Family asked to pay for car damage after dog run over

[JoKTM]

http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=CNG.ce790ff71ff6bbbca9e18d3940bfe8d9.531&show_article=1

A car insurer has asked a Canadian family to pay for repairing a broken bumper after their dog was struck by the vehicle and died, local media said Thursday.

The traffic accident occurred in March while Jake, a 12-year-old yellow Labrador, was out for his daily stroll around a quiet neighborhood in Aurora, Ontario, north of Toronto.

Kim Flemming had let the dog out when she arrived home from work. Moments later, a man knocked on the door to say a car had run over Jake.

"I got to the road and he was dying," Flemming told the Toronto Star. "He died in my arms."

Two months later, the family received a bill in the mail for 1,732.80 Canadian dollars (1,648.95 US) from State Farm Insurance.
The letter said Flemming had been found responsible for damage to the vehicle. "As such, we are looking to you for reimbursement," it reportedly stated.

 

[jkbogart]

It's an unfortunate story but at the end of the day, dog owners are responsible for their dogs when off leash.

 

[tigerjayne]

What he said.

 

[Lauren F]

Sadly I have to agree with the above posters sad story but its part of life.

 

[A. E. Moreira]

Dog owner is responsible . Sad story but they should pay for damages if the driver was not found to be negligent in the accident . .

 

[mumba]

Keep your dogs on a leash. Actually, it should be short leashed so that the owner walks the dog not vice versa.

 

[The Reverend Soleil]

I cannot believe you guys! Obviously, none of you has had a dog or a pet. A member of the family for 12 years dies, and you find it acceptable that these bloodsucking insurers charge the dog owners? This is soulless! Why don't they send some State farm employees to piss on the dog's grave while they're at it.

Stop the world, I want to get off. (and I'm taking Becky, Noir, Kareena, Sophia, and Sonya with me).

 

[raiin1029]

Come on now DB. I've had a dog (passed away). I always had him on a leash (Doberman) Short leash in fact. It's not heartless. There is a responsibility on pet owners to manage their pets. If the dog were leashed as it should have been, there wouldn't be this discussion.

 

[Pompal 09.]

Yes, it is absolutely the owner's responsibility, that's not the issue. Accidents happen, and this is what it was. At 12 years, a lab is an old dog, should not have wandered but did, and tragedy struck. Someone at the insurance company made the decision to charge a grieving family for the damage their dead companion caused to the car that struck him.

The decision was completely correct from a procedural standpoint. I'm not arguing this. But this is why we have humans make decisions instead of computers, because there is an empathy factor here, or there should be. Charging the family was inhuman.

I'm surprised and disappointed none of you see it this way.

 

[Rana]

Think they see it that way Dream but most are logical enough to understand and accept insurance brokers have no feelings or hearts. Money and profit taking is their number one concern.

 

[Nic]

Yup sad but true, good one Scott.