Types of Civil Suits
In law there are two main types of litigation, civil and criminal.
Criminal Litigation
In criminal litigation, we focus on clear violations of state and federal law. The lines are more clearly defined and there is a clear case of right or wrong.
Civil Litigation
With civil litigation, matters are not so simple. Civil litigation occurs when a plaintiff believes they have incurred a loss because of someone else. As such, they demand some form of legal compensation or remedy. This often occurs in business, but it’s just as common for individuals to file civil lawsuits. In this post we’ll look at some of the most common instances of civil law.
Contract and business suits
This type of civil suit generally falls under the umbrella term of commercial law. It refers to any business dispute or breach of contract. The business community is founded on the strength of its contracts. Any partnership or client relationship has a contract at the core. When one party breaks that contract or fails to deliver, a lawsuit can arise. This can come in many forms, and clients often choose to settle rather than take proceedings to court.
Tort (injury claims)
A rising form of civil litigation is tort or injury claims. They commonly arise against a business from its own employees and outside individuals because every company is liable for the safety and protection of its employees. If someone becomes injured on company property, the company is inherently liable for damages. Again, these are often settled for agreed compensation figures. In other cases, plaintiffs may ask for punitive damages above and beyond the compensation.
Car accidents
Auto incidents are also very common civil suits. In fact, any damage to one’s property or assets can form a civil lawsuit. Often there is a clear element of blame in these cases. One driver is typically responsible for the collision and therefore, the damages. In such a simple case, auto insurance companies step in to pay the bill. They may even do much of the negotiating. In more unclear cases, however, the case may be brought to lawyers. A case will help identify blame and apportion the damages accordingly.
Property damages and disruption
Like the car accident example above, any damages to any property can cause legal action. For example, the next-door neighbor could accidentally break your window while playing baseball. Also, the mailman could drive over your lawn by mistake. There are all sorts of factors at play here. The bottom line is that compensation can be claimed if you incur a loss due to someone else’s negligence.
Complaints against the city
In some cases, plaintiffs can bring a lawsuit against their city. This often happens if they have brought a complaint to the city authority but have been unable to reach an agreement. At this point, a lawyer can help define the lines and reach a settlement.
If you have any further questions or think you may be entitled to damages, please don’t hesitate to call. Our lawyers can advise you.
