Legal Question in Civil Litigation in Wisconsin

A tree on my property uprooted and landed on some power lines causing the mast on my neighbors home to bend. The power company told me they would not be able to reconnect their service until an electrician fixes the mast. My home insurance agent told me I am not liable for my neighbor's expense to fix it. Is this true?


Asked on 3/31/17, 7:02 pm

1 Answer from Attorneys

JAY Nixon nixon law offices

In WI, unless property owners somehow cause trees to fall or fail to fix an obvious defect, property owners are not automatically liable for weather related damages, including trees falling due to a wind storm. The person claiming against you would normally need to show some level of fault on your part in order to recover. If they do bring such a claim, your homeowners insurer will need to defend it. From their comments, it appears that they are ready and willing to fight it out here rather than to pay. If I were you, I would let them make the call on handling the claim, although you actually don't have any choice about that, short of paying the claim with your own money.

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Answered on 4/01/17, 7:23 am


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