Sue Dry Cleaner

[natochkad]

hello, i have issue wiht dry cleaner. I gave my wedding dress for dry cleaning. In additional to this service I requested to fix a small hole on a bottom of my dress. I call in advance to ask if Dry cleaner can fix it after they receive my dress ( I have pick up and drop off service in my building). Dry cleaner confirmed that they will fix both problems. I paid whole amount in advance ( $35 dry cleaning and $15 for fixing hole). It took a month to get my dress back ( they promised to do this service faster). I was very disappointed with service. The hole was just simply glued with similar fabric. It made material very hard. I just pull attached fabric little bit and it got detached right away. I called back to dry cleaner to complain, they told they will fix it again free of charge. I was waiting for my dress 1 ½ month after second request ( I was thinking they are renting it to someone). Every week they promised me to send it back tomorrow. Finally I got it. I was shocked!!!!!!!! They just CUT place where used to be hole ( even didn't wash it –glue was remaining on "new bottom line" of the dress. Obviously dress is spoiled. Bottom line is not straight.
I asked them to pay me for dress at least half price. They refused. The best they can do is refund me $15.00 for fixing this hole. They asked to send dress back they will extend it back . But I don't want to give them my dress any more. I'm not sure, But I feel they used my dress. They kept it for 2 month in total.
I don't know what to do. They will not pay me anything. My dress is spoiled.
Is this eligible case to sue dry cleaner? I'm new in this country, I have never faced problem like that. Do I have to hire lawyer, or I can do it myself?
Please give me piece of advice.

 

[Michael Wechsler]

There should be a small claims court in your area. As I don't know where you are, I can't help you there. I don't know how much the dress value is with the hole. If it's not much, I'd get my money back and consider it a small loss and never go back there again. Otherwise, if the dress value is $20, you'll be wasting an incredible amount of time. Unfortunately, that's probably the best I can tell you. If you sue the drycleaner, you're not going to get much more than the value of the dress - not a new dress.