The 2016 4th of July holiday is next Monday, which means pool parties and family BBQ’s will be taking place all over the weekend.

If you are planning on hosting an event make sure you are aware of the potential consequences that could come along with not being responsible? This 4th of July holiday, be prepared to host a safe party, free of any accidents that could result in an unwanted lawsuit.

Many Valley residents will celebrate the Fourth of July with a few alcoholic beverages. Not everyone realizes that providing alcohol to party guests could bring risk to the homeowners. If someone drinks too much and gets injured while at a party, the homeowner could be liable. This also holds true if a guest is involved in an accident driving home.

Premises Liability Law states that if a homeowner invites a social guest and the guest is injured while at their home, the homeowner is responsible. It is important for homeowners to be aware of the big picture and that they could ultimately suffer consequences if they are not careful with their Fourth of July party.

Serving alcohol to minors is a whole different story and could cause you thousands of dollars in fines. This Fourth of July, remember to never provide alcohol to someone who is underage.

If you decide to provide alcoholic beverages to your guests who are of age, make sure they have a designated driver. Keep in mind that if you provide a guest alcohol and they get a DUI on the way home, you could be responsible. If you plan on having a large gathering, contact a transportation service ahead of time to make sure your guests get home safely at the end of the night.

If you decide not to prearranged a transportation service, and your guests insist they are fine to drive home after a few drinks, offer to pay for a cab to get them home safely. Remind your guests of the consequences that come along with DUIs and do everything in your power to discourage them from driving with any amount of alcohol in their system.

Be a responsible party host this Fourth of July holiday and arrange transportation for your guests ahead of time to prevent dealing with a headache even bigger than that of a hangover… a lawsuit.