What Is the Attractive Nuisance Doctrine? Setting the Scene for Liability Protection Attractive nuisance doctrine is an important legal concept that business professionals should be aware of. This doctrine is a concept from common law which holds that a property owner can be held liable for injuries or damages that are caused to children who wander onto the owner’s property and are harmed by a hazard that the owner should have been aware of. A Modern Example of Attractive Nuisance Doctrine in Action For example, let’s say Alice owns a hotel that has a swimming pool located in the center of the property. Alice is aware that children may wander on to the property and the pool may attract them. However, Alice does not take reasonable steps to ensure the safety of these children by taking measures to protect the swimming pool from access by unauthorized individuals. Eventually, a child wanders onto the property and injures themselves by falling into the swimming pool. Alice would likely be liable for the damages that this child sustained under the attractive nuisance doctrine. This is because she failed to take the necessary precautions to ensure the safety of individuals who may be attracted to her property by the pool. Protecting Yourself With Attractive Nuisance Doctrine Business professionals who own property should understand the attractive nuisance doctrine and take the necessary measures to ensure the safety of children who may wander onto their property. These measures may include the installation of fencing or other protective measures, the use of signage to warn children, or the implementation of a monitoring system to ensure that only authorized individuals can access the area. Taking these additional steps will help to limit the potential liability that a property owner may face if a child is harmed on their property.