Q: I accidentally ran over my sisters roommates dog doing less then 5 mph. They are asking me to pay for his vet bills
The dog was not on a leash or in a fenced yard. Apparently he was sleeping under my car in the hot weather. Who is responsible for the vet bills? They are also saying I wrecklessly hit him. Remind you I was only backing out of the dirt I had NO idea he was any where near my car
A: You are liable for damage you cause through your negligence. If you were not negligent, you are not responsible. Tender the matter to your liability insurer. It will decide what to do with the claim.
A:
This is always a tricky situation. Legally, I don't believe you are responsible for the Vet bills, as it was not your fault that the dog was outside, and not on a leash when you injured him. I went through this myself many years ago when I hit a dog that had run out into the street in front of my car, and I couldn't help but hit him. The owners accused me of being responsible for the accident, and I felt guilty and offered to pay toward the Vet bills. Then I realized that this dog was always outside and chasing cars down the street, and that the owner admitted that this happened all the time. I then changed my view and realized that my car was damaged by the dog, and that they were responsible for not keeping their dog properly fenced in. The truth is that people like that are careless, and put their dog in jeopardy every day. I simply declined to pay any damages, not did I pursue them for any damages.
You might offer to share the Vet bills simply to ease the situation. Good Luck.
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