My tree split in half during a storm and hit my neighbor's house. The tree removal "expert" then trimmed the remaining half of my tree and left it about 40 feet high. He pulled that part down and *that* half hit my neighbor's house as well!

I now have that tree removal "expert" suing me for the full removal of the tree. He will be getting insurance money from my neighbor for removal; and, he will get ins. money from his own insurance for the damage he did to the neighbor's house.

In addition, he never cleaned up the job or removed the logs (this was a 70' tree!) or brush (took me and my neighbor 3 hours with a chipper).

He was also drinking while operating a chainsaw.

I have offered to pay him for 1/3 of the full tree removal bill which he gave me 4 days after he was at my property. I do not see how I would owe him for the removal of the tree off my neighbor's house for either time.

He did less than 1/3 of the job of removing the tree from my property - the weather did half, and the rest was left just sitting on my lawn.

What should I do? Everyone (my lawyer, all 3 ins. co.'s, all say that the tree removal should be paid by my neighbor's ins. co. and the tree guy's ins. co. (for the portion he crashed onto my neighbor's house).).

I see you mention that you have a lawyer. He or she will be the best person for you to talk to about your next step.

he is a friend of the family and out of state and is just giving advice.

Then you may want to speak with an attorney. You can also browse through the information in LawInfo's Free Legal Resource Center to learn more about your issue. See: http://www.lawinfo.com/consumer.html.