Schaefer v. Hoffman

When the plaintiffs excavated for the basement of their garage they removed the lateral support to which Hoffman’s lot was entitled for a depth of four feet, and in place thereof substituted a concrete wall. The defendant Hoffman’s plans called for a basement extending to a depth of three feet beyond that of the plaintiffs. The plaintiffs, in law, therefore, when they dug their excavation, were legally bound to protect the defendant Hoffman’s lot in its natural condition from damage resulting from the removal of the lateral support. On the other hand, when the defendant Hoffman excavated…