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Am I responsible if I accidentally drop sometime from a roof and it causes damage to a car?

On a windy day, I was bringing a plastic chair to my apt. rooftop. The wind blew the chair out of my hands and off the roof. It hit a neighbors car, leaving a dent. Now the insurance company it trying to collect for the damages. Was it an act of God or am I responsible?

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Attorney answers (5)

Reputation Level 20
Yes, you're responsible. You were carrying the chair up to the roof, and you accidentally dropped it when the wind came up, so the insurance company will consider the damage a result of your actions and omissions in dropping the chair.

Disclaimer: Please note that this answer does not constitute legal advice, and should not be relied on, since each state has different laws, each situation is fact specific, and it is impossible to evaluate a legal problem without a comprehensive consultation and review of all the facts and documents at issue. This answer does not create an attorney-client relationship.

Reputation Level 16
Since you are apparently a renter, this may be a long shot, but if you have renter's insurance, it may contain liability coverage, which could cover you for the cost of the damage to the car. If you do, just contact them and ask them to take care of the claim.

Reputation Level 16
Since you are apparently a renter, this may be a long shot, but if you have renter's insurance, it may contain liability coverage, which could cover you for the cost of the damage to the car. If you do, just contact them and ask them to take care of the claim. And yes, you are most definitely liable for the damage.

Reputation Level 20
Yes you are responsible. You should advise your renter's or homeowner's insurance company of this incident and they will take care of this type of claim.

Legal Disclaimer:

Mr. Lundeen is licensed to practice law in Florida and Vermont. The response herein is not legal advice and does not create an attorney/client relationship. The response is in the form of legal education and is intended to provide general information about the matter within the question. Oftentimes the question does not include significant and important facts and timelines that, if known, could significantly change the reply and make it unsuitable. Mr. Lundeen strongly advises the questioner to confer with an attorney in your state in order to insure proper advice is received.

Reputation Level 15
You are responsible if you failed to use ordinary care, that a reasonably prudent person would use, in carrying the chair. So you certainly have an argument that you used that amount of care that a reasonably prudent person would use to carry the chair. If you did you are not liable.

Reasonable minds can differ, and all the attorneys here felt you did not use reasonable care. I think its an argument.

Peter :)

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