Lost Dive logs

[djsmurf]

OK I read here a lot never post, but to get to the point. This is not a court case yet, however it could turn into one quickly. I will not get into details but the basics are. I had my dive log books somewhere and the company (they were sending a bunch of things back to me) and among the numerous other things that never made it back to me were my dive log books (loads of dives including all of my training dives from open water to rescue)

The company (I did work for them, until this happened) wants estimates for all items missing, what is a logical number to give them?

Thanks,

Tyler

Edit: these are fairly full dive logs, including training from open water to rescue. estimated 130+ dives logs lost without these books.

[PRL]

Retail value of 2 new logbooks. If the logbooks contained private information, than costs of credit lock, and identity theft protection for the next few years.

[STwill]

It's a little too late of course, but this is why if you consider it important, have a backup. If it's really important, have a backup to the backup.

PS: I've lost my log book to an ex, but mine wasn't even near complete, maybe only half my dives were in it, if that.

[NCDiver]

If you have a computer, you might ask your dive shop for help downloading you dives. For a value, how much time to try to reconstruct your logs? Maybe 2 weeks of emails and phone calls? Might be a way to estimate a value.

[SubMariner]

Retail value of 2 new logbooks. If the logbooks contained private information, than costs of credit lock, and identity theft protection for the next few years.

And you're being generous at that...

Suing for losing LOG BOOKS? This has got to be a troll!

[smorneau]

Two new books, lesson learned!

[Lead_carrier]

If it isn't a troll, I'd sure like to be sitting in the courtroom when the judge heard this one. Put down he price of a couple of nice logbooks and forget about it.

[DivemasterDennis]

I want to weigh in here as a dive professional and a lawyer, with a little less ridicule. The lost value is not just the paper, it is the content. What value would you place on an album of family photos that burned in a fire? Not merely the cost of the album. Nor even the cost of the prints or images it contained. So too with a dive log. If djsmurf ever wants to go pro, and has to prove up 60 logged dives, and has to repeat them just for the proof, then the value there is recognizable. So too is the "sentimental" value of the log, to the extent it is like a diary. The logs may be priceless on a personal level, but not on an objective valuation. The issue is to come up with a meaningful basis for valuation. You have certification cards showing your training completion, so all dive entries should receive the same value. At $1 per dive log entry, the value is $130.00. At $5 per entry ( a usual tip for a dive) the value is $650.00. Pick a number in that range. It is reasonable, and the worst thing that happens is your claim is rejected. Offer a brief explanation of value with your claim. I hope this response is more useful to you than the others. My dive logs are very important to me. They are worth more than the money paid for the books or discs that hold them. With all due respect, the other responders have missed the mark here.
DivemasterDennis

[Jax]

What DivemasterDennis said!!!

And you're being generous at that...

Suing for losing LOG BOOKS? This has got to be a troll!

If it isn't a troll, I'd sure like to be sitting in the courtroom when the judge heard this one. Put down he price of a couple of nice logbooks and forget about it.

Folks, you're making a lot of assumptions and I am guessing it is because your logbooks don't mean much to you. As Dennis mentions, they can have a LOT of monetary value.

The problem is the circumstances. In these days of frequent layoffs, the Information Security recommendation is to pay the person severance pay in lieu of notice, and escort him or her from the premises. This avoids the malicious / disgruntled insider f'ing with the network before they leave.

However, companies are finding that as soon as the pink slip is 'administered', other employees are helping themselves to the exiting person's "things". Then, they (others or company) toss stuff indiscriminately. NOW imagine how that goes over with a judge / jury . . . .

"Your Honor, I understand needing to cut expenses, and that's why I am out of a job, but to find that . . . . "

- my keepsakes were stolen - company failed to provide adequate security.
- a silly picture of me at my kid's birthday party ended up on the net - company failed to protect me from degradation and humiliation.

. . . . not to mention violation of the Privacy Act of 1974, as amended . . .

[NCDiver]

Keeping in mind that the question was "The company... wants estimates for all items missing, what is a logical number to give them?", then the issue is comming up with a reasonable number and asking for reimbursement. The fact they asked the question says something about the prospects they may offer some compensation.

DivemasterDennis is on the mark. Come up w what you think is reasonable number and give that to the company along with an explanation of how your estimate of value was derived. I expect their offer will be based more on the reason you are no longer with them and other items that were misshandled than the cost of 2 dive log books.