movers damaged property

What is the name of your state? What is the name of your state? Texas

Our home was damaged by mold and we had to move out. We used a company on our Insurance companies list to do mold remediation, rip out , rebuild and move our contents into their storage units. Upon recieving the contents back much of it was damaged. Many antique furnishings were broken and damaged. The company who moved it into their warehouse is saying they will send their men out to fix the furniture. Well, it can't be fixed and be at any value. The armoire is broken, scratched, chunks of wood missing, etc. I could never resell it. Do I have to let them fix my items? They messed up my house on the rebuild and have lied about breaking my things. Luckily I have pictures to prove it wasn't broken before. By law can't I pic a company of my choosing to fix my repairable items? Do I have to fix something that will be useless if "sort of" fixed? I'd rather them come get my armoire and pay me for what it is worth, since it is so badly damaged. What are their liabilities? This is a major mold remediation company in Houston by the way.

[spawn_x]

What does the agreement paper you signed with them say? Did you get any additional insurance with them? Is the max. liability amount included on the contract paper? Anything on the agreement relating to that?

Yes you have a choice to get them fixed at a shop of YOUR choice.

for those items that can't be fixed, start getting estimated (fair market value, FMV) to see what they are worth. If an antique - go to different appraisal shops to get the estimates.

Provide the agreement/contract paper information and we'll be able to tell you where to go next.

It is possible they have a disclaimer that releases them from any damage they cause, which means you're screwed.

The only thing we signed with them was refering to us paying them for their work, on time. There is no seperate area addressing the contents at all, except to say that if we had decided to want to look at our contents while they were away, we would have to give written notice and pay 250.oo for them to open the vault to let us in ( which come to find out wasn't a vault, but a big warehouse) I'll look at the papers again and see if I missed anything. Thank you so much for your prompt reply. I'll get back to ya on what the contract actually said.

[spawn_x]

well since you did not sign any liability release form then by all means hold them responsible and get every penny you need.

It'll take a lot of effort though since some of the items are "antique"..

again, go get several (i say at least 3) estimates on EVERYTHING, write up a list, add things up, then have a lawyer write and send a (certified) letter to them demanding the following amount because they ruined it. give them 10 days or so (write it on the letter) to respond, if they don't - court.

another couple things...

you did not mention anything about speaking to them - have you? did they deny?

when did you inspect the items and found out they were broken? right after they were moved? did you notify them of the damage?

I found out the furniture was damaged immediately upon their employee's unpacking it from the truck. I had a digital camera and took pics while they were unpacking it, with them in the pics, to prove it "came" to me that way. I called them the same day and told them of the broken furn. They told me to wait and go thru all the boxes and compile a list of all the broken or missing items, which I did. I had a 30 day deadline. I still am finding things that are missing. I had tons of stuff and not easy to figure out what was here before, esp. decor stuff, jewelry that was in boxes, nik naks, etc Thats when they wrote me a letter offering to send someone out and pick up some of the items and have their shop repair them. ( I don't think so! ) And denied breaking the most expensive items, claiming they were already broken and have documentation and pictures of it. However, I had taken pictures of it just days before they moved it away and nothing was broken. Thats what I told them and am getting enlargements of the pictures ( the index has the date on it ) and proving it was pre-existing. That's where we are right now. Still trying to find places to get estimates on the stuff. They said I have to wait 60-90 days to settle on the "missing" items because they have to look for it. I think that's a bit excessive. That's 3 months! Our T.V. is of the missing items. Are we to go without for 3 months?

[spawn_x]

they said they have proof that it was damaged when they picked it up.

Do they have pictures of it back at your property in the damaged condition? Doubt it.

Three months to find the lost television? Nonsense. Go buy one and sue them for the cost.

Fix items at their shop? Ha ha ha. Not.

You sound like you're already on the right track with the pictures and proving that THEY damaged it.

So again, go get 3 estimates per item and sue them..

I'm pretty sure I know of the company (or one like it) that did the moving for you... Carelessly "threw" everything in the truck then unloaded it the same careless way and now don't want to take any responsibility for it.

Give'em hell, and make sure to post the outcome.. Oh and report them to the bereau of consumer affairs for such poor service.

Recently a company who was rebuilding my home under a mold claim, came out and moved my things and broke and lost many items. I sent them a list of the value of these items, many being antiques and art. They are now saying they have to "depreciate" the items. How exactly does that work? Is there a formula used? Also, Antiques go UP in value, not down, as does art....right? I would appreciate a lawyers point of view. I don't see how they can destroy and loose my stuff and then not pay me what it cost me.