What is Litigation Financing?
Lawsuit funding solutions vary, and you might be asking yourself, “what exactly is litigation funding or legal financing?”. “Pre-settlement” or “litigation” funding consists of non-recourse cash advances offered to plaintiffs who need money. Like you, they need money to help overcome the financial drain that often accompanies personal injuries and pending lawsuits until their case reaches a settlement or verdict.
Litigation funds are given as plaintiff advances. In other words, settlement funding is not available for defendants. Pre-settlement funding companies stand to lose a lot if their clients do not win cases, so it isn’t surprising that we need information about your case before finding a solution that is right for you.
Is a Lawsuit Advance Right For You?
People who file personal injury lawsuits often apply for pre-settlement or personal injury advances. These cases include, but are not limited to, auto accidents, medical malpractice, construction negligence, worker’s compensation, mass tort and wrongful death cases. Lawsuit settlement funding is meant to meet certain financial demands that often arise following an injury. In light of this, we often see applications from people in situations similar to the ones described below.
Do You Need Funds to Pay the rent?
Here is a classic situation: Ms. Jones is a single parent and lives in an apartment with her son who is two years old. She works two jobs in order to make ends meet and pay the monthly rent on her apartment. When she passes by a construction site on her way to work and one day, a hammer carelessly left high up on a platform slips off and falls on her. The construction workers did not take the necessary steps to ensure pedestrian safety, and now Ms. Jones can’t go to work because she is incapacitated by her injuries.
She decides to sue the construction company for negligence but still needs funds to pay the rent. The case has been going on for a while, and Ms. Jones is already three months behind on her rent. This is where we come in. She applies for a $3000 plaintiff advance to cover three months of rent. From one of our multiple sources, Ms. Jones receives funding that saves her from a possible eviction and a bad mark on her credit. It also gives her peace of mind until her case is resolved.
Do You Need a Litigation Advance to Buy Groceries?
A plaintiff unable to work because of injuries from an auto accident may own his home. But, he may not be able to pay for other household expenses such as groceries, the phone, or heating bill. In a case such as this, the plaintiff can apply for pre-settlement funding to tide him over until his case is settled. Then, he can use the settlement money to repay his advance.
Do You Have Unpaid Medical Expenses?
According to the Federal Drug Administration, medical malpractice cases are responsible for 1.3 million deaths every year. Medical malpractice cases may include –
- Late or misdiagnosis
- Birth injuries
- Failure to prevent infections
- Surgical malpractice
- Incorrect dosages or incorrect medication
- Slip and fall cases at a medical institute
- Nursing home abuse or neglect
Needless to say, the injuries incurred by any of the above can be severe and life threatening. Victims often end up having to pay tremendous amounts of money out of their own pockets because doctors either failed to give proper treatment or ignored protocol.
While these victims can sue to receive compensation for the extra medical expenses, they will still need funds to cover these high costs while their cases are pending. In a wrongful death lawsuit, the family of the victim may need funds to tide them over until a lengthy medical malpractice case reaches a conclusion. Plaintiffs who are drowning in debt, or living from paycheck to paycheck may face a decision: ruin their credit by running up credit card bills or being chronically delinquent on payments, or apply for plaintiff funding.
Do You Need Funds in a Case For Pain and Suffering?
Victims also file lawsuits to receive compensation for the pain and suffering they endure as a result of an employer’s negligence. Mesothelioma lawsuit funding is an example of this type of case. Mesothelioma is an aggressive form of cancer caused by asbestos exposure; exposure that is preventable in most situations. Anyone who develops the chronic disease, particularly because of occupational exposure has the right to file a mesothelioma lawsuit against the employer or company that required him to work in such an environment. A lawsuit can also be brought against the manufacturers of the asbestos products that are related to the said exposure.
Besides seeking money to compensate for economic hardships, victims may also decide to file for punitive damages against defendants in these cases. Punitive damages can be quite high depending upon how deplorable the defendant’s actions are proven to be. An applicant for plaintiff funding may qualify for a larger advance if there is a likelihood they will be awarded punitive damages.
Find out if you qualify for litigation funding by filling out the short inquiry form on the upper right side of the page.