Litigation Lawyers in Schuylkill Haven

If you are a resident of Schuylkill Haven, 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 several 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 Schuylkill Haven, Pennsylvania civil litigation attorney first.

Once you hire a Schuylkill Haven, Pennsylvania litigation attorney, he or she will be able to advise you on your chances of succeeding in your lawsuit. Furthermore, 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 Schuylkill Haven, Pennsylvania

Consultation with your attorney: Before you continue in any legal action in Schuylkill Haven, Pennsylvania, you should speak with a reputable local attorney in Schuylkill Haven, Pennsylvania. Your legal counsel can make sure you have the best possible chance of winning your case, and help you decide if you should file your lawsuit in the first place.

Drafting The Complaint: In Schuylkill Haven, Pennsylvania, 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 generally 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 certain period of time. This is necessary under the law of Schuylkill Haven, 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 certain amount of time to respond to your lawsuit, once they confirm that they've been served in Schuylkill Haven, 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. Typically, 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 set period of time, they are in "default," and basically lose the case automatically.

How Can A Schuylkill Haven, Pennsylvania Tort Lawyer Help?

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

Thus, if you want to file a lawsuit against someone in Schuylkill Haven, Pennsylvania, you should not delay to talk with an attorney, who will be able to advise you on the best way to proceed.