Whether you own a business or are just an average working person, there are a lot of reasons that you could be sued or need to sue someone. Knowing when you might have to file a lawsuit is key to know whether or not you can receive compensation for losses, injuries, or damages to property. When you receive damages that feel relative to the harm done, it’s much easier to forgive and move on.
Here are six instances where you should probably sue.
1. You Were Physically Harmed
Any time that you’re physically harmed and you had nothing to do with the reason why, you could potentially file a lawsuit. If someone starts a bar fight and you get hit with a glass or a punch gets thrown your way, you could sue. If a driver is pulling across a parking lot and hits you in the crosswalk, you could sue.
When this is the case, you’re going to need a lot of documentation to show that you were harmed. Be prepared to show your medical records and medical bills to make the claim that you’re owed compensation. When this kind of incident occurs, you can be sure that the court will be likely to rule on your side.
2. Negligence In a Professional Environment
If you walk into a store or a restaurant and there is debris in the walkway and you trip, you could sue. If you’re disabled and there is furniture blocking the accessible entrance or exit and it causes you to hurt yourself exiting the space, you could file a suit.
You can hurt yourself and still find someone else liable if there was a reasonable expectation of safety there. Even if you were just pulling something down from a grocery store shelf and slipped and fell, the grocery store has a responsibility to keep the floors clean. When they neglect to do their duty, it’s not your fault and your injuries can be placed on their shoulders.
3. Abuse By Your Employees
If you run a company and have trouble with your employees, you could file a lawsuit. This could take the shape of employees who are poorly representing or misrepresenting your company and damaging your reputation. It could also show up as people who are abusing resources that you’ve allowed to make their lives easier.
If you offer a company credit card or a company car and you find that your employees are using it for their personal needs, you’re right to be upset. If you can document the use and calculate the damages, then you might be able to settle for damages relative to what’s been taken from you.
4. Stolen Wages
Stolen wages are an increasingly popular talking point for TV pundits and politicians around the country. It’s good that people are finally talking about the way that companies get their employees to work for free. If you find that it’s a major issue at your workplace, you could organize everyone you work with to file a class action lawsuit.
If you’re mainly focused on what’s happening to you, you can also sue on your own behalf. The main thing that you need is to have documentation.
If you’re an hourly employee who isn’t being paid the hours that you work, you need documentation. You’ll need to find some way to show this, whether it’s your paystubs and your time sheets or an alibi from another employee.
Stolen wages are hard to recover but if you get people on your side, you can prove your case.
Another instance of stolen wages in for tipped workers. It’s common for bosses to take the tips from their tipped workers or skim some amount off the top. Bosses do this because it’s so hard to track but it’s very illegal.
5. Damage to Your Property
If anyone damages your property and doesn’t offer to pay for it, they’ve just saddled you with the headache of having to sue them. While this isn’t the ideal outcome for a situation like this, it’s important that you stand up for yourself and file a suit when you’re owed compensation.
If someone drives their car into your garage or crashes into a tree on your property, they need to pay for the repairs. If your neighbor’s tree falls onto your house and they don’t pay for the damage, you’ll have to take them to court.
Damage to your property is usually pretty cut and dry. A few photographs and some invoices are all it takes to get your money back.
6. Senior Care Abuse or Fraud
One of the most deplorable types of cases to have to go to court for relates to taking advantage of seniors. This is a problem that’s become far too common as more people seek out care for elders and care facilities become overloaded. They hire people who aren’t well trained or who have criminal backgrounds and commit crimes against seniors.
While no one with a criminal background should be discriminated against, people who have a history of violence shouldn’t be around vulnerable seniors. People with a history of theft shouldn’t be left along with a senior’s belongings, finances, or their technology. These cases are thankfully easy to track and the criminals can be brought to justice quickly.
Do You Need to Sue Someone Right Now?
If you’ve read through this list and realized you need to sue someone, that can be a frustrating discovery. If you think you have a lawsuit but didn’t find the reason on this list, that doesn’t mean you don’t have a valid suit. You need to talk to a lawyer to decide whether or not it’s time to sue.
If you think your case calls for a private investigator, check out our guide for some tips.
