A tree removal company dropped a crane on my house and now they want me to pay for the damage. Who is legally responsible?

There may come a time when you need to hire a contractor to do work on your home or property, whether it's removing trees, installing a fence, or leveling your backyard. Ideally, the company in question knows what they're doing and takes steps to avoid damaging your property. But sometimes accidents happen.

Such was the case for a Gainesville investment property owner named Gina, who He turned to Dave Ramsey for advice. when a tree removal company dropped a crane on his investment home.

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Not only did the company not offer to pay for the damage it caused, it had the nerve to ask the owner to pay for its services.

Unfortunately, these types of situations are not an isolated incident. Accidents can happen in a variety of environments, so it is important to know what to do in this situation.

Contact your insurer

Whenever your home is damaged, your first step should be to contact your insurer to see what steps to take. In a situation like this, it is not so clear whether your home insurance company should take care of the damage.

It's one thing if a tree falls on your property during a storm and causes damage. In that situation, your only recourse is usually to file a claim with your home insurance company, even if the tree came from someone else's property. Similarly, in the example above, if a storm had passed by unexpectedly and caused the crane to fall, the contractor could claim that they are not liable because an act of nature caused the damage.

However, property damage resulting from negligence or error is a different story. In that case, you will most likely need to file a claim against your contractor's insurance or, if necessary, file a lawsuit.

However, it is best to contact your insurance company, as they will likely come to assess the damage and advise you from there.

Before you do anything else, document the damage yourself. Sometimes it can take a day or two for an adjuster to get to your property. That gives your contractor time to remove his equipment and retell the story in a way that makes you look innocent. So the more evidence you can gather, the better.

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Contact an attorney to review your rights

Companies are insured, so if they cause damage during their work, you won't lose money, and neither will they. As a first step, you should make sure that the contractor you use is licensed and insured before you hire them.

However, if the company refuses to acknowledge or take responsibility for the damage, don't hesitate to hire a lawyer. Whether the damage was caused by operator error or equipment malfunction, you should usually be entitled to coverage so you don't have to pay. From your pocket.

Don't pay for work if damage is involved

In this situation, the ridiculous thing is that the company that put the crane on the house in question still wants to be paid for the work they did. Even Dave Ramsey said, “That’s so stupid to ask for it, it’s laughable.”

The company argued that they had performed the service for which they were hired and that their workers still needed to be paid.

If something similar happens to you, don't hand over a penny. That was Ramsey's advice to his distraught interlocutor, and it's common sense. If the company threatens to demand money from you, tell them to talk to their lawyer and hire one immediately.

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This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.