what kindof attorney do i need to go to court against damage to my property by gas company

by Betty Hermann I 5 min read

Any general practice attorney should be able to handle it. Avvo has a great "find a lawyer" tool to locate a local lawyer. Good luck.

Full Answer

When to hire a lawyer to sue for property damage?

Jan 22, 2019 · If they only have a limit of $5,000 and the damage to your car is $8,000, you may have to sue the driver for the $3,000 difference in order to repair your car. Other types of property damage may be covered under your homeowner’s insurance policy, but only under certain circumstances. If your teenager hits a baseball and it flies through your ...

What should I do if someone damages my home or property?

Could the seller's real estate agent be held legally responsible for negligent misrepresentation?

How does Small Claims Court work with commercial property damage?

Find a local Property Damage attorney in your state. Our client reviews, law firm profiles, and live chat make it easy to find the best Property Damage lawyer for you. ... who submit reviews are either individuals who consulted with the lawyer/law firm or who hired the lawyer/law firm and want to share their experience of that lawyer or law ...

What is the maximum amount you can sue for in small claims court in California?

Small claims court handles cases that involve disputes over money or property, usually below a set financial limit. In California, an individual can collect up to $7,500 in small claims court, while corporations and limited liability companies are still limited to $5,000.May 2, 2022

In which court would one file a lawsuit where the claim is greater than 10 000 in California?

If your claim is worth more than the limit, you can file your case in civil court. You can represent yourself or hire a lawyer in civil court.

What is the statute of limitations on small claims in California?

You'll have to bring it within the statute of limitations period for your particular case. For example, the California statute of limitations is two years for oral contracts, four years for written contracts, two years for personal injury matters, and three years for personal property damage cases.Mar 12, 2020

How do I take someone to small claims court in California?

Have a question about Small Claims? Chat with us.
  1. Figure Out How to Name the Defendant.
  2. Ask for Payment.
  3. Find the Right Court to File Your Claim.
  4. Fill Out Your Court Forms.
  5. File Your Claim.
  6. Serve Your Claim.
  7. Go to Court.

What are the easiest things to sue for?

The law must support your contention that you were harmed by the illegal actions of another.
  • Bad Debt. A type of contract case. ...
  • Breach of Contract. ...
  • Breach of Warranty. ...
  • Failure to Return a Security Deposit. ...
  • Libel or Slander (Defamation). ...
  • Nuisance. ...
  • Personal Injury. ...
  • Product Liability.

Who pays court costs in civil cases?

Court Costs are generally paid by the losing party at the conclusion of the case.Jan 5, 2017

What happens if you win in small claims court and they don t pay?

If you have received notice that someone is taking you to court over a small claim and you ignore it, the claimant may be able to get the court to issue a judgment forcing you to pay. Therefore, doing nothing and ignoring the creditor can work against you.Mar 31, 2022

What kind of damages can you sue for in small claims court?

What Kinds of Cases Go to Small Claims Court?
  • Breach of contract disputes.
  • Personal injury claims (such as dog bites)
  • Collection on debts or loan repayments.
  • Professional negligence claims (like bad car repairs)
  • Claims regarding the return of a renter's security deposit or personal property.
Aug 25, 2020

Can you bring an attorney to small claims court in California?

Small claims court is a special court where disputes are resolved quickly and inexpensively. In small claims court, the rules are simplified and the hearing is informal. Attorneys are generally not allowed.

What can you do if someone owes you money and refuses to pay?

If someone owes you money and they refuse to pay you at the agreed time, you may take the matter to the Small Claims Court. If someone has bought goods such as furniture from you and they have failed to pay for it, you can take the matter to the Small Claims Court.

Do I need a lawyer for small claims court?

You do not need a lawyer for small claims court, and some states don't even allow you to have one. Read an overview of your state's small claims court laws first. There are many advantages to seeking legal help from an attorney, but you would likely have to pay attorney's fees.Apr 30, 2020

What is the minimum amount for small claims court in California?

If you are an individual and want to file a lawsuit for $10,000 or less, you have the option of filing a small claims case or a limited civil case. If you are a business, you can file in small claims court for $5,000 or less.

What are some examples of negligent acts?

Here are more examples in which a person or business failed to act with reasonable care and as a result, was negligent: 1 While playing with his kids in his small backyard, Kevin hits a ball over the fence, smashing a neighbor's window. 2 While upgrading Eva's computer, Joshua carelessly installs the wrong chip, which crashes Eva's hard drive and ruins the computer. 3 RapidMail Inc., a local courier service, loses several time-sensitive messages and fails to notify the sender of the problem.

What is a plaintiff's lawsuit?

In most cases, a plaintiff files an action against a defendant claiming that the defendant negligently (accidentally) or intentionally damaged the plaintiff's property. The plaintiff brings the lawsuit seeking monetary reimbursement for the damage.

What is negligence in law?

Like good taste or bad wine, negligence can be easy to recognize but hard to define. In essence, it occurs when someone is careless and damages your property as a result. Legally speaking, negligence is defined as follows: 1 you suffer property damage as a result of another person's conduct, and 2 that person didn't act with reasonable care under the circumstances.

What is property damage?

Property damage cases are one of the regular types of lawsuits that come before judges in small claims courts regularly— they're a staple. In most cases, a plaintiff files an action against a defendant claiming that the defendant negligently (accidentally) or intentionally damaged the plaintiff's property.

Do all landowners have insurance?

If you own real property (land and structures) that another person or a force of nature damages, it's unlikely that you'll turn to small claims court to cover your loss. Virtually all landowners have property insurance to cover such losses.

