Would you pay for it?

[RadioNate]

Last Sat night our friends had a Halloween party. During the party my DH ran to get something and slipped and fell on their hardwood floors. It was an unintentional fall and we found out later that our friend's wife had waxed the hardwood floors before the party. When he fell he ran into their Xbox 360 which fell onto it's side.

Well appairently the Xbox doesn't work. We have offered to replace it, the cost is $400. His wife thinks she may have bought the extended warrenty and if she did I'll be convered. In that situation we'll likely cover any fees and maybe give them a gift card for a new game or something for their troubles.

But, part of me is a little bothered by the whole situation. It was totally accident. Yes DH was goofing off but he didn't mean to slip on the freshly waxed floors. Also, I'm not sure that given the situation I would ask a close friend to pay the entire cost. I mean if I had a party with 30 or so people and a lot of alcohol I'm not sure I would leave an expensive delicate electronic sitting out where it could be damaged.

Maybe I'm just upset because now I'm not getting the new camera lens I was going to order for myself.

Bottom line is that we will pay for it. The friendship is too important to let $400 come between it but I just wanted other people's opinions.

ETA: I have an update on page 3. But I did want to make it VERY clear that we have offered and WILL pay for any repairs necessary. There is no question about what we are doing. I really just wanted to know what other people would do in the same situation. The reason I ask is because if the situation were reversed, I'm not sure I would handle it in the same way.

 

[poohandwendy]

I would pay for it. But it would leave a bad taste in my mouth that my friends expected me to and I would NEVER expect a friend to pay for something accidental broken when visiting. As a matter of fact, I wouldn't even mention that the item didn't work, I would just take care of it myself.

If it was super expensive, I would probably use my homeowners insurance to replace it.

 

[Linzybrooke]

I would find it odd that they would leave it out during the party...anyone could have tripped on it, it could have been spilled on, etc. Do you know that it was working prior to the party?

I would pay to get it fixed, but would not pay to replace it. Falling on its side should not have ruined it.

 

[Tiggeroo]

i would offer and assume they'd decline. In fact, I'd be ticked if they accepted. I might say dh has to go to chiropractor because he tweaked his back falling on your waxed floors. I was wondering about those bills.

 

[poohandwendy]

i would offer and assume they'd decline. In fact, I'd be ticked if they accepted. I might say dh has to go to chiropractor because he tweaked his back falling on your waxed floors. I was wondering about those bills.

LOL, good point. Are they concerned about the fact that he could have seriously injured himself, or is it all about the broken Xbox?

 

[JennaTX]

Maybe offer to pay half?

I don't know this is a hard situation.

Since you are good friends, ya'll should be able to work it out between you without any hard feelings.

I agree with what you say though, if they are good friends, I would end up paying the $400, but also I would not expect them to ask me.


LOL, I am no help!

I guess bottom line is don't let the money come between you, good friends are hard to find!

 

[Alicnwondrln]

i would not have left something like that out
and wouldnt spoli a friendship a close one with asking for the $ to replace it

 

[Cool-Beans]

I would absolutely pay for anything my kid broke in someone else's house.

On the flip side, I wouldn't accept money if someone else's kid accidentally broke something of mine.

 

[poohandwendy]

I would absolutely pay for anything my kid broke in someone else's house.

On the flip side, I wouldn't accept money if someone else's kid accidentally broke something of mine.

LOL, exactly. It should be offered, but refused, IMO.

 

[Cool-Beans]

LOL, exactly. It should be offered, but refused, IMO.

Yup!

I'd offer three times, then quit...unless it was someone who obviously would have trouble replacing the item. Then I'd just leave them the money and not take no for an answer.

One kid broke our wall! Seriously, there was a big hole in the wall by the pool table, which we didn't notice for months, because...

He and my idiot son got the extra paint and painted a piece of paper to match the wall and GLUED it to the wall, then put a chair in front of it. One of those tall pool-chairs. DH found it one night when he and buddies were down there and moved the chairs.

I swear my kids (and their friends) are THE biggest doofuses on the DIS. The kid owned up to it, and apologized for breaking the wall and for the cover-up. I never got the *real* story on how it happened. Maybe when they're older, they'll 'fess up. Dopes.

