Am I responsible and obligated for the damage in helping.....

[street]

So last week I had a guy asked me if I would help him remove an oil filter from his riding lawn mower. He had a couple other guys try to get if off with no success. I said I would help him, when I got there the oil filter was crushed and have tore apart but still threaded in the engine. It was a mess and really no way to remove it so we decided to tear the rest of the filter away from the threaded part.

After the canister was off I tried to twist the threaded plate from the motor and in doing so I broke the threaded stud on engine that the filter threads too.

He will need to replace the bottom unit of the engine and the part is 225$ and then there will be labor on that when the part comes in. He ordered the part. I went down the that store and paid half the part so they credit him that amount when he comes into pay for the part. I am debating on paying for the labor to fix it for him but wondering what you would do and am I obligated for paying the whole thing??

My question is am I responsible and obligated to pay for the part and labor to get it back in service??

 

[braumeister]

If it had been your idea, you might consider yourself obligated, but you just did what he asked you to do. Bad luck, but hardly anything you can be blamed for, as I see it.

 

[COcheesehead]

If I asked someone for help and they broke something, I wouldn’t pin that on them. I could have broken it by myself too. That’s the yin and yang of life. A popular phrase of days gone by is poopoo happens.

 

[engineernerd]

Um, no. Were you responsible for the oil filter being on so tight, or the stud being weaker than the plate threads? Seems to me it would be ungrateful for him to EXPECT volunteer helpers who did nothing that reasonable people wouldn't have done, to pay when damage results. Remember, too, that he always had the option to take it in for paid service in the first place.

It was a nice gesture to contribute towards his cost, hopefully he knows that and appreciates it (and you)!

 

[Koolau]

I don't think so. So much depends on your relationship. Were it me who you had helped, I'd say "Don't worry about it, street. I'll pay 'cause it's my machine and I asked for your help."

 

[Car-Guy]

He asked, others have tried and "messed it up"...Answer Duh, NO!

 

[street]

He said right away he isn't blaming me for what happened. I feel really bad about he is a good person not one to hold grudge and has good character.

Well, I wasn't sure if it was my responsibility or not. Now if I barrowed it and I broke it then I would not even question what is right or not. I still might help out more just because of my own character and I would be helping above and beyond.

Thanks that does make me feel better from hearing your views.

 

[pb4uski]

If it were me, I would not expect you to pay for it. I can understand the guilt that you feel, but he or someone else helping him or someone he took it to for repairs might have had the same thing happen.

And if he took it to a repair shop and they broke it because it was seized up, they would not pay for it so why would you?

Stuff happens.

 

[ferbm]

Aww... This really sucks. I've been there and just feel a pit in my stomach for you. If you felt you were grossly negligent, then I would insist on paying. If you were doing your best and "Stuff Happens," then I wouldn't worry about it. If it's a really great guy, even if he doesn't expect it, I think what you did demonstrates your goodwill and character.

 

[marko]

Help him put the new one on and call it even.

 

[Chuckanut]

It sounds like there was already a problem with the filter and its mount. You just happened to be the last person to touch it before it broke.

In the old days, you would be the goat, and get the blame despite all the things s did to mess up. Of course, today being the GOAT is great praise.

Either way, we can’t expect help from anybody if we blame them when something goes accidentally wrong. That’s why most states have hold-harmless good-Samaritan laws.

 

[badatmath]

I think it was very generous of you to pay half.

 

[street]

We all want to do the right thing and going above our duty in helping another is a good feeling.
Sounds like the majority are all on the same page. Thank You All.

 

[latexman]

"You can't make an omelette without breaking eggs“.

 

[Out-to-Lunch]

You are under absolutely no obligation to pay to get it back in service. What you did is very kind and thoughtful, and I would leave your monetary contributions at that.

 

[Teacher Terry]

I agree with everyone else here that you did a really nice thing by paying half even though it certainly was not your fault that it broke. You definitely did more than you had to and you have a lot of integrity.

 

[PlayinwithFIRE]

He seems alright with handling the bill-so no obligation to you.

The remaining question is-will it make you feel better about it ? If its gonna nag you every time you see him, and knowing you are not struggling to scratch together $100...go for it

pwf

 

[Flieger]

As far as being obligated, was this something you were being paid for, or just helping a friend? If the former, yes, if the latter, no. Helping in the latter is totally up to you.

Flieger

 

[Taco]

Street, there’s no doubt that you are one of the good. The world could use more like you.

 

[freedomatlast]

So someone over torqued the oil filter. Anyone who works on engines knows there's always a chance something .like this can happen when trying to deal with someone else's mistakes. If he had taken it to a mechanic and the same thing happened, there's no way the mechanic would foot the bill for the part or labor to replace it. OP has no obligation to pay, but it was a nice gesture for him to pay for half the part.

I had a similar situation getting an oil filter off of a friend's second generation Camaro. Same deal where the can was completely ripped apart when I got there. In that situation, I made a tool with a handle with bolts that fit into the drainback holes. It took a little time to make the tool, but it worked great and luckily nothing broke during removal.

Lesson for amateur mechanics: Don't over torque oil filters!

 

[pb4uski]

Are you saying that there is a good reason that the instructions say hand tight?

 

[old medic]

I think it was very generous of you to pay half.

I agree it very nice of you... But the blame starts with who put it on to begin with...
Then the damage done by others attempting to remove it.
I also wonder if he had majorly run it hot?

 

[Amethyst]

Your friend asked not one, but three amateurs to help him take apart a piece of machinery. Has he never watched a Three Stooges episode?
No, you are not remotely responsible for what happened after the two previous stooges friends had already damaged the part.

 

[jfn111]

I would probably do exactly as you did. I'd pay for half, not because I felt obligated, but that's what friends do.

 

[Jerry1]

I would probably do exactly as you did. I'd pay for half, not because I felt obligated, but that's what friends do.

I think this is about where you're at. Do what makes you feel good, knowing that you're under no obligation to do so. I don't even think, based on your post, that there is an expectation that you do anything. Just help your friend get back up and running in a way that you feel best.