What might happen if you cause damage to a neighboring property?

On Behalf of | Apr 7, 2023 | Construction Litigation |

If something goes awry during a construction project and damage occurs to a neighbor’s property, you could be liable. The neighbor may decide to file a lawsuit against you to recoup costs for repairs and other expenses.

The situation will dictate who is liable.

Direct damages lead to liability

If you cause direct damages as a result of something you do, then the chances are good that you will hold full liability for the issue. For example, if you are removing debris and drop some of it on the garage of a neighboring house, then you are responsible. The neighbor can easily show that your actions and negligence led to the damage in a situation like this.

Shared responsibility with the owner

You may also have shared responsibility with the owner of the property. He or she hired you to do the job and therefore has some liability for your actions. However, you should be cautious because the owner could come after you for negligence. It can be a slippery slope where you end up in court multiple times over one incident.

An ideal resolution

Ideally, you will work to settle the matter before it becomes a serious legal fight. Your insurer should be able to help you out, so check with them about resolving the problem before it becomes much bigger.

The idea of responsibility for negligent acts usually falls on the responsible party, but there are many options for multiple people to be responsible. Ideally, you will run a clean and safe construction site where you will not have negligence issues. Still, if something happens, you should prepare for multiple claims against you.

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