Question:
Hi,
My son was riding his bike and made a scratch on a car. We wrote a note and left it on the windshield but the person didn’t call. It rained the next day so the note may have gotten erased.
It’s a few months later and the damage wasn’t fixed (so I assume the owner will not fix it, it’s a minor scratch).
If an adult would have done it then he would need to follow up to ensure the message was read. Since it’s a minor, am I obligated to tell my son that it’s possible the note got lost and he should write it again.
Answer:
Hello,
The preferred thing is to put another note on the car just in case the owner indeed didn’t see it. Although a child how damages, cannot be charged in Bais Din, nevertheless this is what should be done, “l’tzeis yidei shomayim”. As a side point, even if the car owner wants some compensation, you wouldn’t have to pay him more than the value that the car depreciated.
Best wishes
