What to Consider Before Filing a Lawsuit
What to Consider Before Filing a Lawsuit
You’re served!
No, this isn’t what a waiter at your favorite restaurant will tell you after serving your food. It’s what you’re likely to hear from a lawyer after you’ve been slapped with a lawsuit.
If you’ve never sued or been sued, you might be wondering what it takes to file a lawsuit. Is it a complicated process? Maybe you’re currently in a position where you could do with suing somebody.
Regardless of your situation, filing a lawsuit isn’t a light decision. You shouldn’t just wake up one morning and decide to sue. There are important considerations you need to make.
Read on to learn what to consider before you sue.
Cost of Suing
The average cost of a simple lawsuit is about $10,000. Are you in a position to spend this amount on a lawsuit?
It doesn’t matter whether you’ve been openly aggrieved or not. Suing costs money. There are court fees to take care of, but the bulk of the expenses will stem from legal fees. Especially if you want to hire the best lawyer, you could end up spending a lot more than you expected.
So, before filing a lawsuit, it’s critical to do a cost-benefit analysis. If you’re suing just to teach someone a lesson, you might be better off considering other options; otherwise, you could end up losing money.
Time
When considering to sue, time cuts two ways.
One, there is the statute of limitations. Some matters are time-barred. You can only sue within a specified time period. If this period has lapsed, your suit will certainly be dismissed. For example, if you’re experiencing signs of pregnancy discrimination at your workplace, you must report and file a complaint within 180 days after the incident has happened based on the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
Two, there’s the time you’ll spend on the matter. Legal disputes can take time to resolve. Consult with a lawyer and get an estimate of the amount of time the case will take. Are you willing to spend the said time? Of course, you can hire a lawyer to take care of almost everything, but often you’ll need to keep tabs on what’s happening.
Most Probable Outcome
Lawsuits have an outcome. You’ll always have your own desired outcome.
What are the chances that the suit will result in an outcome that’s favorable to you?
There’s no telling which way the courts will decide. Of course, a competent lawyer can give you a good indication of how things will go, but it’s not uncommon for judges to stun even the best of lawyers.
Keep in mind that having compelling evidence to support your lawsuit doesn’t necessarily mean the case will be a stroll in the park. A good defense can deconstruct your case and even defeat you in court.
As such, assess your chances of winning and determine whether you want to proceed. You don’t want to waste time and money on a case you might lose.
Filing a Lawsuit Requires Careful Decision-Making
Filing a lawsuit is the easy part. The hard part is determining whether you indeed need to file the suit. With this guide, you now know some of the important things you ought to consider.
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