Can I sue someone for the loss of my items, if theywere placed in their care?
Get Legal Help Today
Compare Quotes From Top Companies and Save
Secured with SHA-256 Encryption
Can I sue someone for the loss of my items, if theywere placed in their care?
All of my items where placed in the storage under the name of a close friend of mine. He purposely did not pay and had all the stuff auctioned off. If I sue him, will I be able to get money for my lost items?
Asked on February 13, 2011 under Bankruptcy Law, Maryland
Answers:
S.L,. Member, California Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 13 years ago | Contributor
You can sue your friend for conversion. Conversion is the unauthorized assumption and exercise of the right of ownership over the personal property of another to the exclusion of the owner's rights.
Depending on the value of the items you lost, you may be able to sue your friend in Small Claims Court. Your damages (the amount you are seeking to recover in your lawsuit) should include the value of the items you lost and court costs. Court costs would include the court filing fee and process server fee.
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.