This past weekend there were very high winds in our Pickerington and Worthington offices' vicinity and we've had some inquiries about liability for damage caused by falling trees. One client asked us what to do when her neighbor's pine tree fell over the property line with about 60% of the tree's height on her side. Our reply was: ". . . if the tree was in really bad shape such that it was negligent of [your neighbor] not to notice this and take care of it before there was a storm, she would be liable for the damages/clean up on your side as well as her side. If on the other hand the storm was just too strong it's not her responsibility . . . . you should file a claim on your homeowners policy, as the usual policy covers something like this. Then the insurance company can decide if it wants [your neighbor] to kick in.

Be sure to check your yard trees soon!