Quote:
Originally Posted by TheSquealer
Rule number 1 of lawsuits.
Lawyers win... every single time. Plaintiffs? Not so much.
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with all due respect that has not been my experience
twice in 41 years I have needed a lawyer to get back money owed. I find that excessive as I'm not an American who sues at the drop of a hat but both instances were warranted
first time, the first indy site I ever worked (and built my biz around, they even made my first personal site as I was the top earner in their network) just decided to stop and left me and everyone else owed in the wind. I was so pissed and everyone told me to drop it. But I investigated and with the help of a US lawyer who was from Jamaica and knew my ex's family I got back every penny owed including all the court costs, skip trace fees, etc etc etc
I had no idea going in I would get all those extra costs reimbursed, just found out in my research they had done this before, got away with it as no one was owed enough to fight back and I was determined to not let history repeat itself
second time, a broke ass loser expat in Turks and Caicos I was renting a home from in a resort tried to bill me for thousands of dollars of 'damage' including rust in the oven (I do not cook, I stored my books in there and never used the oven once for its intended purpose) and smoke burns on fabric I had never seen. and I don't smoke indoors in a home with a no smoking policy. ever.
he was going through a divorce, had no job/income aside from the rent I paid him and he already didn't like me as I brought 'undesirable' locals over often. aka my friends. not wanted in that resort, or his home. ya know my undesirable friends used coasters every time they had even a glass of water? I par with respectful peeps.
when I moved out me and my ex and our best friend who kinda lived with us spent 3 days cleaning the place. my 'undesirable' boy was down on the floor cleaning every crevice of each kitchen door as TCI is very dusty and that dust accumulates where it can over the course of a year. we left the place in absolutely move in condition. actually cleaner than when I moved in.
I not just got back my 2.5k deposit but also the cost of the lawyer writing the letter to my landlord. Once he got the letter from the TCI lawyer he was at her office with a payment covering everything in less than four hours. he knew he was busted for trying to steal from me just because he thought he could
In both cases the lawyers spent extra time with me off the clock convincing me to also ask for my costs in trying to get my own money back. I'm really conservative/risk adverse and just wanted what I was owed, not the costs of pursuing getting those funds.
I won both times. every penny. including their fees and all costs
Both situations were unpleasant and stressful and not something I ever want to repeat. Still, I got what I was owed both times and that was due to the lawyers I hired
Yes legal proceedings are not fun, but aside from recouping funds owed people who try to get away with theft need to be held accountable so they don't keep doing it.
good luck to everyone seeking what they are ethically owed.