Receiving legal papers can be a stressful situation. You may not know what to do next, and sometimes, your natural inclinations will lead you in the wrong direction.
Business News Daily explains your very first step is to seek legal representation. But even when working with an attorney, there are things you may do that could put your case in jeopardy.
Stop communication
You should end all communication with the other party as soon as you receive the legal papers. Do not try to smooth things over or plead your case to the person suing you. This will only give them evidence to use against you and could harm your case. Only communicate through attorneys.
Consider the facts
You will need to formulate a response to the complaint against you. It is essential to gather evidence and formulate what your approach will be. You should inform your attorney of any concerns and hand over all evidence, even if it may make you look bad. The only way to mount a proper defense is to have all the information, and it is best if you have that from the beginning. While the other side must turn over information that will come later. The earlier you can begin working on your defense, the better chance you will have.
Stay on top
Make sure you understand what is happening with your case. Do not turn over the facts and then forget about it. You need to be involved and pay attention to what is happening with the lawsuit so you can properly respond when needed.
Facing a lawsuit is not ideal, but if you approach it properly, you should be able to at least make the process more bearable.
