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Proof that bills were incurred and paid to repair real or personal property shall create a rebuttable presumption of the reasonableness of the amount paid and the necessity for the repairs in any civil action seeking damages for injury to, or improper repair, of the property.
This presumption shall not extend to any payments which exceed the sum total of one thousand dollars ($1,000). The plaintiff may select those payments, not exceeding one thousand dollars ($1,000), for which the plaintiff wishes to claim the benefit of the presumption.
Proof of such payments shall be itemized in the civil warrant or complaint at the time suit is filed by attaching a list showing payments, amounts, person paid, goods or services for which payment was made and a copy of any invoice, bill or receipt. Failure to attach the invoice, bill, or receipt may be excused, in the court's discretion, if none was rendered, it was lost and cannot be found after diligent search or it has been inadvertently destroyed.
In no event may the presumption created by this section be permitted, over objection, by an amendment to the civil warrant or complaint within thirty (30) days of the trial.
At the trial of the cause, any such payments may be introduced into evidence as though there had been competent testimony as to their reasonableness in amount and necessity, but shall constitute no proof of any wrongdoing by the defendant.