Condo Media - April 2022 - 16

Asked & Answered
When a Tree Falls
Who's Liable for What?
During a recent windstorm,
a large tree from a neighboring
community fell on our association's
property, damaging a building and
a number of cars in a parking lot.
Who is responsible for repairing
the damages as well as the cleanup?
the damages as well as the cleanup?
While this question is often asked, the answer
to each question is, " It depends. " It may be useful
to fi rst address:
●self-help as to trees located on an
abutter's property,
●the dropping of branches or trees from
an abutter's property,
●and liability of the abutting homeowner
for damage in the case of a healthy tree
verses an unhealthy rotted tree.
CAN TRUSTEES ENGAGE IN SELF-HELP?
Massachusetts law recognizes a right of self-help by
which a property owner can cut the limbs or branches
of a tree that invade his property as long as such
cutting is done at the property line. A neighbor has
the right to remove so much of the tree as overhangs
his property. The neighbor is not without remedy.
His right to cut off the intruding boughs and roots
is well recognized.
Massachusetts law states that a neighbor is allowed
to cut overhanging branches that invade his
or her property. There is no doubt of the right of the
adjoining proprietor to cut off limbs and roots that
16 CONDOMEDIA April 2022
invade his premises. Pursuant to G.L. c. 231A, as a
matter of law a property owner has the right under
Massachusetts law to cut the overhanging branches
to the property line, provided that the cutting is
done solely on the owner's property.
WHAT ABOUT LABILITY FROM DROPPING
BRANCHES, LIMBS, OR AN ENTIRE TREE?
The failure of a landowner to prevent the blowing
or dropping of leaves, branches, and sap from a
healthy tree onto a neighbor's property is not
unreasonable and cannot be the basis of a fi nding
of negligence or private nuisance. Of course,
a neighbor has the right to remove so much of the
tree as overhangs his property. To impose liability
for injuries sustained as a result of debris from a
healthy tree on property, adjoining the site of
the accident would be to ignore reality and would
be unworkable.
Therefore, if a tree falls down and parts of the
tree land on the abutter's property, the owner of
each property upon which the tree lands is responsible
to remove that part of the tree that ends up on
that owner's land. The owner of the land upon which
a tree is located is not negligent simply because tree
limbs fall, or a tree is uprooted and falls as a result
of a storm, into the abutter's property.

Condo Media - April 2022

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Condo Media - April 2022

Contents
Condo Media - April 2022 - Intro
Condo Media - April 2022 - Cover1
Condo Media - April 2022 - Cover2
Condo Media - April 2022 - Contents
Condo Media - April 2022 - 2
Condo Media - April 2022 - 3
Condo Media - April 2022 - 4
Condo Media - April 2022 - 5
Condo Media - April 2022 - 6
Condo Media - April 2022 - 7
Condo Media - April 2022 - 8
Condo Media - April 2022 - 9
Condo Media - April 2022 - 10
Condo Media - April 2022 - 11
Condo Media - April 2022 - 12
Condo Media - April 2022 - 13
Condo Media - April 2022 - 14
Condo Media - April 2022 - 15
Condo Media - April 2022 - 16
Condo Media - April 2022 - 17
Condo Media - April 2022 - 18
Condo Media - April 2022 - 19
Condo Media - April 2022 - 20
Condo Media - April 2022 - 21
Condo Media - April 2022 - 22
Condo Media - April 2022 - 23
Condo Media - April 2022 - 24
Condo Media - April 2022 - 25
Condo Media - April 2022 - 26
Condo Media - April 2022 - 27
Condo Media - April 2022 - 28
Condo Media - April 2022 - 29
Condo Media - April 2022 - 30
Condo Media - April 2022 - 31
Condo Media - April 2022 - 32
Condo Media - April 2022 - 33
Condo Media - April 2022 - 34
Condo Media - April 2022 - 35
Condo Media - April 2022 - 36
Condo Media - April 2022 - 37
Condo Media - April 2022 - 38
Condo Media - April 2022 - 39
Condo Media - April 2022 - 40
Condo Media - April 2022 - 41
Condo Media - April 2022 - 42
Condo Media - April 2022 - 43
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Condo Media - April 2022 - 45
Condo Media - April 2022 - 46
Condo Media - April 2022 - 47
Condo Media - April 2022 - 48
Condo Media - April 2022 - Cover3
Condo Media - April 2022 - Cover4
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