What You Should Think About Before You Sue

We live in a litigation-focused society. When someone slips on a subway platform, they wonder whether they can file a personal injury claim. This can be a viable (and lucrative) option, but it can also come at a cost. Read on to learn what you should think about before you sue.

Do You Have a Good Case?

This is the first and most significant barrier to entry for a successful lawsuit. To win a personal injury lawsuit, you need to be able to prove a few things, namely liability, negligence, and fault. Simply tripping outside a business is not enough to win a legal battle, especially if you’re fighting against a large corporation.

If the business-owner put out a “wet floor” sign and sent an employee to clean up the spill, you don’t have a case—the business was not negligent. You’ll want an attorney to assist you, but they won’t work for free.

Try Settling the Dispute by Compromise

Court is generally something everyone wants to avoid, including the plaintiff. Going to court is a tedious process with no guarantees as to the result, so consider connecting with the defendant before the case to settle things outside court. You should especially consider this option if they have a valid argument on their side or their own claim against you.

Can You Afford the Case?

Even the best cases in the world don’t come cheap. However, there’s an alternative to paying everything out of pocket. Once you know your claim has the four elements all personal injury lawsuits need, you should think about securing lawsuit funding.

With this service, you can take your case to a funder who will look over the information and decide to give you capital before your case has been decided to help you pay for court costs and attorney fees. If you win the case, the funder will want some of the settlement money, but you’re not required to pay them back if you don’t.

Now that you know what you should think about before you sue, carefully consider your situation before filing a lawsuit—otherwise, you may end up with more debt than when you started.