PA (Philadelphia County) Landlord-Tenant Oral Contract for Nanny Position

[JJACKS)%]

I've posted two prior threads regarding my former employment as a Nanny regarding wrongful termination and personal injury as a result of my prior job.

My Landlord-Tenant matter is as follows:
My oral contract stated I would be provided a specific apartment to be paid out of my earnings ($10/hr per 40 hr. work week and overtime) I would be paid $200.00 per week every Friday totaling $800.00 monthly. The remaining $800.00 was supposed to go towards this specific apartment.

I was given several excuses why this never occurred, including that Tenants were not moving out on time, the apartment needed renovations, etc. For approximately three months I was provided with an apartment in an unsafe area that was infested with mice and where I had to sleep on the floor because I was never provided with the agreed furniture and due to the fact I did not want to buy furniture until I move into the agreed apartment, as I was rarely paid on time and as it was located on the 4th floor and this apartment was locate don the third floor and I could not move furniture up and down both sets of stairs by myself.

I was also always told I would be moving into the specific apartment "any day." This never occurred.

How can I get back the $2,400.00 of the money I earned that was supposed to go towards the agreed apartment only (?) The apartment I stayed in was worth approximately $500.00 in rent a month, even so I should at least be entitled to the difference, although I believe as the apartment I had access to was not where I agreed to live and as it had numerous health/hazard conditions, I believe this should be void and I should get all of my earned money-

Is this perception accurate in the law?
Thanks so much for your time.

[elklaw]

You can make your argument to the judge and see what you get. From what you are saying, this is probably a small claims court matter.

[JJACKS)%]

Thank you so much for your response, I was hoping someone would respond.

My legal matter is slightly more complicated due to wrongful termination
(please see thread with similar caption under Wrongful Termination) as well as the injuries I sustained (please see thread with similar caption under Personal Injury).

Should I/ Could I /Can I:
Legally combine all matters into a single case or should I address owed funds in Small Claims and separately pursue a Wrongful Termination combined with a Personal Injury case?

Should I take a lawyer to Small Claims even though it is a relatively small matter of money? (i.e. My former employer is a very well known wealthy individual and I am a broke 24 year-old studying for my LSAT's that can't afford to lose this owed money, especially due to the costs I've incurred as a result of what my former employers put me through, not to mention my medical costs for my injuries I sustained in their apartment due to their negligence.)

Also, what preparation should I complete, especially since I have no written contractual agreement? (Assuming I shouldn't take a lawyer)
Should I just verbally plea my case to the judge or submit a full written account and then wait for his/her review and explain anything he/she needs to further understand (?)

Finally, do all lawyers try to settle these cases? I absolutely do not want to do so- my former employers' are so incredibly wrong in everything they did to me and I have suffered immensely. Throughout working for them I observed them doing the same thing to other employee's and I know they will continue to do so. I feel as though I cannot let this happen to anyone else and if nothing else cannot let them get away with what they did to me.

Thanks so much for your time.