Posted on 05/07/2008 6:37:34 AM PDT by Dan Nunn
DULUTH, Minn. - The driver of a 1997 Honda Civic that struck and killed a dog near Cloquet is suing the dog's owners for damage done to his vehicle.
Jeffery Ely was driving on the night of Jan. 4 when Fester, a miniature pinscher, squeezed past owner Nikki Munthe as she was letting in her other dog and ran out onto the road. Ely's car struck Fester, killing the 13-pound dog instantly.
Now Ely is suing the Munthes for about $1,100 for damage to his car, time he had to take off from his two jobs to get the car repaired, and court fees.
(Excerpt) Read more at startribune.com ...
Yeah, right. That's why he's suing the owners for damage to his 11 year old car.
:::rolls eyes:::
Really? I've never owned a dog, so I hadn't considered the coverage. I assumed it would be covered, when reading this story.
An armadillo would be like hitting that 13 lb. rock!
They are going to lose.
If he had been jogging instead of driving, and the dog rushed out and bit him, causing $1100 worth of medical bills, would you feel the same?......
The owner is responsible for the damages done by his animal. Grit your teeth, pay the bill, and move on.
The simple way to avoid such liability is to not have a dog. To me, they are worth the price, and I will pay for the damage they might do.
“I haven’t hit anything recently except my lawnmower.”
Why were you driving through the yard and which kid was mowing?
Why would your repair such a thing. Just reinforce the edge from the back, maybe pick it out with a little pinstriping, and drive with pride!
It's not a bug, it's a feature!
When my son and I were walking home from the poll last night, a dog owner let a yellow lab the size of a bear out of the garage. It rushed up to us, gasped, and then collapsed and started licking my son’s feet. The owner kept saying, “Don’t worry! He won’t hurt you!” while the obese animal sighed and slobbered on Tom’s toes.
That said, I don’t like dogs that bark and chase me when I’m running. My cats never do that to anyone.
Yes they are compact and hard as a rock! And nearly as smart.... As for insurance, my "old" Allstate policy did cover pet damages, but when they dropped us, after 25 years and NO claims, because of the hurricanes in '04-'05, we had to go with a "cut rate" insurance company (as many here in Florida had to do) and they don't cover animals..........
That was me. I was putting the Purple Thing in the garage.
Why is HE suing the owners? File the claim with his insurance company, get his car fixed, and let the insurance lawyers file a suit to reclaim the damages. That is one great reason for having insurance coverage, you get lawyers just waiting to sue someone.
Now, if the driver doesn’t have insurance, why is he allowed to drive?
“An armadillo would be like hitting that 13 lb. rock! “
Nah, they splatter real good. I remember driving with my parents once through a newly opened section of interstate highway in Louisiana one morning. The amount of armadillo road kills in a two mile stretch looked like Omaha Beach on D-Day.
About 600 (probably more) years of common law legal tradition says yes.
Maybe it depends on what you’re driving.
I love my dog but I would understand completely if I was held responsible to any damage he did to someone else's property. If I did not know this was Freerepublic I would think I was on a Democratic Underground thread. I though one of the main things people who post here have in common is their respect for individual responsibility.
Hello??
Most States requite liability insurance. None require collision/comprehensive. Getting ones own insurance company involved is like asking them to raise your rates.
ML/NJ
Ranchers know that they will be held liable if their animals wander into traffic. This is old and established law.
Don’t know why it would be different for loose pets.
I always said that if I ever hit the dog, I was going to sue them for the damage.
That is an EXCELLENT question, sir.
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