It’s common for plaintiffs to begin their lawsuit enthusiastically and then, by the end, feel as though they are running on fumes. There are many factors that my lead a plaintiff to accept a lower offer than they feel is fair, but obtaining lawsuit funding can help prevent this. The main reasons that plaintiffs accept these lower offers include:
They are suffering from lost wages. Many plaintiffs pursue legal action because of workplace related incidents such as injuries, sexual harassment, and wrongful termination, among others, and are no longer working for the company. In many cases, finding re-employment can be difficult and the plaintiff could struggle to make ends meet until the settlement is reached. Plaintiffs need to understand just how long they might have to wait for their settlement and need to have a plan to make ends meet in the meantime without a steady paycheck. These lost wages cause many plaintiffs to accept lower offers than what they deserve.
They have loans to repay. If a traditional loan is used for funding, then plaintiffs could run into repayment issues because they may not have their settlement available when the payments are expected. Lawsuits can drag on for years, but banks won’t be waiting patiently. Some plaintiffs accept low settlement offers because they need it to repay the loan that they used while awaiting their settlement and any interest accumulated along the way. Lawsuit loans are tailored for plaintiffs, and so repayment is expected after settlement. There won’t be any stressing over having to make a payment before you’re ready.
They have pressing bills. While executing their lawsuit, plaintiffs must make car payments, mortgage payments, deal with family expenses, and any other household expenses that are expected of them even when they aren’t anticipating a lawsuit settlement. On top of that, they may have medical bills if their lawsuit is injury related. When they have creditors on their backs, plaintiffs are more likely to accept a lower offer than what they were hoping for. Obtaining presettlement funding can provide plaintiffs with a way to pay these bills and keep fighting for a fair settlement.
The legal process is too stressful. Along with the financial strain, plaintiffs can experience physical and emotional exhaustion during the lawsuit. They’ll have to spend a lot of time not only in court but preparing for it. The defense might pry into the plaintiff’s private life and try to make things more stressful for the plaintiff because they know that lawsuits can wear on the plaintiff. Some plaintiffs feel so bogged down by the legal process that they accept a low offer just so that the ordeal is over. While lawsuit loans can’t make this exhaustion disappear, having a stable financial life can make plaintiffs feel less weighted so that they can save their energy for the courtroom.
About the Author: Steven Medvin is the Executive Director of SMP Advance Funding, LLC, which provides lawsuit funding to individuals who need a lawsuit loan for pending lawsuits. For more information please visit www.smpadvance.com.
