You may discover something damaging in your records—electronic documents, voice mails, texts, paper files. All such records, as well as any physical objects related to the claim, such as products or machinery—are evidence. Do not destroy any of it, no matter how bad you think it may be!
You should not alter, delete, remove, shred, move, or destroy any evidence related to the lawsuit. As we previously discussed in another article , any deletion you did before the lawsuit that was done without any intent to destroy evidence e.
But after you have notice of the lawsuit and often as soon as you anticipate that there might be one , there is a duty to preserve such evidence; any failure to do so can carry serious consequences, including monetary sanctions, adverse presumptions regarding the issues in the case, unfavorable jury instructions, or potentially even the entry of a judgment against you. Look into whether there are insurance policies that may provide coverage.
It may be that a policy you think would not apply actually does and, unfortunately, vice-versa. An attorney can help you review the policy to determine whether there is coverage and work with your carrier. Even if coverage ultimately is not available, your insurance carrier may have a duty to defend the lawsuit. You should never ignore a lawsuit. You have a limited timeframe to respond to the lawsuit, which typically is within 20 days of being served.
You should immediately contact a lawyer, especially one who is experienced with your type of case, who can explain the process and advise you of your options, including negotiation, mediation, and other resolution strategies as well as available defenses and counterclaims.
Most lawsuits are not frivolous. If you do not want to fill out the forms by hand, use this free program that asks questions and uses your answers to complete your forms. Read our latest Newsletter.
LSC's support for this website is limited to those activities that are consistent with LSC restrictions. L aw H elp. Text size: A A A. Washington LawHelp Helpful information about the law in Washington. Get Legal Help Eviction Help. What should I do? Talk to a lawyer. A lawyer can tell you what the person who has sued you is asking for and give you advice about your options. You must protect some rights in special ways or you can lose them, and you may need to do this before you sign or file any papers.
If the Petitioner made a mistake, you might not be able to object to the mistake after you file a response to the lawsuit. If you are representing yourself as a respondent or defendant, you have choices. Waiver of Citation. The court clerk maintains a waiver of citation form. File an Answer. You are required to send a copy of the Answer you file to the person who signed the lawsuit against you and keep a copy for yourself.
0コメント