What are the Possible Consequences if Your Company is Sued?

If your company is sued, you should reach out to an Irvine civil litigation attorney as soon as possible. Being sued can have profound consequences on the future of your business and it is important that you make an informed determination about how to respond to the accusations that are being made against your business.  

Brown & Charbonneau, LLP is here and ready to help. We have defended companies from many different types of lawsuits and we have the knowledge and experience necessary to help you formulate the best possible response to claims made against your organization. You should get an attorney with trial experience involved as soon as possible after you are sued, as you may have a limited time to take action in formulating your response and beginning to gather essential evidence.

Understanding the Possible Consequences if Your Company is Sued

When your company is sued, there are a number of possible legal remedies that could be available to the plaintiff if your company does not prevail in trial. Some of the consequences that the court could impose upon your organization when the plaintiff prevails include:

• A requirement you financially compensate the victim. The court may order you to provide financial compensation to the victim for damages your company is accused of causing. The specific types of compensation vary depending upon the case. In a breach of contract claim, your company could be ordered to compensate the victim for actual damages and it would be the burden of the plaintiff to prove what those specific damages are. In other types of claims, such as a personal injury case, you could be required to provide compensation for economic loss — such as medical bills and lost wages — and also for non-economic loss. This might mean your company has to pay compensatory damages for things like pain and suffering and emotional distress.  In some cases, your business may also have to pay punitive damages, although these are not allowed in all circumstances.
• A requirement you take a certain action, or refrain from taking a certain action. The court could order specific performance and require you to follow through with your contractual obligations as a remedy if you are accused of breaching a contract. For example, if you promised to sell something to the plaintiff and failed to do so, the court could order you to sell the plaintiff the desired item.  In an employment law case, the court could order you to hire an employee you wrongfully terminated. The court could also issue an injunction preventing you from doing something and you would have to comply.

While paying damages or following a court order can have a profound impact on your business, these are not the only consequences you could face if your company is used. You will also have to incur legal costs to defend against a lawsuit, which can sometimes be substantial depending upon the circumstances.  And, the lawsuit and any surrounding publicity could potentially do damage to your brand. This is why it is important to make sure you work with an Irvine civil litigation attorney to determine how best to respond when you are sued so you can try to mitigate and minimize the potentially negative consequences that could result from being named as a defendant in a lawsuit.

Getting Help from an Irvine Civil Litigation Attorney

The goal of an Irvine civil litigation attorney is to help your company get the best possible outcomes through its involvement with the civil justice system. This means helping your organization to resolve claims quickly, quietly, and effectively so you can protect your company’s brand and so you can ensure that your long-term financial situation is not damaged by the lawsuit. You also want to ensure you are doing everything possible to protect your company’s reputation.

Brown & Charbonneau, LLP has extensive experience helping clients to respond to all different kinds of lawsuits. Whenever your business is sued, whether by a disgruntled employee or a supplier or distributor or by someone injured in your space, we can provide the help and support you need to formulate the best possible response to the accusations made against your organization. To find out more about the assistance our compassionate and knowledgeable legal team can provide when you discover your business is being sued, give us a call at (866)237-8129 or contact us online today.