Where are the trousers?

What would you do if you took a pair of trousers to the dry cleaners and they lost them? If you're in America you might sue for sixty-seven million dollars. This report from Vanessa Heaney.

Listen to the story

The South Korean owners, Ki and Jin Man Chung, offered him a thousand dollars to settle, later raising that to twelve-thousand dollars. But Mr Pearson wasn't satisfied. He claims he is owed sixty-seven million dollars. The Chungs' lawyer, Chris Manning, says his clients can't believe they're in this situation.

Much of this case rests on two signs which were on the dry cleaners' walls which said "satisfaction guaranteed" and "same day service." Mr Pearson says he didn't get either, so the signs amount to fraud.

But why sixty-seven-million dollars? He's claiming this is the sum of fines compounded daily, emotional damage, legal fees and car hire to get to another cleaners since the case began. This lawsuit might seem hard to believe and some Washington lawyers have described it as absurd, saying the case should be thrown out of court and Mr Pearson removed from office. But for the Chungs it is very real. After years of legal battles, they are heading to court in June for what may be the end of the story of the world's most expensive pair of trousers.

Vanessa Heaney, BBC

Listen to the words

a pair
a short way of saying 'a pair of trousers', 'a pair of glasses' etc.

dry cleaners
a shop where clothes are cleaned with chemicals, not water

altered
changed in some way, for example, by repairing a hole in a piece of clothing (note: dry cleaners usually provide services to clean and alter clothes)

to settle
to reach a legal or final agreement about something (here, not to sue the owners)

rests on
is dependent on (note: this usage is particularly related to the language used within a court and by lawyers)

satisfaction guaranteed
you will definitely be happy with the company's service (or products)

same day service
you give your clothes to the dry cleaners in the morning and you get them back at the end of the day

compounded daily
increased by some more money everyday

thrown out of court
the legal proceedings should be stopped immediately because it is not a suitable case for court

removed from office
should lose his job (note: this phrase is used when referring to someone who has a very important job)