Who pays for my loss?
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Who pays for my loss?
While working as maintenance person for an
apartment complex, a residents dog took my
personal glasses and chewed them up while I
was working within their apartment. Is the
owner of the dog or my employer liable?
Asked on July 16, 2018 under Employment Labor Law, Washington
Answers:
S.L,. Member, California Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 5 years ago | Contributor
The owner of the dog is liable for negligence. Negligence is the failure to exercise due care (that degree of care that a reasonable dog owner would have exercised under the same or similar circumstances to prevent foreseeable harm).
You can sue the dog owner in small claims court for negligence. Your damages (monetary compensation you are seeking in your lawsuit) would be the cost of replacing your glasses. Upon prevailing in the case, you can also recover court costs which include the court filing fee and process server fee.
You can enforce a judgment against the dog owner with a wage garnishment.
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