I sold a SFH back in 2023 after renovating. As a part of the renovations, we installed new kitchen cabinets. The new owner rented the place to someone and apparently one of the cabinets fell off of the wall. This occurred a couple of months after we closed. The tenant claims the cabinet hit her and caused injuries, but didn't bring suit until this past March, two years after the incident. We got served a "pracecipe to reinstate the writ" yesterday joining me as a defendant with the new owners. This came totally out of the blue two years after selling the place. The plaintiff is wanting "damages in excess of $ 50,000 plus interest, costs and other relief."

Nationwide is the insurer for the new owner and their attorneys are demanding a jury trial. Upon checking the pronotary's website on the case, it appears they intend to represent me as well. They were actually the ones to join me as a defendant and I'm thinking this is simply a move to shift this onto me and my insurer. I'm thinking I'm not wanting them to defend me but instead will submit the claim directly to my insurance company.

The idiot contractor I used apparently did not screw all of the cabinets into the studs. Once I talk to my insurance company, I may have them join him as a defendant.

Finally, I think this whole thing is BS and a money grab. The new owners were newbies and rented to someone with an LL/Tenant case history. In this instance, the tenant won the case and actually got a settlement from their prior LL however, my criteria denies any LL/Tenant history whether the tenant won it or not. The same applies to any civil cases the tenant was a plaintiff in.

Here's the lesson for me having sold the place nearly two years ago; even when you think you're done, you're not done. Who would have thought something like this would come up after you sold? Not me.

Any advice or insight would be appreciated.

I sent everything to claims and I'll need to see what they come up with. I'm think their attorneys will decide on whether to join the contractor as a defendant. I had a written agreement with him that requires that he maintain $ 1.0 of liability.

Cant wait to see all the dated medical / doctor reports.

To all those in similar situations, you need to learn about "construction laws"! Those who you interacted above in your post, did not do right -- they were only after money, not justice.

When you hire a licensed contractor, they have a "License" bond, and liability insurance. As the owner, you should have a Fire/Liability Policy as well.

If you hired a real "professional" who is trained and licensed to install kitchen cabinets, then they and their "License Bond" are liable for the first $25,000, and their "General Liability Insurance" will pay the rest!

But if you hired some "handyman" who can't even scrap two nickles together and hasn't the means to make the tenant whole, they the owner's insurance they had during the original install, should pay out the claim.

I did an inspection for a family buying a triples in Burbank California. They wanted to hang ceiling fans everywhere. In my report, and I explained to them in person, the property had only PLASTIC CEILING JUNCTION BOXES, that could only support a 5 pound light fixture, not a fan. They needed to replace the plastic box with a kit that installs a new metal fan j-box and anchors it between to ceiling joist.

The hired person who installed the ceiling fans just attached the fan to the plastic boxes. Fans started falling from the ceiling, injuring tenants property, pets and children.

The owners modified my report and the tenant then sued me. When I met with the tenants lawyer, I tried to explain that I was not at fault, but all he wanted was money. A 550K settlement. So I counter sued the owners and tenants, for making a modified report and not following my instructions. When the jury read my report and learned the owners had knowledge and put those at risk, and the tenants lawyer wouldn't listen to reason, I won a judgment against the tenants insurance carrier, the lawyers insurance and against the tenants. They appealed and we finally settled.

Sorry to hear that you are caught up in this.

Really want to hear how it all works out. I would hate to have to deal with something from years ago that someone else claimed I did wrong.

It's pretty common in a lawsuit for the plaintiff to name everyone and his brother, even if it's a long stretch to hold them liable.

When I was sued last year, they named me personally, AND my IRA account, AND the IRA custodian. That's like suing the bank that loaned you the money to buy the house in the first place.

You stated that Nationwide was "actually the ones to join me as a defendant." I'm assuming that means THEY added you as a defendant as well?

If that's the case, definitely get your insurance involved. Even if you win, the legal fees will bury you. Ask me how I know...

Did you also overload these same cabinets?

This happened in my personal residence several years ago when my son was 2 or 3. He was about 5 feet away from getting hit, but fortunately wasn't. The original contractor was so proud of his work that he signed the wall behind the cabinets, which would have made tracking him down a breeze but luckily never came to that.

Not too useful now but next time don't post that the idiot contractor did or not do a thing. might come up in some search with AI.

I'm going back under my rock.

Gotta watch them Contractors like a Hawk.

Was the property sold "as is?" As mentioned above, any inspections done by the buyer?

This will be easy for me to say as I am not you, but this a money grab via the old "spaghetti against the wall and see what sticks." In your case, the pasta won't stick, just a little wet with old spaghetti.

You will be dropped from the lawsuit and probably your contractor also. In order for you to be liable you had to have knowledge of the defective install and deliberately attempt to cover it up. If it was a $500k or million $ claim, then they might drag the contractor in and tap his coverage.

The best to you.