How to Know When it’s Worth Taking Legal Action

There’s nothing quite like the rage that hits when someone completely screws you over. Which, yeah, rightfully so, right? For example, it could have been a situation where a contractor who ghosted you halfway through a job, a business partner who disappeared with your money, you got into an accident and the insurance company won’t help, or a company that sent you a pile of junk instead of what you ordered.  You’re angry, rightfully so, and your brain goes straight to: “I’m suing”. And yeah, it feels powerful in the moment, like the ultimate comeback. 

A lot of people state that threat, and a good chunk of people follow through, too. But it’s not really as easy as you think once reality sinks in. So, for starters, suing someone isn’t as simple as throwing down the “I’ll see you in court” card. Believe it or not, but it’s complicated, expensive, and honestly, it can actually take years. So, by the time it’s all over, most people aren’t feeling victorious; they’re just exhausted and wondering why they ever started.

Oh yeah, you better believe it.

Suing Sounds Easy Until it’s You Doing It

Which in itself sounds extremely surprising, right? So, when people talk about lawsuits, it always sounds straightforward, at least for the most part. Like, when someone wrongs you, you hire a lawyer, and justice magically appears. Again, what you read in books, the news, TV, or whatever else, well, it’s not that simple. Seriously, in real life, it’s not even close. Okay, but how then? Well, first comes the paperwork, and yeah, it’s endless paperwork. Then the meetings, the evidence, and then the delays. Plus, the emotional rollercoaster of being hopeful one week and completely over it the next. And don’t even get started on the money side of things (which is loads upon loads of course).

While yeah, sure, everyone wants to know how much does it cost to sue someone, but there’s no simple answer. Well, it depends on what kind of case it is, how long it drags on, and how stubborn the other side is. But one thing’s for sure, it’s rarely cheap. Like seriosuly, good luck with that, because between filing fees, lost work hours, and legal expenses, those costs pile up fast. 

People think suing someone will make them rich. In reality, it usually just makes them tired and broke.

Pride is Expensive

Yeah, this might be the saddest part of them all, because this really does hit the hardest. So, when you’ve been wronged, your pride kicks in. You want justice. You want them to pay, literally. And yeah, it’s totally understandable, but at the same time, you have to understand that pride can be pricey. There’s a big difference between standing up for yourself and draining your savings to prove a point. Even if you win, you might spend more getting there than you’ll ever recover. 

So, When is it Worth It?

Honestly, this is a totally fair question to ask. There are times when suing makes sense, like when you’ve lost real money, been seriously harmed, or when there’s simply no other option left. But it’s not something to jump into out of anger. Seriosuly, it’s something to prepare for carefully. So, you need to talk to a lawyer, understand what you’re signing up for, and get the full picture before making the call.