Seeking help with big civil court filing(s)
Later this year the statute of limitations will run out on a five figure property damage claim that I need to file, either in small claims or general civil court in Alameda County, California. I have not been able to find an attorney or agency to help me determine the appropriate filing(s) to make, let alone an attorney willing to represent me if I decide not to file in small claims court.
As brief a summary as I think can do the situation justice: I parked two transit buses that I owned on a fenced lot partially rented by a friend with their permission. Friend's landlord told him to tell me to remove them or he would tow them. Before the tow deadline, landlord instead moved the buses (how?) within the lot and hired a construction company demolition team to remove the interior paneling and wiring from the buses, rendering them inoperable. One friend was witness to the arrival and work of that crew. Before I could arrange to sell the dead buses, landlord rented the lot under them to a govt agency (EBMUD) and that agency pushed the buses around with a rented bulldozer causing significant exterior damage. Once they were damaged inside and out, someone (identity TBD?) reported them as blight to the city, so the city towed them and immediately destroyed them before I received notice they say they mailed to me. My administrative claim for damage compensation to EBMUD was denied.
In the condition I parked them, both driven onto the lot under their own power, with interior seats removed and insignificant to minor/moderate exterior damage, in the SF Bay area, I would expect them to have sold for $10-15k each. Equivalent (size, age, condition) replacements are not commonly readily available; I would expect to pay $15-30k for functional replacements without months of lead time.
Left to my own devices, I expect to be naming as defendants some combination of the lot landlord/owner, his real estate holding companies, the construction company, its owner (for whom it is named), its employees involved in the damages (identities currently unknown), EBMUD, the EBMUD employees who had access to the bulldozer keys that day, their supervisors, and the city's blighted vehicle destruction program.
I would appreciate any direct referrals to attorneys who can advise or represent me. Or just any direct advice on naming defendants, how to determine damages, whether/how to split the case into two or more, and whether one or more of them should be in small claims court.
I know that making public posts about a pending civil action is generally contraindicated. If I hadn't already tried half a dozen referral services and spoken to a dozen attorneys and law firms who declined to help I'd be a lot more circumspect. At this point I either find some help through this public outreach or I wade into this ordeal blind and alone.
As brief a summary as I think can do the situation justice: I parked two transit buses that I owned on a fenced lot partially rented by a friend with their permission. Friend's landlord told him to tell me to remove them or he would tow them. Before the tow deadline, landlord instead moved the buses (how?) within the lot and hired a construction company demolition team to remove the interior paneling and wiring from the buses, rendering them inoperable. One friend was witness to the arrival and work of that crew. Before I could arrange to sell the dead buses, landlord rented the lot under them to a govt agency (EBMUD) and that agency pushed the buses around with a rented bulldozer causing significant exterior damage. Once they were damaged inside and out, someone (identity TBD?) reported them as blight to the city, so the city towed them and immediately destroyed them before I received notice they say they mailed to me. My administrative claim for damage compensation to EBMUD was denied.
In the condition I parked them, both driven onto the lot under their own power, with interior seats removed and insignificant to minor/moderate exterior damage, in the SF Bay area, I would expect them to have sold for $10-15k each. Equivalent (size, age, condition) replacements are not commonly readily available; I would expect to pay $15-30k for functional replacements without months of lead time.
Left to my own devices, I expect to be naming as defendants some combination of the lot landlord/owner, his real estate holding companies, the construction company, its owner (for whom it is named), its employees involved in the damages (identities currently unknown), EBMUD, the EBMUD employees who had access to the bulldozer keys that day, their supervisors, and the city's blighted vehicle destruction program.
I would appreciate any direct referrals to attorneys who can advise or represent me. Or just any direct advice on naming defendants, how to determine damages, whether/how to split the case into two or more, and whether one or more of them should be in small claims court.
I know that making public posts about a pending civil action is generally contraindicated. If I hadn't already tried half a dozen referral services and spoken to a dozen attorneys and law firms who declined to help I'd be a lot more circumspect. At this point I either find some help through this public outreach or I wade into this ordeal blind and alone.