QUESTION
Wrongful Bee Extermination - What kind of lawyer do I need?
Asked on Oct 09th, 2016 on Business Litigation - Washington
More details to this question:
An extermination company killed my bees due to an "address mix up" supposedly. I don't know if I believe that, but I've grown & cared for those bees for five years. To me they were like a family pet/pet collective. To come home & find they've been killed, & this company saying nothing more than "sorry, it was an address mix up" is so painful. It feels wrong, & I'd like to know if I can do anything about it. But even Google isn't helping me figure out if I have any avenues, & if I do, which type of lawyer would speak with me about it.
1 ANSWER
If the bees could be considered your pets, you can sue for negligently destroying your property. Unless the bees were valuable, however, I don't know what damages you would recover. In New York, you would not meet the criteria for a claim of negligent infliction of emotional distress, for which you could recover damages for your mental suffering, but it is possible (although I doubt it) that the elements fo that tort are different in Washington and you could qualify. However, I would advise you to handle the matter yourself in small claims court, as you are unlikely to recover as much as you would spend on a lawyer.
Answered on Oct 11th, 2016 at 2:23 PM