Q: 15 yr old did yard work, accidently ran over some small trees and a plastic downspout. How much am I responsible for?
He isn’t licensed or insured, she knew this before hiring him to do the work. We offered to fix the issues ourselves, she refused. Wants us to pay for someone else to do the work in her yard. She’s now trying to get the courts involved.
Lawyers, want to be a Justia Connect Pro too? Learn more ›
- (916) 704-3009
- View Profile
- Answered
A:
If your 15-year-old accidentally caused damage while doing yard work, the extent of your responsibility can depend on several factors. Given that the homeowner knew the teenager was unlicensed and uninsured before hiring him, this may influence the liability and potential legal outcomes. You have already offered to fix the issues, which demonstrates a willingness to make amends.
If the homeowner insists on hiring someone else to repair the damage and is seeking to take the matter to court, it’s essential to document everything. Keep records of your offer to repair the damage, any communications with the homeowner, and photographs of the damage caused. This documentation can be useful if the situation escalates legally.
Since the homeowner is pursuing legal action, consider consulting with a legal professional to understand your rights and responsibilities better. They can provide guidance on how to handle the situation and potentially mediate a fair resolution. Your willingness to rectify the situation should be taken into account, and a lawyer can help ensure that any demands made by the homeowner are reasonable and justified.
Justia Ask a Lawyer is a forum for consumers to get answers to basic legal questions. Any information sent through Justia Ask a Lawyer is not secure and is done so on a non-confidential basis only.
The use of this website to ask questions or receive answers does not create an attorney–client relationship between you and Justia, or between you and any attorney who receives your information or responds to your questions, nor is it intended to create such a relationship. Additionally, no responses on this forum constitute legal advice, which must be tailored to the specific circumstances of each case. You should not act upon information provided in Justia Ask a Lawyer without seeking professional counsel from an attorney admitted or authorized to practice in your jurisdiction. Justia assumes no responsibility to any person who relies on information contained on or received through this site and disclaims all liability in respect to such information.
Justia cannot guarantee that the information on this website (including any legal information provided by an attorney through this service) is accurate, complete, or up-to-date. While we intend to make every attempt to keep the information on this site current, the owners of and contributors to this site make no claims, promises or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness or adequacy of the information contained in or linked to from this site.
