Entitled neighbor demands resident pay for the damage caused to her tree after it fell on their car during a storm, resident claims the opposite: ‘The tree owner is responsible’

Author image for Bar Mor Hazut
Bar Mor Hazut • Senior Editor
Oct 21, 2025 9:00 AM EDT

As kids, big storms usually made us quite excited. Not only was it pretty fun to sit in the comfort of your home, with the heater on and a spooky movie playing on the living room TV, but a big storm also presented the opportunity for school to be canceled. The bigger the storm, the greater the possibility that our parents would receive a call tomorrow morning, telling them that the kids must stay indoors. What more can a child ask for?

As adults, even though storms still have benefits, there is one thing that we never thought about as children that always crosses an adult's mind when a storm is coming–the damage. What would happen to your front lawn, or the car that's parked down the street during this huge storm? And what kind of bureaucracy will we have to deal with as soon as we find out exactly what damage was done?

That is exactly what the neighbors in the story below are currently dealing with. After a big storm, a tree branch fell from one neighbor's driveway onto another's car. Both the tree and the car were damaged, and now the neighbors are disputing over who is required to pay for the repairs.

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  • 01
    Fallen tree crushed parked car
    via Shumoff

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 02

    Entitled neighbor insists I pay for damage she caused I never asked for it

    I (26F) live in a townhouse. One of my neighbors, M (40s), is that neighbor who always expects favors.
    via Low_Type_2238
  • 03
    A few weeks ago, during a heavy storm, a large branch from one of her trees cracked and fell across my driveway.
    via Low_Type_2238
  • 04
    It damaged my car bumper when I came home. Her tree. I called her, she agreed the branch was from her tree.
    via Low_Type_2238
  • 05
    She said she would cover the repair. But the next day she changed her tune: she claimed the wind was unusually strong, not her fault, and insisted my insurance should handle it, then asked me to pay her compensation for lost potential value of the tree she claimed it was ornamental, worth $$$ in aesthetic value.
    via Low_Type_2238
  • 06
    At first I was stunned: she expects me to pay her because her tree is damaged?
    via Low_Type_2238
  • 07
    She says I'm responsible for cleanup afterward. I'm flabbergasted by her sense of entitlement. I don't want to fight, but I also don't want to be exploited.
    via Low_Type_2238
  • 08
    I've asked around; legally the tree owner is generally responsible for damage caused by their tree to a neighbor.
    via Low_Type_2238
  • 09
    But she's making noise in the homeowners' group, saying I'm trying to bully her, cost her reputation, etc.
    via Low_Type_2238
  • 10
    What do I do here stand firm and possibly risk escalating hostility, or give ground and accept some cost to avoid drama?
    via Low_Type_2238
  • 11
    Fallen Tree Branch Damages Car
    via SteveDF

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 12
    Remarkable_Inchworm I would double check the legal responsibility thing. In a lot of places, damage from a falling tree is nobody's fault unless that tree was already known to be damaged or at risk of falling. When a large branch from my neighbor's tree fell and damaged my roof, I had to make a claim with my own insurance. So she may very well be right about that part. As for you being responsible for damage to her tree? She's out of her gourd.
    via Remarkable_Inchworm
  • 13
    Careless-Image-885 Stand firm. The storm caused the tree issue. Get a lawyer. She's unhinged.
    via Careless-Image-885
  • 14
    Southern_Common335 Check r/treelaw, in general you are responsible for paying for the damage to your own property. You have no obligation to her for her loss of value etc, People here claiming her tree means she pays are wrong.
    via Southern_Common335
  • 15
    Odd_Tea4945 Well, your neighbor is already doing drama, so unless you do what she wants, drama is on. I won't do it. I will take her to small claims court and she can sue the wind for the branch that felt
    via Odd_Tea4945
  • 16
    mojo4394 So obviously you have no responsibility for the damage to her tree and her asking you to pay for that is ridiculous. But whoever is telling you the tree owner is responsible for damage to someone else's property is almost always wrong. Unless there is documented proof that the tree was a danger a branch falling is considered an act of God and if a branch damages your property you're responsible no matter who owns the tree.
    via mojo4394
  • 17
    ImaRaginCajun This has happened to me before. I live in Florida, if my healthy tree falls in the neighbors yard from a storm, that's on them, not me.
    via ImaRaginCajun
  • 18
    dogswontsniff So everybody here is wrong so far. Feel free to join r/treelaw You don't owe her anything for her tree breaking. That is true. She doesn't owe you anything for your car! Unless the tree was known to have been dead or dying. Usually it's something noticeable, you have an arborist assess it, then send them a letter to take care of a damaged tree. Any limbs that overhang YOUR property are considered YOURS in most places. If it falls on your side, it's yours to clean up. If it damages
    via dogswontsniff
  • 19
    KMIGlobal It's going to be considered an "Act of G-d" by her home owners insurance and she won't be liable. Use your car insurance. It will cover it and won't raise your rates for this.
    via KMIGlobal
  • 20
    Unhappy_Energy_741 If a tree falls on your property from a neighbor's property, then unfortunately, that's your problem to take care of. So just go through insurance for your car. However, she is completely unhinged if she thinks you owe her money for the limb falling.
    via Unhappy_Energy_741
  • 21
    SapTheSapient Report the damage to your insurance. Let them fight your neighbor for the money.
    via SapTheSapient

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Tags

aita neighbors storm house neighborhood car neighborhood-drama neighborhood-stories reddit story petty damage entitled tree Reddit entitled people
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