Small Claims court (NY) against bank questions

[ToadX]

First of all, I live in New York.

I visited a bank that has one of those machines that exchanges coins into dollars (similar to CoinStar). I inserted thousands of coins into the machine. My estimate was that it was worth about $250. I did not count the coins before putting them in, but $250 was the estimate I made based on weighing the coins before taking them to the bank.

Some kind of problem occurred with the machine (probably got jammed), and it only gave me a voucher for $23. I told an employee at the desk who told me that at the end of the day when they empty the machine, they would contact me and give me the extra balance in the machine based on the money in the machine and the vouchers that were given out.

They never called me back, but after contacting them, they told me that they don't owe me any money. I've talked to many people, and it seems like the only way I'm going to get my money back is by going to Small Claims Court. Does anyone have any advice on this? Given that I live in New York, NY, can I sue for court fees as well? Do you think I'll have a problem since I basically have no proof of the amount of coins I entered into the machine?

Also, although I am not planning on doing this, I was just wondering if you could send someone to represent you in Small Claims Court that is not a lawyer (such as a friend).

Thanks in advance. Any advice is welcome.

 

[You Are Guilty]

First of all, I live in New York.

I visited a bank that has one of those machines that exchanges coins into dollars (similar to CoinStar). I inserted thousands of coins into the machine. My estimate was that it was worth about $250. I did not count the coins before putting them in, but $250 was the estimate I made based on weighing the coins before taking them to the bank.

Some kind of problem occurred with the machine (probably got jammed), and it only gave me a voucher for $23. I told an employee at the desk who told me that at the end of the day when they empty the machine, they would contact me and give me the extra balance in the machine based on the money in the machine and the vouchers that were given out.

They never called me back, but after contacting them, they told me that they don't owe me any money. I've talked to many people, and it seems like the only way I'm going to get my money back is by going to Small Claims Court. Does anyone have any advice on this?

Sure!

Given that I live in New York, NY, can I sue for court fees as well?

Yes, if you prevail, costs can be recouped. Just to give you an idea, I believe the current filing fee for cases under $1,000 is $15. So you'd get that, plus the few bucks if you let the Court serve the bank for you (which is cheaper than hiring a professional process server).

Do you think I'll have a problem since I basically have no proof of the amount of coins I entered into the machine?

Maybe. However, if the bank's records show a ~$200 surplus in coins that day, your version plus that fact ought to carry some weight. If the bank's receipts came out even, you're going to have an uphill battle. Was there a security camera focused on the coin machine?

Also, although I am not planning on doing this, I was just wondering if you could send someone to represent you in Small Claims Court that is not a lawyer (such as a friend).

Well, you "can", however that would be the unlicensed practice of law, and would likely get him hit with some serious fines.

Thanks in advance.

Welcome!

Any advice is welcome.

Any? Ok. To remove ink stains from your dress shirt, first, saturate the shirt with an alcohol-based hair spray. The alcohol content in the hair spray will break up the ink. Be sure to place an absorbent paper towel or rag behind the stain to catch any excess. Then blot the stain with a rag. Repeat until the stain is removed, then launder as usual. A word of caution: some fabrics may be damaged by the hair spray solution. If in doubt, test on an inconspicuous area first, or consult with a professional dry cleaner.

Good luck!