...but I paid for the repair.

 

[poohandwendy]

Yup!

I'd offer three times, then quit...unless it was someone who obviously would have trouble replacing the item. Then I'd just leave them the money and not take no for an answer.

One kid broke our wall! Seriously, there was a big hole in the wall by the pool table, which we didn't notice for months, because...

He and my idiot son got the extra paint and painted a piece of paper to match the wall and GLUED it to the wall, then put a chair in front of it. One of those tall pool-chairs. DH found it one night when he and buddies were down there and moved the chairs.

I swear my kids (and their friends) are THE biggest doofuses on the DIS. The kid owned up to it, and apologized for breaking the wall and for the cover-up. I never got the *real* story on how it happened. Maybe when they're older, they'll 'fess up. Dopes.

...but I paid for the repair.

LOL, that is too funny...a piece of paper! Sounds like something my son and his friends would do.

 

[juligrl]

If somebody fell, hurt themselves and ruined my non-existant xbox at my house I'd be more concerned for the potential of being sued than the stupid xbox. If both of you are wise you'll just let it go.

 

[ElizaB39]

If you do pay for it, make sure you get it from them. You basically bought them a new one and could have the broken one fixed for yourselves.

 

[Sandy V.]

If somebody fell, hurt themselves and ruined my non-existant xbox at my house I'd be more concerned for the potential of being sued than the stupid xbox. If both of you are wise you'll just let it go.

That's exactly what I was thinking. Why on EARTH are these people concerned about their stupid video game box?!?!? Your husband fell in THEIR house and if he's hurt, you could sue them. If I were the other family, I'd be checking into my homeowner's insurance coverage right now.

And if I were you, I wouldn't pay them anything for the x-box damage. Maybe it's my suspicious nature, but I'd be wondering if they were going to "double" their profit by making you pay for it and then they also get a check from the insurance company by filing a claim for the damaged game system.

Accidents happen. That's why they call them accidents!!!

 

[Cindyluwho]

In the OP it's mentioned that there was a lot of alcohol at the party. Was DH out of control drunk? I know it's a personal question but if someone was at my home and out of control drunk and they broke something I'd be a little tweaked. Getting a buzz at a party is one thing but getting falling down drunk is quite another. I'm guessing that's not the case but just wanted to check. If it was an accident that wasn't the fault of overdrinking then no way would I expect someone to pay for damage. Accidents happen. But if someone had a habit of getting smashed and caused some damage I'd think differently.

 

[momrek06]

OP, I have a question....HOW DO YOU KNOW THE XBOX WAS WORKING PROPERLY WHEN YOUR DH FELL AGAINST IT....

We have XBOX (or my DS' do) and they have dropped it (while moving it) and yes they were angry at themselves BUT it works absolutely fine...those game systems aren't all that fragile...heck, kids are playing them 24/7....

#1) I would NOT buy a new one.

#2) I would OFFER to REPAIR it.

I don't think you will ever know IF in fact it was working properly PRIOR to the party...(unless they were playing it AT the party and you knew for a fact it was fine until DH fell against it).

And if it was MY house (and I have hardwood floors alllll over my entire first floor)....I would be so HAPPY your DH did not hurt himself as vs worrying about our XBOX working properly.

BTW: To have WAXED the floors prior to the party was probably not the best plan...maybe she should have done them much early (1 week or so) or (after the party was over)!!! Newly waxed hardwood floors can be slippery as heck!!!

 

[4cruisin]

Never mind

 

[lulugirl]

I think offering to pay for it was the right thing to do, I think your friends should do the right thing and decline your offer.

 

[mrsltg]

Yikes! Very sticky. I too would have offered to pay but would (shame on me) expect to be turned down. Sort of like the price of doing business... You have a party, sometimes things get broken. If your dh was acting reasonably and fell I would think the hosts would be more concerned that a guest hurt themselves at their home (not for fear of being sued, but for fear that a friend was injured). Wow.

 

[Beca]

I would offer to pay for the xbox, but then I would present the part of the bills that insurance did not cover for a chiropractor.