Litigation Lawyers in Hershey

If you are a resident of Hershey, Pennsylvania and believe that somebody has committed a legal wrong against you, and have determined that the effort and expense involved in seeking payment is worth it, you may consider filing 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 Hershey, Pennsylvania civil litigation attorney first.

Your Hershey, Pennsylvania civil litigation attorney will be able to advise you on whether or not you have a legitimate case, and, if so, your best avenues on how to proceed. The attorney will also discuss with you the fees for their services, and whether he or she can represent you on a contingency basis.

Steps for Filing a Lawsuit in Hershey, Pennsylvania

Consultation with your attorney: You should always speak with a Hershey, Pennsylvania lawyer who specializes in civil litigation before filing any type of lawsuit in a court in Hershey, Pennsylvania. Your lawyer will have critical information and advise, helping you decide whether or not your chances of success in the lawsuit make it worth your while to proceed.

Drafting The Complaint: Once you determine that pursuing a lawsuit in Hershey, Pennsylvania civil court is worth your time and effort, you need to file a complaint. The complaint can set the tone, and frame the issues, for the rest of the litigation procedure, which can drag on for months, or even years (and decades, in some cases). This is because the complaint lays out all the allegations against the defendant. It also normally asks the court for particular relief, should it rule in the plaintiff's favor.

Serving The Defendant: After you draft your complaint, and file it with the court, you have to let the defendant know that they're being sued. The law of Hershey, Pennsylvania states that the defendant be given advance notice of the lawsuit as a matter of general fairness: if you were being sued, you'd want to be given time to find a lawyer and prepare your defense strategy, right? So, with that in mind, the law prefers that defendants be served personally, typically through the use of a paid process server.

Await The Response: The defendant has a specific amount of time to respond to your lawsuit, once they confirm that they've been served in Hershey, Pennsylvania. 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. Usually, 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 specific period of time, they are in "default," and basically lose the case automatically.

How Can A Hershey, Pennsylvania Tort Lawyer Help?

Filing a lawsuit in a Hershey, Pennsylvania court is a bit more complex than the basic outline laid out above.

Therefore, it's always a good idea to talk with a Hershey, Pennsylvania litigation attorney if you are contemplating filing a lawsuit against a person or company.