Everyone hopes they can get along well with their neighbor, but the reality is that disputes and conflicts can arise. If your neighbor damages your property, for example, it may even end up leading to litigation.
In some cases, this could be accidental damage, such as if they back into your fence while pulling out of their garage and your fence needs to be replaced. In other cases, it could be intentional damage, such as if they try to take a shortcut across your yard or if they actively vandalize your property during a neighbor dispute.
In still other situations, it could be part of an overall boundary dispute. For instance, maybe your neighbor believes that the fence is on their side of the property line, so they tear it down on purpose, claiming they have the right to do so. But you claim that the fence is actually on your side of the line and that they have now caused thousands of dollars in damage to your property.
What legal options do you have?
In all of these cases, there are legal steps you can take. For a boundary dispute, the first logical step may be having a survey conducted of the property to determine exactly where those property lines lie.
Next, you need to consider the value of the damage that was done and the financial costs you are facing. These are often much higher than people anticipate. If your neighbor damaged your tree and an entire full-grown tree has to be replaced, for example, it could cost thousands of dollars to put your property back in its original condition.
Naturally, this type of litigation with your neighbor can become complex and very contentious. That is when it can help to work with an experienced real estate attorney.
