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liquidice · Feb 15, 2006, 02:36 PM

Over 2 weeks ago a incident occurred at my University.
Sum up what happened, I was in rez, getting my friend to take some pictures of me in my suit before I went to the winter dance, I was leaning up against the wall, when the wall basically caved in on me. (If anyone knows about Universities they have weak walls) The following day I fill out a report to the university explaining what had happened.
Now 2 weeks letter, not hearing a word from the school they send me a official signed document stating what had happened and how much I have to pay (155.25)... the thing is they have it dated the day before. And they do have the correct floor it happened on but in the document they said my floor, however I don't live on that floor.
With those flaws in the paper is there anyway I can get myself out of this mess, specially seeing how it was in accident in the first place?

Fr_Chuck · Feb 15, 2006, 03:08 PM

NO, you can ask them correct the issues, but this sounds like merely an incident report which can have an admentment added to it. But having anything wrong does not change the main facts.

You may try not to pay on the grounds that you did not "destroy or damage" the wall but that it was merely the wall that caused you harm when it broke.

Most colleges have an appeal process to some body on these issues, I would follow it up the appell process

CaptainForest · Feb 15, 2006, 09:19 PM

The fact that the date is wrong is really irrelevant. They typed it up wrong.

Basically, they say you owe them money for breaking their wall.

You should counter saying, "Hey, I didn't break the wall. This wall was so weak that it would have broken on any one. I did what any reasonable person would do".

Because frankly, it doesn't sound like you owe them a single dollar. It sounds like it's their own fault and you should let them pay for it.

Note: Once you pay it, it will be much harder to get the money back. SO don't go pay it and say, I will get it back later. Trust me, that is the worst thing to do. They get greedy once they have their money.

excon · Feb 16, 2006, 06:32 AM

Hello:

I wouldn't pay either. As a matter of fact, I would prepare a letter just like the one you got, telling them they have to pay your doctors bill, and pay you for your pain and suffering you experienced from their defective wall.

However, if they want to make it a wash, you would be willing to do so.

excon

Fr_Chuck · Feb 16, 2006, 08:02 AM

I will remind you that this is though the University, so a lot of the normal law suit and methods will be different here. As a student you signed a lot of legal agreements to pay for damages and also gave them many rights to hold you responsible.

So they will not "sue" you, if they believe the money is owed to them and you don't pay, most likely they will merely charge this to your student account and it will be there and have to be paid prior to graduation.

** I worked at a major state college in TN and was amused at all the fees and charges students found two weeks prior to graduation that had to be paid before they got their sheep skins. They were running all around campus paying parking fines, paying lost book fees, libaray fees and so on. Plus of course charges housing billed them for damages.

So if you don't plan on paying, do try the appeals process that the campus supplies you to use. Often you are heard by other students or a mixure of student and teachers or admin people.