If you have recently been served with a summons indicating that someone has filed a lawsuit against your company, you will need to move quickly in order to make certain that you do not jeopardize even a single one your legal rights. There are very hard deadlines where lawsuits are concerned, and there can be steep fines for missing them. Listed below are five things that are important to keep in mind after you have been made aware of the fact that you or your company are being sued.
Don’t Try to Handle This Alone
You will benefit greatly from the legal expertise of a qualified California business attorney who will be able to help lead you down the best path concerning your litigation process. Being on this end of a lawsuit is usually extremely stressful and exhausting, so making sure that a professional with a solid legal background is on your side should go a long way towards putting you at ease. An attorney will know how to explain the nature of the exact claims against you or your company, what they mean, the consequences they might bring, and advise you of all of your legal options.
Be Aware of All Deadlines
It is essential that you get in touch with an attorney just as soon as you are able to so that you are able to ask her or him about the initial deadlines that are coming up in your case. A formal acknowledgment of the lawsuit will have to be filed within a specific window of time, which will likely change depending on the sort of lawsuit you are dealing with and what jurisdiction you are located in.
Gather All Facts Together
Collect all of your documents, as well as any additional forms of evidence that you think might be related to your lawsuit. Do not leave out any digital evidence, like text messages, e-mails, call logs, and digital photos. Be sure to bring all of these documents to your first meeting with your business contract attorney.
Carefully Weight All of Your Options
A few of your early options might involve simply settling your case with your opponent, taking part in arbitration or mediation, and formally filing a counterclaim in the event that you have a valid case against the person who is currently suing you. There might also be various types of answers to questions concerning your lawsuit which will need to be filed. A qualified attorney will be able to advise you of all your legal options.
Mum’s the Word
Be exceedingly cautious regarding the people with whom you choose to talk about your lawsuit and the places in which you discuss it. While talking the lawsuit over with your spouse and your attorney are safeguarded under California law, talking about your lawsuit with co-workers, strangers, and even your friends could potentially lead to some severe, albeit unintended, blowback. It is also important to note that if you have chosen to retain legal counsel, the other party’s attorney is not permitted to contact you in any way.
The reputable, licensed corporate attorneys at the Leiva Law Firm can assist company owners in deciding which steps to take to ensure that any pending litigation ends in the most favorable way possible. Schedule a free, no-obligation consultation today by contacting us at 818-519-4465 as soon as possible. Our attorneys speak both English and Spanish.
