People file lawsuits against others for a variety of reasons. Some lawsuits are valid, while others are frivolous. No one wants to find themselves in a lawsuit. Unfortunately, it’s something that happens all too often. Whether you’re a company being sued by a customer, or an individual being taken to court by another person, it’s important to understand the most common types of lawsuits. This will help you better protect yourself and know what to do if you ever find yourself in this situation.
The most common types of lawsuits include:
1. Defamation – When an individual or company makes false statements about another person. This may include libel (in print) or slander (spoken). Slander is easier to prove, while libel may require additional proof.
2. Negligence – When a defendant fails to act responsibly or fails to provide proper care for another person. This could be anything from a doctor not properly treating a patient, to failing to report an accident in a timely manner. It can also include defective products and buildings that collapse or injure people.
3. Personal Injury – This is one of the most common types of lawsuits because it involves physical, mental or emotional injury. Personal injury litigation can include everything from car accidents to phone calls that cause injuries. It can even include litigation from sexual harassment or abuse.
4. Contract Disputes – When a disagreement arises between two parties who have an existing contract, litigation may be necessary. This can include financing agreements that are broken or sales contracts that are breached.
5. Intellectual Property Infringement – When another party has copied or stolen intellectual property, litigation may be necessary. Intellectual property litigation can include copyright infringement, trademark issues or other violations.
6. Tax Litigation – When a client owes back taxes and other parties are involved, litigation may be necessary. For example, Thailand’s Revenue Department may file litigation against a client or other party for unpaid taxes. With a litigation law firm in Thailand, this litigation can be filed and taken to court.
7. Divorce – When a couple is no longer able to carry on their marriage, litigation may be necessary. This litigation is often full of disputes over child custody, alimony and property divisions. You may click here to know more about legal separation proceedings.
8. Criminal Litigation – When an individual or company has been charged with a crime, litigation may be necessary. This litigation is very different from civil litigation because it involves a much higher standard of proof. Criminal litigation can include everything from DUI and drug charges to murder and other crimes.
If you’re like most people, you probably don’t know much about the different types of lawsuits, albeit you hear of them often. You might be more familiar with personal injury lawsuit, which is filed when someone is hurt, or divorce – filed when a couple splits up. Above we have taken a look at the eight most common ones.
