Any owner of stolen personal property may bring a civil action for damages against the person that stole the property. Civil liability does not include imprisonment, but can result in the non prevailing party having to pay the prevailing party. Monetary damages in such a case may include:
- compensatory damages, including the value of the property and any other loss sustained as a result of the theft
- liquidated exemplary damages in the amount of $150 or twice the value of the loss, if the value of the total claim is less than $5,000, and
- costs of initiating and maintaining the action
The civil action may proceed if the following conditions are met:
- the property owner provided a demand for payment of his or her losses to the offender at least 30 days prior to filing the civil action
- the offender did not pay the amount demanded by the property owner, or otherwise enter into a payment agreement, within 30 days of receiving the demand for payment, and
- the property owner did not file the civil action until at least 30 days following the date of service of the written demand for payment on the offender, or after the offender failed to make payment as agreed.
If you or a loved one want to pursue monetary damages or be defended against a lawsuit for monetary damages, contact us without delay!
Call us at 678.324-8511;
E-mail us at Info@LawrenceLegal.Law; or
Click here to schedule a consultation.
