If you live around Edmonton, you know that trees tend to line the streets in a picturesque manner (recent statistics estimate there are 12.8 million trees in the city!). However, sometimes these majestic giants don't remain rooted and end up toppling onto private property instead.
Whether it's a mighty pine or a stand of trembling aspen trees, weather conditions can cause them to come crashing down on residential properties. When it comes to a tree falling, wondering what your legal rights are is completely understandable. That's what this quick guide will cover. Let's explore what happens when an unexpected fall occurs.
WHO IS AT FAULT?
The first question most of our customers have regarding a tree falling on private property is whether they're responsible.
For example, let's say your neighbour's tree falls on your property and damages your parked car. Are they responsible for the damage, or are you?
In Canada, if a tree falls on private property and causes damage to a vehicle or home, the person whose property was damaged is responsible for filing a home insurance claim. So, it's not necessarily the tree owner who needs to bear the cost of the damages, but rather the impacted homeowner or vehicle owner.
However, just because you can't be responsible for dead trees falling onto a neighbour's house or car doesn't mean you shouldn't take home landscaping and tree maintenance seriously.
3 THINGS TO DO IF A TREE FALLS ON YOUR PROPERTY
Now that you know who is responsible in a situation like this, what are the next steps you need to take? If a tree has fallen on your property, follow these steps.
Evacuate the Area
First, ensure everybody is safe. If a tree falls on your home, evacuate the home immediately. Your priority should be ensuring that everyone gets to the ground level safely and on time. Once everyone's safety has been secured, you can investigate the tree further and decide what steps to take next.
Assess the Damage
Next, assess the damage from the tree and look for any hazardous situations. This could include downed power lines, damaged pipes, or even debris.
Stay away from downed power lines; treat any power line or cable as active and contact your local energy provider. Most importantly, do not attempt to move any trees, wires, or other debris yourself. Call a local tree removal specialist for help removing a tree.
Consider Tree Removal Services
A tree removal service typically consists of cutting down or sawing through branches and trunks until the tree is cleared away from your property. At All Season Tree Service, we usually recommend stump grinding as the safest and most reliable way to remove all traces of the tree.
NEED EMERGENCY TREE SERVICES IN EDMONTON?
Seeing a tree falling on your or your neighbour's property can be a scary experience. However, we're here to help. At All Season Tree Service, we have over 30 years of experience serving homeowners in Edmonton and surrounding cities.
We understand that tree removal can often be an emergency service, so our team is available 24/7 to help you with tree-related emergencies. If you need emergency tree removal services, call us at 780-464-2436 and bookmark this page for future reference.