I've been trying to liquidate the contents of my mother's estate by having an indoor estate sale. I broke my leg 6 months ago, so I can't lug the stuff around to have an outdoor sale. Knowing many people have allergies, I put a big sign on the front door "THERE ARE CATS IN THE HOUSE - IF YOU HAVE ALLERGIES, BE ADVISED." If someone rings the doorbell I also give them a verbal warning so later they can't say they they didn't see the sign - and you'd have to be Stevie Wonder not to see it. Last Saturday two women entered the house and I asked them if they had allergies to cats. They didn't confirm or deny it - they just pushed past me and started rummaging through the house contents. They weren't inside more than a minute when one started gasping and wheezing. She couldn't even talk and she was grasping at her throat. The woman with her helped her outside. They walked down the front sidewalk, then stopped. I saw the effected woman bend over and the other was holding on to her. They stayed there a few minutes, then walked to the curb. The effected woman sat down on the curb while the other woman hovered over her. They stayed there about 5 minutes, then slowly walked back to their car. Now I've had asthma attacks and this looked like one, but I wanted to know if this woman could press charges against me for her "pain and suffering" or anything else for that matter.<br />
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Am I liable for someone that has an allergy attack in my home?
- Thread starter debodun
- Start date
stark_raving1
New Member
You can get sued by anyone for anything. Whether they'd win is another thing. It seems that you made every effort to warn people. If they enter knowing they are sensitive, they do it at their own risk.
I am guessing you are a U.S. citizen as no one else is so worried about being sued in the entire world.
Unfortunately I am not an expert on U.S. law, but it seems crazy that anyone could press charges even if you have not warned them.
If this outstandingly rude woman has such a bad allergy problem, SHE should be the one with the warning, then all cat owners would know to keep their distance.
Fancy rummaging through your dead mother's stuff so insensitively, I think she deserved what she got. Yugh, people can be soooo ugly.
Assuming Stark ra is correct, perhaps you could counter sue her for pushing you and then stressing you out with her outrageously insensitive behaviour.
Also there is Caveat Emptor (may have misspelled my Latin) which basically means buyer beware.....(especially cheap-assed rummagers).
We never have such nonsense in Holland.
I hope you are spared any further distress and I wish you my condolences for the loss of your mother.
Unfortunately I am not an expert on U.S. law, but it seems crazy that anyone could press charges even if you have not warned them.
If this outstandingly rude woman has such a bad allergy problem, SHE should be the one with the warning, then all cat owners would know to keep their distance.
Fancy rummaging through your dead mother's stuff so insensitively, I think she deserved what she got. Yugh, people can be soooo ugly.
Assuming Stark ra is correct, perhaps you could counter sue her for pushing you and then stressing you out with her outrageously insensitive behaviour.
Also there is Caveat Emptor (may have misspelled my Latin) which basically means buyer beware.....(especially cheap-assed rummagers).
We never have such nonsense in Holland.
I hope you are spared any further distress and I wish you my condolences for the loss of your mother.
flustered_homeowner
New Member
Well you know people have allergies. Did you make any effort to minimize the allergens in the house like vacuuming, dusting and cleaning the litter boxes before having sales? You're probably there frequently enough so you don't notice it, but people that do not own pets are very sensitive to animal odors, especially if you haven't cleaned up recently. You mentioned having a broken leg. Is this preventing you from cleaning properly? You can hire a professional cleaning service, but they aren't inexpensive and as long as the cats are in this house, they will continue to leave their danders and waste products throughout the house. Better decide what's more important to you - having sales or making people sick.