To not pay for friend to get her phone fixed after I smashed it?

[katie3347]

Friday night me and my friend went out for drinks.
We were stood at the bar and I turned around quick and knocked my friends phone out of her hand,it hit the floor and smashed the screen.
It's still working but the screen is totally cracked.

She was a bit upset saying she didn't have insurance and couldn't afford to get it fixed.
I can't afford it either and shouldn't she have had insurance on such a expensive phone?
Anyway I haven't mentioned it since ..aibu to just not mention it again?
I know she probably expected me to pay to get it fixed but it was a accident and she was the one who let go once I hit her arm.

You should pay. When I was 23 my mother bought me a lovely Motorola flip phone, Miami ink special edition. I loved it. 2 weeks later on a work night out a guy I worked with for years put a salt cellar in my bag unknown to me til the next morning. The salt spilled and ruined the phone. He thought it was hilarious and I had to replace it myself. 11 years ago and I still think he’s a dick.

Absolutely you should pay for it - or at the very least offer to pay half

If you go into a shop and accidentally drop a vase and break it you'd have to pay for it. Why is this any different.

That's £40 I could use for other things.

Like going out clubbing, right.

I think if you are her friend, and you really do care for her as a friend you should really at least offer her something towards repairing the phone. It is your fault it got broken after all, even if it was accidental. The insurance situation is irrelevant.

To me it wouldn’t matter if it was an accident or not. If I broke something belonging to someone else, I’d pay to have it fixed. It’s about respect for other people’s belongings - how I was brought up and how I bring my kids up.

I despair. It's your fault regardless of insurance. If she took you to court, you would lose!. If you're really friends she will decline but you may ultimately come to a compromise.

I would definitely pay. I don’t see why you wouldnt!

I agree with the majority that you should pay. But in typical mn style the op hasn't returned to the thread, probably because she doesn't like the consensus.

I would totally offer to pay for this. It was an accident caused by you OP. You should pay. But of course you'll probably only listen to the pp telling you you shouldn't

Yes you should pay, how entitled are you to think you shouldn’t ? Unbelievable.

I swing round in a bar and got a nail in my eye, someone had their hand raised at that point, shit happens, especially in crowded bars.

The thing about I could use that money for other things tho . Think that's pretty off.

But if it was my phone, (and a shop being nothing like a busy pub/club!) I wouldn't expect person to pay. People are spinning round and stuff all the time, the place is full of people drinking for goodness sake.

Keep your phones out of harms way and expensive accidents. Jeez how many times have people had drinks knocked out their hands in bars, it happens and it definitely is going to happen. Phones and any other expensive kit are at risk.

Of course you should pay.
No question.
You caused it.
Now do the decent thing.

At first I thought this was a trick question. of course you should pay. Get the money somehow and pay the girl. It was an accident, but caused by you, unfortunately.

even if she did have insurance theres always an excess so she would still be out of pocket

I do love it when a thread goes all Judge Judy

She would probably say it's your actions that caused the phone to break and therefore you owe your friend.

I think you’re really inconsiderate to not offer.
Go halves. It’s your fault.

YABVU at least go halves, I’m happy you’re not my friend!

I think you should pay you broke it. Or at least offer

I am amazed at the number of people who think the OP shouldn't pay. She broke the phone. She is therefore legally liable for the cost of any repair or replacement.

The lack of insurance is a red herring. If the OP's friend had insurance, the insurance company would pay up but would come after the OP to get their money back. Insurance would not magically make the OP's liability go away. It would just mean it would be the insurance company rather than her friend suing her if she refused to pay.

I'm sorry OP but you are being unreasonable in refusing to pay. If your friend chooses to take it to court you would lose on the facts you have posted here.

I think you need to pay half?

I read the first few answers feeling quite incredulous and feeling like I was on another planet. What is wrong with you people? Of course you should offer to pay for something if you broke it? Regardless of whether it was an accident! However where you dragged up?!!

At the very least I would pay half. To be honest I’d pay the full amount. I get that it’s quite a lot of money but you are clearly not on the breadline as others have said. Did the right thing for goodness sake

I hear what others are saying, would any of you take precautions when taking a phone in hand into a busy bar? I would expect it to be at risk. Like drinking tea over my pc or putting drinks near it, asking for trouble?

Would be good if there was a legal eagle about to comment? I know insurance would pay up but thats cos ad is covered.

Also yea, insurance is for human error, but insurance not the issue.
I also wouldn't have my phone near swimming pool, or put phone down on worktops near sinks/drinks/other hazards.

You should pay, or at the very least, make a decent contribution

*Please excuse typos in previous message. I am multitasking and therefore speaking into my phone which never goes well

So what if you tripped over with red wine in your hand and spilt it on her expensive designer suede handbag and ruined the contents as well? Do you think she should have had insurance for her handbag?