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Bumped by a Roommate
I live in a roommate situation in the State of Oregon.
I live with my mother, and three other roommates. One is a truck driver, one does nothing but stay in his bedroom all day, when he is supposed to be cleaning and looking for a job (I have a job, and NO experience), and the other is a chef at a restaurant.
Today he was running around the house cleaning it to make it look like he always cleans, even thought he doesn't, because the owner of the house was coming home for the night. He started vacuuming at 6 o'clock this morning and woke myself up, as well as my mother, and my other roommate who had just gotten home from work, as he is an overnight chef.
The chef roommate came out and said something to him because we were all sleeping and this roommate got very rude and started slamming and stomping around the house.
So I got up at 8 o'clock and went to make some coffee, and on my way back from making the coffee to walk into my bedroom, we collided. I was walking into the hallway as he exited it and I moved over, as that is common respect. He did not move, and instead he slammed me right in the center of my chest, causing me to hit the wall. He then just kept walking and didn't care.
I called the owner and told him, and he came home and the rude roommate just flew to his bedroom.
I need to know, what can I press on this person for this? It was not accidental, and it was not self-defense, it was his stupid attitude that everybody in this house knows about.
Please keep in mind, I am 16 years old, and he is 57.
Thanks for the help!
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Re: Bumped by a Roommate
You can file a report with the police for simple assault. Most states (and I believe OR is among them) consider violence upon a "cohabitant" (read "roommate") constitutes domestic violence. However, even with domestic violence, the police are only going to take action if they can establish probable cause to believe an assault actually occurred and can establish who was the primary aggressor. In the scenario you provide, there seems to be little or no evidence that would provide police with probable cause that an assault even occurred. A shoulder bump to the chest is unlikely to result in bruising or any other visible injury or mark and you mention no witnesses to the actual assault. Therefore, it is going to be your word against his. Unless he is stupid enough to make a full confession to the police, I doubt that you will see any action taken over this incident.
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Re: Bumped by a Roommate
I did end up going to the hospital and getting a report from them. The left side of my rib cage was bruised, and broken. He hit me, and caused me to slam into the wall, so is that more grounds?
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Re: Bumped by a Roommate
Did you file a police report?