• FreeAdvice has a new Terms of Service and Privacy Policy, effective May 25, 2018.
    By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our Terms of Service and use of cookies.

Accedently broke a friends laptop

Accident - Bankruptcy - Criminal Law / DUI - Business - Consumer - Employment - Family - Immigration - Real Estate - Tax - Traffic - Wills   Please click a topic or scroll down for more.

D

Dman4585

Junior Member
I am from Massachusetts.
Hey, I'm not sure if this is in the right section as it's my first time posting here, but here's my question. I was hanging out in one of my friends dorm room last night and was sitting on the side of his desk because there was no where else to sit. There was an open beer bottle on the desk which wasn't mine, sitting next to his laptop. As I was getting up I must have grazed the bottle and it spilled over onto his laptop. He turned it off as quickly as he could, but apparently it's now dead. Now he is threatening to sue me for the damages. Does he have a case against me? It was a total accident, and the bottle knocked over wasn't mine, I didn't put it there. Now he says he will not speak to me until he talks to a lawyer. Any advice?
 


H

HomeGuru

Senior Member
Dman4585 said:
I am from Massachusetts.
Hey, I'm not sure if this is in the right section as it's my first time posting here, but here's my question. I was hanging out in one of my friends dorm room last night and was sitting on the side of his desk because there was no where else to sit. There was an open beer bottle on the desk which wasn't mine, sitting next to his laptop. As I was getting up I must have grazed the bottle and it spilled over onto his laptop. He turned it off as quickly as he could, but apparently it's now dead. Now he is threatening to sue me for the damages. Does he have a case against me? It was a total accident, and the bottle knocked over wasn't mine, I didn't put it there. Now he says he will not speak to me until he talks to a lawyer. Any advice?
Click to expand...

**A: my advice would be to stop drinking and partying.
 
V

Veronica1228

Senior Member
Dman4585 said:
I am from Massachusetts.
Hey, I'm not sure if this is in the right section as it's my first time posting here, but here's my question. I was hanging out in one of my friends dorm room last night and was sitting on the side of his desk because there was no where else to sit. There was an open beer bottle on the desk which wasn't mine, sitting next to his laptop. As I was getting up I must have grazed the bottle and it spilled over onto his laptop. He turned it off as quickly as he could, but apparently it's now dead. Now he is threatening to sue me for the damages. Does he have a case against me? It was a total accident, and the bottle knocked over wasn't mine, I didn't put it there. Now he says he will not speak to me until he talks to a lawyer. Any advice?
Click to expand...
They allow drinking in dorm rooms at your school???
 
D

Dman4585

Junior Member
Please don't jump to assumptions here, I wasn't partying and I wasn't drinking. There were about 8 people in the room chatting quietly and there happened to be an open container on his desk.
 
V

Veronica1228

Senior Member
Dman4585 said:
Can anyone let me know if he has a case here? I am unclear what the law is when it comes to this.
Click to expand...
He can certainly try to sue you, but how should anyone know if he has a case? That'll be up to the court to decide.

Either way, I think it would be only fair for you, the laptop owner, and the person who put the beer on the desk to try and reach an agreement to split the cost of repairs three ways. This isn't a legal suggestion, but it seems like a reasonable solution to me since all of you contributed to this "accident."
 
I

I AM ALWAYS LIABLE

Senior Member
Dman4585 said:
Can anyone let me know if he has a case here? I am unclear what the law is when it comes to this.
Click to expand...

My response:

You're at fault. You were negligent. The computer was working before you sat down. The bottle was undisturbed before you sat down. You failed to take the requisite care to avoid damage. You failed to sit elsewhere.

Pay the owner.

IAAL
 
B

BL

Senior Member
Dman4585 said:
Can anyone let me know if he has a case here? I am unclear what the law is when it comes to this.
Click to expand...
You put the Facts so eliquently , to minimize your negligence .

There happened to be a Beer container next to the Laptop .

I sit on the edge of the desk .

I didn't put it there .

When I got up I must have grazed the container , and It spilled on the Laptop .

Your Honor , I didn't mean to honestly ....

Pay up .... the resonable replacement cost ..
 
E

Ellerge

Member
Laptop

Let him sue!
HE had the Laptop on - HE invited you into the room - HE failed to furnish you with a chair - HE was the one that had a liquid container near a computer - (even a room temperature IQ knows better than this).
DON'T talk to him. DON'T write him. DON'T communicate with him in any way. DO NOT offer to pay for the Laptop or even pay him one cent. DON'T admit in any way that you are at fault!
If you talk to him, you will regret it!
 
B

BelizeBreeze

Senior Member
Ellerge said:
Let him sue!
HE had the Laptop on - HE invited you into the room - HE failed to furnish you with a chair - HE was the one that had a liquid container near a computer - (even a room temperature IQ knows better than this).
DON'T talk to him. DON'T write him. DON'T communicate with him in any way. DO NOT offer to pay for the Laptop or even pay him one cent. DON'T admit in any way that you are at fault!
If you talk to him, you will regret it!
Click to expand...
And your basis for this crap is?

Obviously it's nothing to do with proximate cause and liability. Or the law.

Troll gates are now operating.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Find the Right Lawyer for Your Legal Issue!

Fast, Free, and Confidential
data-ad-format="auto">
Top