’s your buddy’s, the suit may be your only option for covering your medical care. If the property was unsafe or contained hazards, and the owner failed to address them properly, they may be liable for your injuries.

Sometimes, your insurance company may refuse to cover your medical care if they believe another party is liable.

What should I do after a DIY project injury?

Your health and safety come first. Call 911 if the injury is serious, or visit urgent care or your doctor. Even if you “don’t feel hurt,” you may be injured worse than you think. Soft tissue, back, and toxic exposure injuries may not present symptoms right away.

By getting prompt medical treatment, you have a better chance of recovery.

Document the scene. If you need to file a lawsuit, having plenty of evidence can help your claim. Keep the tool, equipment, or product that caused the injury. Take photos or videos of the scene, and save your medical records. Your personal injury attorney can use all of these to build your case.

Finally, talk to a lawyer. You may have more legal options than you know, especially if you have a product liability claim. An attorney experienced with the nuanced legal issues surrounding DIY home repair and personal injury claims can help you secure compensation to cover medical care and other losses.

Have you been hurt in a DIY project? We can help!

Do you have questions about DIY home repair and personal injury claims? The attorneys at Lytal, Reiter, Smith, Ivey & Fronrath help injured project enthusiasts like you understand your legal options after an injury.

Injuries caused by DIY home repairs: When liability gets tricky