Can I file a police report for personal property damage?
Get Legal Help Today
Compare Quotes From Top Companies and Save
Secured with SHA-256 Encryption
Can I file a police report for personal property damage?
I was washing my clothing at the laundromat. I went to go check on my white clothes after the machine was already running. I opened the lid and put my hand inside the washer and felt something which wasn’t my clothes. I took it out and it was a mop. I ask the cleaning lady if it was hers and little did I know it was and, that the lady used it to clean the floor. I checked my white clothes and they’re all dirty gray now. I complained to her and she said something along the lines of.
Asked on January 2, 2019 under Criminal Law, California
Answers:
SJZ, Member, New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 5 years ago | Contributor
This is not a crime: there was, it seems, no criminal intent to damage or destroy your clothing. At most, it was a negligent or careless act, and such are not crimes. Since it's not a crime, there is no police report.
If your clothing was ruined, you could sue her and the laundromat (as her employer) for the value of the clothing (not the replacement cost; what it was worth, given its age and condition), such as in small claims court. That would be your only recourse.
IMPORTANT NOTICE: The Answer(s) provided above are for general information only. The attorney providing the answer was not serving as the attorney for the person submitting the question or in any attorney-client relationship with such person. Laws may vary from state to state, and sometimes change. Tiny variations in the facts, or a fact not set forth in a question, often can change a legal outcome or an attorney's conclusion. Although AttorneyPages.com has verified the attorney was admitted to practice law in at least one jurisdiction, he or she may not be authorized to practice law in the jurisdiction referred to in the question, nor is he or she necessarily experienced in the area of the law involved. Unlike the information in the Answer(s) above, upon which you should NOT rely, for personal advice you can rely upon we suggest you retain an attorney to represent you.