I would think that the neighbor in whose yard the tree was would be responsible for any and all damages caused by his fallen tree. If the Martin's insurance paid for the damage then the neighbors's insurance should reimburse the Martin's insurance company. J.G. Taylor

I read your article in The Columbia Star, and I had the same problem with the city that you wrote about.

The city planted these trees years ago about 1950 on the property lines. I complained about it then, but the workers told me they had to put them where they were told to. The put one on every lot on Hemphill Street.

Around 2005, the one on my neighbor's property line dropped a big limb on my fence destroying part of it. I called the city, and they informed me that the limb came off the tree on the neighbor's side of the tree that straddled the property line so the city wasn't responsible for the damage to my fence. I disagreed with them because it was planted by the city on the property line.

I showed them that the tree on my property line was leaning toward my house. So if they would give me a letter saying that was my responsibility, I would trim my side of the tree to make the tree and limbs fall on the street. They wouldn't give me a letter. It looks as though anything that tree damages on my side, I am responsible for. Lairy B. Easterling