Trampoline goes airborne during storm and causes $10K in property damage, neighbor tries to dodge responsibility not knowing the homeowner is a lawyer: 'I was shocked at the audacity'

Author image for Isabella Penn
Isabella Penn
Mar 30, 2025 7:00 AM EDT

Trampolines are all fun and games until they catch a gust of wind and go fully rogue and tear through your neighborhood. One minute it's a backyard toy and the next, it's a flying wrecking ball. We've probably all seen a video edit or two with a trampoline majestically flying through the air. (Or is that just a midwest thing?)

Anywho, that's exactly what happened when this neighbor's trampoline went airborne during a storm and caused thousands of dollars in damage to their neighbor's decorative fence, insulated garage door, and newly built barn. But when the trampoline owner showed up (very unwillingly), he looked annoyed, like he was the one inconvenienced by not properly securing his trampoline to the ground. He tried to argue by saying this incident was an "act of God." But unfortunately for him, the trampoline landed in the yard of a real-life attorney. Lesson learned: if you're going to launch your trampoline into someone's property, maybe don't pick a lawyer's.

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  • Cheezburger Image 10486362624
    via Shay For Unsplash+

  • "AITA for asking my neighbor to pay for damages his trampoline caused?"

    Today around 5pm I got text messages from our great nextdoor neighbor who said that a trampoline came flying in a storm and damaged our fence/barn behind our house. I accessed our security system via my cell phone and found out the
    via Evillawyer2010
  • trampoline came from the neighbors across the street (NAS). We are not friends with NAS but up to this point have had no problems with them. I inspected the damage, our fence was destroyed, almost knocked flat. The trampoline hit
    via Evillawyer2010
  • the barn so hard it dented the metal walls and broke two panels on the garage door. There were all sorts of other minor scraping along the sides of the barn. As I was surveiling the damage, the husband NAS came walking
    via Evillawyer2010
  • up the driveway. He did not appear concerned and more annoyed than anything. I held our broken gate open for him to enter the yard and look at the damage with me. After reviewing the damage together he asked me what I
    via Evillawyer2010
  • Cheezburger Image 10486362880
    via Tasha Marie For Unsplash+
  • wanted to do about the damages. I was still a little shocked and said well your trampoline caused the damages, you are responsible. I'm guessing the damages between 5-10 thousand dollars.
    via Evillawyer2010

  • If you're no stranger to neighbor feuds, you'll probably like these memes: 23 Neighbor Memes for When You’d Rather Pretend You Didn’t See Them

  • The fence was decorative aluminum to appear like wrought iron and the damaged section was 4-5 panels and cost us approximately 4 grand three years ago. The garage door was insulated was around 3 grand two years ago. I have no idea
    via Evillawyer2010
  • how to estimate the cost to repair the dented, scraped, and damage metal walls of the barn which again is only 2 years old. NAS said well it's all damage to your property you should put all the damage through your
    via Evillawyer2010
  • insurance. I was again shocked and incredulous at the audacity of this person. I told him, I'm an attorney (I actually am in my state). Your failure to secure the trampoline caused it to fly into my yard and
    via Evillawyer2010
  • destroy my fence and damage my barn. I'm not putting a claim on my insurance (I don't want my premius to increase). I have great insurance and an umbrella due to the ponds on the property, and have a separate rider for the barn just to be safe. Due to my
    via Evillawyer2010
  • profession I made sure I have great insurance. I told him I can either get quotes to fix the damage that you can pay or you can make a claim against your homeowners insurance.
    via Evillawyer2010
  • He said "Well I'm not paying cash and not making a claim against my insurance. This was an act of God." I said to him, ok, I'm sorry you see it that way. My firm sues around 200 cases per week (not
    via Evillawyer2010
  • a brag, a fact). Suing one more next week will not be difficult. That is when NAS finally agreed to put his homeowners on notice and exchanged his phone number with me. Several colleges and my mentor said he
    via Evillawyer2010
  • probably never put the trampoline on his insurance and an unreported trampoline can lead to cancelation of NAS homeowners insurance. AITA for insisting NAS pay for the damage caused by their trampoline flying onto my property, one way or the other?
    via Evillawyer2010
  • TWH_PDX As an attorney, you should know this is a classic attractive nuisance. The unsecured trampoline is a nuisance. Your barn attracted it.
    via TWH_PDX
  • Your new barn shouldn't be out showing off its broad eaves and bulging hardware to the entire neighborhood. Of course, that sketchy tramp is flying over the first chance it gets.
    via TWH_PDX
  • Dramatic-Education32 NTA. I live in Japan and during typhoon season we make sure we flip our trampoline and put sand bags on it. Gotta do what you gotta do
    via Dramatic-Education32
  • Holiday-Judgment-136 I'm not a super attorney, but I would also tell you insurance will handle this initially. I would personally want everything in writing before I gave or accepted a dime from anyone. Plus the fact you got all pissy I would drag it out as long as possible.
    via Holiday-Judgment-136
  • Savings-Breath-9118 NTA - if it was minimal damage, I'd say let it go. But this is ridiculous - NAS needs to pay.
    via Savings-Breath-9118

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neighbors lawn entitlement lawyer neighborhood yard neighborhood-drama entitled people karma damage property Bad Neighbor
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