California Property Damage Legal Questions

Did you agree either in writing or orally to pay any storage charges when you dropped the trailer off?  If not, you can tell him you never agreed to that arrangement, and any charges he attempts prior to him telling you he will charge you $20/day are void.  However, after he told you he will charge you that and you have a certain time to come get the trailer, you will need to either make other arrangements with him or get the trailer by that date to avoid those charges.  Check out the trailer to make sure the damage has been repaired.  If it hasn't, you can continue to sue him in SC court for that damage (presuming it's less than $10,000 worth of damage).  He may try to offset the storage charges in the court case, but given the amount is so low, maybe he'll be agreeable to settle out of court.... Read More

It would depend on why the battery cable short-circuited.  Did it short circuit because of something the owner of the car/garage did?  Was it caused by a faulty cable?  Power surge?  Is there a fire cause analysis report from the fire marshall?  This could be more complicated than simply the owner of the car/garage is responsible.  In any case, the owner of the car/garage should open a claim with their insurance to obtain further advice/representation.... Read More

First question - are you are renter?  Since you mentioned "apartment," I assume you are.  Second question - Did you have renter's insurance?  If not, you should always have renter's insurance.  It's relatively inexpensive as insurance goes. Third question - What caused the neighboring building to catch fire?  Knowing what caused the fire to begin with as well as what caused it to spread will be key to establishing who is responsible for your losses.  Fourth question - Which company insures the neighboring building that caught fire?  You should file a claim with that company. Fifth question - What are your losses?  Sixth question - Can you document your losses with a list or some photographs or both?  Insurance will require this in a fair amount of detail, if they pick up your claim. I have more questions about possible liability of your landlord, but contact me if you want to discuss further.... Read More

The short answer is yes, you can sue.  Every so often, you hear of a case of cemetery or mortuary negligence, whether it be in the handling of the deceased person's remains, the burial, or some other issue.  I am curious about some of your description.  Did your father's casket come out of the ground because of the water?  Have you determined if there are any damages?  Do you know who/what caused the pipe to burst, assuming that was the cause?  These are initial questions that I would want to know more about.... Read More