What can a lawyer advise on?

A lawyer can advise an individual what they may be entitled to in their state, as laws vary by state. Issues may include alimony and child support. Without a lawyer, an individual runs the risk of inadvertently waiving their rights to alimony, visitation with their children, or even custody of their children.

Can a lawyer work in a law firm?

Lawyers can work in a law firm with other lawyers, with a partner, or practice by themselves in a solo practice. In most cases, a lawyer will be chosen based on the type of case, or practice area, and the location of the case. Lawyers can provide a wide range of services to their clients. Some lawyers handle many different types of cases.

What is a lawyer?

A lawyer is an individual who is licensed to practice law in a state. Lawyers are also known as attorneys or an attorney at law. Some lawyers are licensed in multiple states. Some lawyers are admitted to practice at the Federal level as well.

What does it mean to practice law?

“Practicing law” can mean many things, including drafting legal documents, representing a client in court, and/or providing legal advice to a client.

What is criminal law?

Criminal law is the body of laws that pertain to crimes. Crimes are actions or behaviors prohibited by state or federal laws. Crimes are punishable by fines, probation, and/or imprisonment. Usually, crimes are categorized as misdemeanors or felonies.

What is a crime?

Crimes are actions or behaviors prohibited by state or federal laws. Crimes are punishable by fines, probation, and/or imprisonment. Usually, crimes are categorized as misdemeanors or felonies. Another category of criminal law includes local ordinances, infractions, and/or minor traffic violations. These types of offenses are punishable only by ...

Can a guilty plea affect immigration status?

Some guilty pleas, even to misdemeanor charges, can have long-term consequences. A guilty plea can also affect immigration status or lead to deportation of a non-citizen. It is important to remember that, in most cases, when an individual cannot afford a criminal lawyer, the court will appoint one to represent them.

Jon Friedman

Any personal injury lawyer can help you but since there is no pot of money at the end of the case, you will have to agree to pay them by the hour. It might be better to pursue this in small claims court so you don't have to pay an attorney's fees. Best wishes#N#More

Christian K. Lassen II

Any general practice attorney should be able to handle it. Avvo has a great "find a lawyer" tool to locate a local lawyer. Good luck.

What does a property damage attorney do?

A property damage attorney can provide guidance regarding what your policy covers and can give you an honest assessment of the insurance company’s settlement offer. If you don’t believe your insurance company is properly valuing your claim or treating you fairly, a property damage attorney can offer solutions to help you get ...

What is bad faith insurance?

Bad faith insurance cases allow the policyholder to recover the money they deserve or, in the most severe cases, even more money than their claim would have paid had the insurance company operated in good faith.

Is insurance a business?

Insurance companies are businesses, not charities. They fundamentally make decisions intended to maximize their profit, which usually means keeping revenue (the premiums you pay) high while minimizing their costs (the claims they pay you for damages).

If your home came with unhappy surprises like leaks, cracks, broken mechanical systems, or other defects, the financial responsibility might not be yours alone

If your home came with unhappy surprises like leaks, cracks, broken mechanical systems, or other defects, the financial responsibility might not be yours alone.

Minor Home Defects or Natural Aging Aren't Grounds for a Lawsuit

You probably knew when you bought the house that it wasn't in perfect condition. Some problems, such as a crack in the front walk, might have been obvious. Others, such as aging plumbing, the seller might have told you about in the course of the sale.

Could the Home Seller Be Held Legally Responsible?

Even if you think you've been wronged, you can't sue everyone who was involved in the sale of your home. The home seller is the first one to consider, of course.

Could the Seller's Real Estate Agent Be Held Legally Responsible?

Some states' laws make sellers' real estate agents liable for failing to disclose problems they observed or were told of by the sellers, though often their duties are fairly limited. Check your state's disclosure laws and try to figure out whether the problem would have been apparent to the broker, but not to you, before the sale.

Could Your Home Inspector Be Held Legally Responsible?

Hopefully, you got a home inspection before buying. In theory, the inspector should have spotted problems that the seller wasn't aware of, or was turning a blind eye to. If the inspector missed problems that an expert (a professional peer) should have noticed, the inspector might be on the hook; that is, legally liable.

Do You Have a Solid Case?

Once you've figured out the possible responsible parties, you'll want to know whether their action—or inaction—might entitle you to compensation. If your situation meets the criteria below, you might have a good case. We've collapsed a few legal principles into this list, but it will apply to most situations in most U.S. states.

Legal Basis for Filing a Lawsuit

In legalese, you could potentially sue someone based on any of the following principles, or some combination of them:

1 attorney answer

A real estate or construction litigator should be able to help. Try your local bar association. You may have to check with the bar association in Des Moines if there is not a big bar in your county.

James Thomas Dixon

A real estate or construction litigator should be able to help. Try your local bar association. You may have to check with the bar association in Des Moines if there is not a big bar in your county.

Can You Sue a Mechanic for Misdiagnosis?

A mechanic misdiagnosis, also known as a “faulty diagnosis” or simply as a “mistaken repair”, occurs when a mechanic does not identify the true problem.

What Does Mechanic Liability Insurance Pay For?

Mechanic liability insurance is a specific type of insurance policy that is meant to protect mechanics and auto repair shops from liabilities that may arise as a result of unexpected accidents like property damage to a vehicle, faulty repairs, or if a customer waiting to pick up their car gets injured in the repair shop.

Do I Need an Attorney for Help with Automobile Mechanic Liability Issues?

As is evident from the above discussion, when you leave your car at a repair shop, the mechanic working on your vehicle can be held liable for actions that fall below a certain level of care.