Quoted: Yes I did offer her to pay half just to put this thing to rest. Her response was, so your willing to pay half for something you did not do?
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At a certain point, it is no longer cheaper to settle. Heck, it might even be worth it to pay the whole amount in this case b/c atty fees with almost certainly exceed the amount in contest if the case goes all the way to trial but half is a good starting point. Not to mention that your guys may have to get pulled off a job to come testify. You might explain that it's not worth your trouble for half but if she insists on all of it maybe it's worth it to you as a matter of principle.
Make it clear that you aren't offering a settlement because you admit liability but rather because it's less trouble. In fact, if she is that much of a crank, you might insist on her signing a comprehensive release, too especially if she has not already had the work done....estimates have a way of getting bigger and that means she will be back for more.
Lastly, insist on documented proof of the cost of repair before paying a penny. I prefer to see paid bills. Estimates can be drawn up anywhere and be bogus and legit. If she received a bill and PIF, that strongly suggests that the cost of repair requested is legitimate. After all, she paid the bill despite the risk that she may not recover. Most folks will not pay an overinflated bill but will gladly shop for the highest estimate, demand payment at that amount and then hire the lowest bidder and pocket the difference.
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is your company a corporation? if so, you may need to hire a lawyer to represent you.... check the rules for small claims court, often times the corp must be represented by an attorney and the individual cannot have an attorney
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I alluded to this above. That is the law in IL but when the corp is essentially one guy (paper only) I have seen judges ignore this requirement in small claims. I mean, heck, what are you going to do? Appeal? Not realistically.
No one seen this happen and i checked the door there is no paint on it or the plows.
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Did someone hear it? Does the damage look like it could have been caused by the plows? If it does and if she says it wasn't there right before you plowed and was there immediately after, the judge could easily conclude that your guys are responsible if he finds her to be credible. Again, if the judge makes a bad call, appeal is not a practical option here.