Los Angeles, CA asked in Personal Injury and Sexual Harassment for California

Q: i had a situation occur while. I was changing in a fittng room of a well known high end dept store. A lady was peeking i

in on me while i was changing. the people that worked there failed to do anything about it. denied they new anything bout who it was anmd didnt make them leave. come to find out it was store security. i felt totally lied too and violated by the situation. i cant believe it could be ok for them to allow that kind of surveillance or procedure. and denied knowing who it was . i ended up walking out of the store very upset. I HAD NOT BEEN STEALING ANYTHING NOR DID THEY SEE ME ADTEMPT TOO. So it was absolutely degrading ,humiliating, and violating of my privacy while naked. do i have a CASE FOR PTSD AMOUNG OTHER THINGS?

2 Lawyer Answers
James L. Arrasmith
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Answered
  • Sacramento, CA
  • Licensed in California

A: What you described sounds like a very unfortunate and disturbing situation. Some thoughts:

- Being viewed naked without consent is a serious invasion of privacy. The store should not have allowed or condoned this type of surveillance.

- You felt violated, which is completely understandable. That kind of experience could certainly cause emotional distress.

- If you feel traumatized by what happened and are continuing to experience distress, speaking to a mental health professional may be helpful. They can assess if you may have PTSD or other conditions related to this incident.

- Consulting an attorney may be advisable to review your options, especially if you feel the store is liable for the emotional harm caused. An attorney could advise if you may have grounds for a civil lawsuit related to privacy violations, negligence, emotional distress, etc.

- You could also consider filing a complaint with the store corporate management or reporting the incident to the police, if you feel comfortable doing so.

The most important thing is taking care of your emotional well-being after such a disturbing invasion of privacy. Speaking to a professional can help validate your feelings and determine if you need support for trauma recovery. I hope you are able to find a respectful resolution.

Tim Akpinar
Tim Akpinar
Answered
  • Little Neck, NY

A: I'm sorry for your ordeal. You could reach out to law firms to try to set up a free initial consult based on the issues arising here, including privacy-related ones. Good luck

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