And if it happens that a tree belonging to the city falls and causes damage, then the typical result is that the city just isn’t responsible for anything.
Some years ago, a city-owned tree (on a home-owners property, one of those things where a quiet residential street is lined by a row of city-owned trees) caused some damage. A limb broke off and fell on the home-owner’s car, which was parked at the curb. This happened in Paso Robles, CA.
City disavowed liability. Home-owner (and car-owner) took city to small claims court and won a judgement. City appealed.
When a losing defendant appeals a small-claims case, at least in CA, it works like this: The case is simply tossed. That simple. A losing defendant can simply disavow losing a small-claims case that easy. Now, if the plaintiff wants of pursue the case, he can file a new case in Superior Court and have it heard de novo there.
So plaintiff home-and-car-owner did that. This time, the city disavowed liability on an Act Of God defense, and won.
City, 1. Citizen, 0.
(No idea how it played out after that, like if he got insurance coverage or something. If the city got an Act Of God ruling, I would think the insurance could cite that to get out of paying also.)