CanI sue my parents landlord for compensation of my lost items due to damages?
Get Legal Help Today
Compare Quotes From Top Companies and Save
Secured with SHA-256 Encryption
CanI sue my parents landlord for compensation of my lost items due to damages?
I have lost about $200 in clothing and $100 in electronics due to my parent’s landlord’s negligence to fix a pipe leak that got worse. It started only leaking into the hallway but one day I walked into the back room to get myself and my children some clothes and everything was covered in water. I have pictures to prove that water did damage my belongings and not myself.
Asked on October 5, 2011 under Real Estate Law, Minnesota
Answers:
FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 12 years ago | Contributor
Nothing prohibits you from filing an action against your parents' landlord for perceived liability and damages resulting from water intrusion.
Rather than filing suit against your landlord right away, I suggest contacting him or her about your damaged goods and see if a voluntary payment might be made by the landlord or his insurance carrier in an amount that you are agreeable with. If so, then you do not have the hassle of having to file in small claims court, worry about obtaining a judgment or not and if successful collecting upon it.
One key aspect is to prove that that landlord was negligent in not having the pipe fixed. The problem with any lawsuit is establishing liability, then damages and then if successful on the first two, collecting upon the judgment.
Good luck.
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.