Litigation Lawyers in Merrimack

If you are in Merrimack, New Hampshire and believe that some form of legal wrong has been committed against you, and determine that seeking legal redress will be worth the time and expense involved, you may wish to file a lawsuit.

If you're contemplating filing a lawsuit, there are various things you need to consider, and it is not a decision to be made lightly. You should not file a lawsuit without seeking the advice of a Merrimack, New Hampshire civil litigation attorney first.

When you hire a civil litigation lawyer in Merrimack, New Hampshire, they'll be able to give you some extremely useful advice, especially in devising a strategy that maximizes your chances of winning your lawsuit. You'll probably also wonder how much this lawsuit is going to cost you, especially if you don't win. This largely depends on the attorney's fee structure. If the attorney charges an hourly rate, you will simply have to pay the lawyer for every hour they work. This can add up to a huge amount of money, very rapidly. If they charge on a contingency basis, you do not have to pay any attorney's fees unless you win, and payment comes in the form of the percentage of the judgment. However, if you lose, you might still be responsible for costs, such as court fees, which are incurred no matter what happens to the case.

Steps for Filing a Lawsuit in Merrimack, New Hampshire

Consultation with your attorney: Before you proceed with any legal action in Merrimack, New Hampshire, you should seek the advice and counsel of a reliable Merrimack, New Hampshire attorney. He or she will be indispensable in helping you succeed in your lawsuit.

Drafting The Complaint: In Merrimack, New Hampshire, the initial step in filing a lawsuit is drafting a complaint. The complaint is a document that lays out all of your allegations against the person you're suing. It usually provides necessary background information, details the injuries you suffered, and why the person you're suing is to blame for those injuries. It also usually contains a specific "prayer" (request) for relief - a brief statement telling the court what the plaintiff is asking of it, such as monetary damages, and injunction, or other relief.

Serving The Defendant: Once you and your attorney have written a good complaint, and filed it with the court, it needs to be served on the defendant within a specific period of time. This is necessary under the law of Merrimack, New Hampshire to ensure that the defendant actually knows that he's being sued, and has time to find a lawyer and prepare a defense. Generally, the defendant should be served in person. However, when this isn't possible, service by mail is also acceptable in a few instances.

Await The Response: The defendant has a given amount of time to respond to your lawsuit, once they confirm that they've been served in Merrimack, New Hampshire. The defendant will likely respond with an answer to your complaint. An answer is a document in which the defendant admits or denies the specific factual allegations made by the plaintiff. Normally, the defendant will admit the allegations that are not seriously in dispute (for instance, if the lawsuit concerns a car accident, they'll probably admit that an accident did, in fact, take place), but deny the more serious allegations (they'll probably deny that they were responsible for the accident). If the defendant fails to respond within a predetermined period of time, they are in "default," and basically lose the case automatically.

How Can A Merrimack, New Hampshire Tort Lawyer Help?

Filing a lawsuit in a Merrimack, New Hampshire court is a bit more intricate than the basic outline laid out above.

Thus, it is important that you consult a qualified civil litigation attorney before you file any type of lawsuit in Merrimack, New Hampshire.