Litigation Lawyers in Morgantown

Residents of Morgantown, West Virginia who suffer legal wrongs are normally legally entitled to compensation for harm they incurred as a result. This compensation is normally obtained by 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 Morgantown, West Virginia civil litigation attorney first.

Once you retain a Morgantown, West Virginia litigation attorney, he or she will be able to advise you on your chances of succeeding in your lawsuit. Additionally, 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 Morgantown, West Virginia

Consultation with your attorney: Before you continue in any legal action in Morgantown, West Virginia, you should speak with a seasoned local attorney in Morgantown, West Virginia. 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 a Complaint: Once you have decided to go through with filing a lawsuit in a Morgantown, West Virginia court, you need to draft a complaint, with the help of your lawyer. A complaint is normally the initial step in actually filing a lawsuit. The complaint is the plaintiff's first opportunity to lay out the allegations against the defendant. If a complaint doesn't allege facts that add up to a legitimate lawsuit (that is, even if everything alleged in the complaint is true, the defendant has still not committed a legal wrong that the court can compensate), the case will have to be dismissed. When a case is dismissed for this reason, the court normally gives the plaintiff a chance to re-submit the complaint, with the errors corrected.

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 particular period of time. This is necessary under the law of Morgantown, West Virginia 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.

Awaiting the Defendant's Response: Once a lawsuit has been filed, and the defendant has been served in Morgantown, West Virginia, the defendant has time to respond. They normally do so by drafting an answer to the complaint, in which they deny the plaintiff's allegations, or assert a legal defense. If the defendant fails to respond within a set period of time, they will be in default, and you may be able to get a "default judgment" against them, in which all of your allegations against the defendant are viewed as if the defendant admitted them, and you only need to show that you've suffered losses that warrant the damages you're asking for.

How Can A Morgantown, West Virginia Tort Lawyer Help?

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

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