Thursday July 29 , 2010
  • attorneys’ fees and costs
  • your damages
  • remedies
  • Why You Should Sue
ImageAttorney Fees

Attorney fees are what we are paid for our work. In most consumer rights matters, that is paid by those we sue (the defendants.) If we cannot prevail for you, you need not be concerned. You will not have to pay them.

ImageFiling Fees & Costs

Filing fees are fees that must be paid to the court. Other costs include service of process fees, court reporter fees, deposition fees, expert fees, and alike. But again, if we do not win the case for you, you will not be expected to pay these.

ImageStatutory Damages

Statutory damages are awarded in many consumer cases by statute. They are damages that are presumed to have occurred.

ImageActual Damages

Actual damages are damages that occur to you, personally. Stress and emotional injuries, embarrassment, or physical injuries are actual damages.

ImagePunitive Damages

Punitive damages are a form of punishment. They are meant to deter the defendant from doing this to you or other again in the future.

ImageMonetary Awards

The most common form of remedy to you is money. The court will award you money in an attempt to compensate you for your injuries. It may also award you money to punish the defendant for its illegal conduct.

ImageInjunctive Relief

The court may also impose an injunction on the defendant requiring it to do something or to refrain from doing something. One common injunction is to order the defendant to stop engaging in certain illegal conduct.

ImageLawsuits Do More Than Just Help You

Consumers sometimes view suing as a bad thing - like it is greedy. You shouldn't view it that way. When you sue you do more than just put money in your pocket. You hurt the defendant financially. You send a clear message – "Stop Doing This!" Companies often only stop when it costs them money, and suing does other consumers a service. You are also doing law abiding companies a favor. When competitors violate the law it disadvantages law abiding companies - and it tempts those companies to break the law too, just to keep up. It's possible that if someone else had sued before, what happened to you wouldn't have happened at all.

Monetary Awards

By far, the most common way that the courts compensate plaintiffs is through monetary awards.  That is, they award the plaintiff money.   The amount of money awarded depends on a number of factors. The most common factor is the question of "what will it take to make the plaintiff whole.

The two most common types of monetary relief are compensatory and punitive damages.  Compensatory damages are intended to compensate the injured party for his or her loss.  Special damages are a subset of compensatory damages; they represent the direct costs of the wrongdoing, such as hospital bills or wages lost while being treated.  General damages are also a result of the wrongdoing, but are subjective in amount, such as awards for the plaintiff's pain and suffering or a payment for his or her mental anguish.  Some contracts anticipate a breach of the agreement and stipulate how much will be awarded in the event a party reneges on the deal; these are called liquidated damages.  There are also cases where a wrong was committed by the defendant, but the plaintiff suffered almost no harm; nominal damages, such as an award of $1, are made in such cases.  Punitive damages, which generally are available only if authorized by statute, are awarded to punish the defendant and are a warning to others who would consider undertaking similar conduct.  Treble damages are a variation of punitive damages – triple the amount of the plaintiff's actual losses.

From The Desk Of Mr. Hyde

ImageOur Law Firm Is
Dedicated To Helping You

“If you are being abused by a debt collector, if you have been sued on a credit card debt, if a credit repair agency has taken money from you but done little, or if you have another consumer related issue, you need a law firm dedicated to consumer rights. That is what we do at Hyde & Swigart.  Call Us Today at (619) 233-7770 for a free consultation.”

From The Desk Of Mr. Swigart

ImageOur Firm Is Here To
Solve Your Problems

"That is why we don’t charge you to discuss your case.  If you have been treated unfairly by debt collectors, sued, or alike, you need not fear calling us.  We will listen to you, tell you if you have a case, and give you some options - all at no charge.  If you feel your rights are being violated, I urge you to call us today at (619) 233-7770 for a free consultation.”