Litigation Lawyers in Oil City

If you are a resident of Oil City, Pennsylvania and believe that somebody has committed a legal wrong against you, and have decided that the effort and expense involved in seeking compensation is worth it, you may consider filing a lawsuit.

If you're considering filing a lawsuit, there are numerous 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 an Oil City, Pennsylvania civil litigation attorney first.

Once you contact an Oil City, Pennsylvania litigation attorney, he or she will be able to advise you on your chances of succeeding in your lawsuit. Moreover, your lawyer can inform you on what a lawsuit is likely to cost, both in time and money. Obviously, your lawyer has some control over what it will cost you, based on their fees, and whether they bill an hourly rate, or charge on a contingency rate.

Steps for Filing a Lawsuit in Oil City, Pennsylvania

Consultation With Your Attorney: Before filing any lawsuit in Oil City, Pennsylvania, you should speak with a local attorney. Your Oil City, Pennsylvania attorney will be able to advise you on the merits of your lawsuit, and your chances of success.

Drafting The Complaint: Once you decide that pursuing a lawsuit in Oil City, 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 process, 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 typically asks the court for specific relief, should it rule in the plaintiff's favor.

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 required under the law of Oil City, Pennsylvania 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 Oil City, Pennsylvania. The defendant will probably 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 example, 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 Oil City, Pennsylvania Tort Lawyer Help?

This simple outline is meant to give you a general idea of what goes into filing a lawsuit in Oil City, Pennsylvania, but it is by no means a comprehensive guide.

Accordingly, it's always a good idea to speak with an Oil City, Pennsylvania litigation attorney if you are contemplating filing a lawsuit against a person or company.