San Ysidro, CA asked in Business Law, Communications Law and Intellectual Property for California

Q: uncle maliciously threw out my computers, my lifes hard work was in them. Can I sue for damages and get help w retrieval

He was suppose to hold my things which were in the garage , while i looked for a storage unit and dealt with some business and things. I was assured nothing from the garage was being thrown out. When i went to pack up stuff my computers were gone , sent to the recycling center 7 weeks ago. All my lifes work blood sweat and tears ontop of all the priceless pics of fam , all the prolofic musical compositions from my beloved late uncle ,my business ,writings and crafts , basically all the hard work and passion ive put into my craft and my business were in those computers and he knew it as he was made well aware that i intented to back all that stuff up through several conversations we had. he had not told anyone at the house when he had done it nor gave any indication that he did so until i found out. Firstly i would love my stuff back , if the hardives arent shredded they could still be in a holding facility, if only there was a legal way to obtain the information as to their wearabouts

1 Lawyer Answer
James L. Arrasmith
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Answered

A: You may have grounds to sue for damages based on the concept of negligence or conversion, which involves someone taking or disposing of your property without permission. Since your uncle was supposed to hold onto your belongings and you relied on that agreement, his actions might be considered a breach of that agreement, especially if he was aware of the importance of the computers and the data they contained.

To potentially recover the lost items or their value, you could file a claim in civil court. You might want to start by sending a formal demand letter to your uncle requesting compensation or details on the whereabouts of the computers. If the hard drives were sent to a recycling center, you may also want to contact the facility directly to see if they can help retrieve them or provide more information about their status.

Consider consulting with a lawyer who handles property disputes and damages to explore your options further. They can help you understand the best course of action and the likelihood of retrieving your property or obtaining compensation for your loss. Taking these steps can help you move forward and determine the best way to address this situation.

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