Being PHYSICALLY removed from my rooming house read please

[ChrisViper]

Hello, my name is Chris Altizer. On Sunday September 22 i was involved in an altercation with the owners of the building that i was renting out of. I had paid from 9/15-9/22. On the thursday prior i had left to attend a family function. I did not return till the 21st(saturday evening), finding a new lock on my room door, and all my belongings in the garbage. After fishing around i finally re-aquired most of my belongings. The landlords and I discussed the situation and they were not going to be giving me my security deposit back due to the fact that they say they HAD to clean the room out. Which was not a necessity due to the fact i wasnt supposed to move out till the 22nd, not the 21st. Well we made arrangements that me and my girlfriend would clean the room, stay the last night, and receive our security deposit in full. The next morning after cleaning the room and getting ready to leave we were told we wouldnt be receiving our security deposit. After pleading with the man, He went to talk to his partner and returned with $20.00 less than what we paid into our security deposit. CLaiming that was payment for the cleaning they had to do, saying it took 2 hours to clean the room. Again this was all unnecessary since saturday wasnt our date of departure from there establishment. An argument ensued where we threw angry words back and forth to each other where i said i would try and get a lawyer for there scams that they constantly pulled on all there tenants, and for breaking into our room. breaking the lock i paid for, and throwing our belongings in the garbage. The arguement lasted a few more minutes before he became physical and started attacking me. He began laughing histerically as he grappled with me he punched me in the head, we then fell to the floor and as he head butted my head into the concrete several times he started yelling ill kill you, and began biting my nose. The other landlord then ran up and started kicking me. All the while my mother was trying to pull the man off of me, getting herself bruised and scraped up in the process. I have pictures of my wounds, and my mothers. I also have a 18 month old son. I now have nowhere to live, and many new hospital bills. Are there any legal actions i can take. I have already pressed assault charges but want to know if i can take this further into court proceedings. Thank you for any help you can give me

 

[Michael Wechsler]

It would seem that they had no right to do a forcible eviction of you from the premises. To remove you they would have had to bring a proceeding. Did you have a lease?

You can probably sue them for your injuries and harassment but I'm not sure that the damages would exceed that in most small claims courts. Not to diminish your injuries but unless you can pay for an attorney, if your injuries aren't significant then most attorneys would likely not want to take the risk of taking your case on a contingency (percentage) fee.

I think there are a number of things we don't know -- why the animosity and the need to change the locks? Sounds like there is a story we haven't heard that might be relevant....