Our tree took neighbor's powerline down, power outage for 3 days d/t holiday, legal

[Creeksider]

We are in PA, we cut down a dead tree the neighbor had wanted down. It snapped in two on the way down, taking out their powerline. The neighbor repaired the damaged line himself, told us to stay off his property, period, and also to call a building inspector to see the work so the power conpaby could turn the power on. It's the first day of a 3 day holiday weekend. The township insoectio. offices are closed until Tuesday. Since the elderly woman and son who live in the house don't have power, what do they have a right to bill us for, besides electrical repair & inspection? Hotel? Perishable food items? Personal stress? We need to know what money to try to put aside.
I assume they could take us to snall claims court?
Two years ago, a tree on our property fell on the same powerline. The power company got the electricity back on the same day. The neighbors never forgave us for the first time. They are a couple acres away from us with woods in between. They don't speak to us.

 

[FarmerJ]

You wrote >Two years ago, a tree on our property fell on the same powerline. The power company got the electricity back on the same day. The neighbors never forgave us for the first time. They are a couple acres away from us with woods in between. They don't speak to us. <<<< if the tree was not at all healthy I could see where they might be upset but you know on a serious note they have always had the right to hire a tree trimmer to trim the branches that over hang their property or could have called the electric company and asked if they could trim the limbs that were close to the line. YOU wrote we cut down a dead tree the neighbor had wanted down< Whose tree was it ? yours or theirs ? If the tree was on your property taking it down was the responsible thing to do but honestly Its hard to say what a Judge might award them if they chose to sue in small claims court, as to food loses honestly they could make arrangements to store things at friends or relatives( bring in ice blocks daily ) or even use a generator or another neighbor could even let them use several extension cords plugged in to them for a few days. Hotel who knows I suppose they could ask a judge for that but that doesn't mean they are going to get it. FROM now on if they complain about tree limbs and the tree is not healthy hire a pro to take it down or tell them to hire someone to take down the limbs on their side of the lot line!

 

[justalayman]

Why wasn't the power company called this time just like the last time?

If this was a service lateral you need to check to determine if the power company would have repaired this the same day just as before. If they would have you owe the neighbor nothing. It apparently cost the neighbor nothing to repair the line and the power being off for the short time it would have taken the power company to repair the line is not enough to warrant any compensation.

 

[FarmerJ]

By chance was that homes meter socket or the pipe that goes from the top to where the insulator (s) are and tie to the electric company lines torn down / off the house ? ( triggering a inspection before the electric company would restore service ?)