Q: guy we were working for assaulted one of our workers 2x and now refuses to pay us. Says we are trying to extort
He also shoved his way into the camper we were living in and broke our stuff in the process of the 2nd assault. He is also trying to say we stole 10g worth of stuff that he said we could have and we got out of the dumpster. He refuses to pay and says he is keeping everything I purchased for the job already. He is telling people we did drugs there and that we did a bad job when we didn't just to cover his own butt. What do I do?
A: Hard to follow exactly what happened. If he assaulted you, you can sue for battery. If you were an employee, you can sue for the back wages and a penalty wage. If you were an independent contractor, you can sue for breach of contract.
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A: There could be a number of claims here. You may be able to sue for damages in a personal injury case for the assault. If additionally you are not being paid your wages, you could sue for back wages, and in most cases recover not just the back wages, but attorney fees as well. There also appear to be potential cases for damage to property and possibly defamation. I recommend consulting with a lawyer well versed in both employment and personal injury law.
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