Can You Seek Help Through Civil Litigation? 6 Common Cases

Admin • June 28, 2021

Divorce contract on table — Springfield, TN — The Law Office of Joe R. “Jay” Johnson, II

Do you need to address a wrong another party committed toward you? Then you may need to use the legal tool of civil litigation. What types of issues can you use civil litigation to solve and how? Learn what you need to know about six of the most common types of civil lawsuits.

1. Personal Injury

While many people think of a personal injury as a physical injury - such as a car or bike accident, injury during an altercation, or slip-and-fall accidents - the injury may be of many varieties. For instance, personal injury litigation may stem from defective products, defamation, or even fraud.

Personal injury claims can be long and arduous, but they are some of the most important civil litigation a person will enter into. This is because the person needs financial resources to help them recover and rebuild for life.

2. Rental Issues

Both landlords and tenants may pursue compensation due to disputes involving rented homes or businesses. Landlords may start litigation to seek an eviction for a tenant who won't leave after violating their rental agreement. But tenants may be able to sue their landlords to get back security deposits and rent or for damages to their own belongings due to the actions (or inaction) of the landlord.

3. Contract Claims

Business owners, tradespersons, and entrepreneurs often become involved in litigation over the breach of a contract. However, an individual may sign a number of contracts over their lifetime, and they must also be aware of their right to seek damages for financial losses wherever they occur.

Breach of contract happens when one party fails to complete all or substantially all of a legal contract. While most contract suits occur after the terms of the contract are over, some may start preemptively to attempt to mitigate the damage.

4. Equitable Claims

Not all civil cases must wait until a defined financial loss has already occurred. Equitable claims are cases when one party sues to prevent another from doing something harmful or provide nonmonetary relief. These can be time-sensitive and often involve dangers to your finances, health, or happiness.

For instance, if a rival company learns your company secrets and plans to use them to undermine your business, you may need the court to prevent them from acting. Waiting until you have a financial loss will be too late. Equitable claims can stop such actions - or force a party to comply with a contract instead.

5. Labor Disputes

Compliance with employment and labor laws is often litigated in two arenas. First, employees can generally go to government oversight agencies, such as a state labor board, to report wrongdoing to the appropriate agency.

The second means to seek help is through a related civil court case. This is because, even if the labor board finds that your employer has discriminated against you and other employees, this may not help you if you were already fired for reporting it. In this case, you may seek compensation with monetary damages from that employer.

6. Divorce Cases

Finally, divorce cases are civil lawsuits involving two spouses who have not come to a divorce agreement outside the court. This type of case is somewhat different because it doesn't involve a preponderance of evidence or a single winner or loser. Rather, it is a request for the judge to rule on terms the couple has not been able to work out, often by applying state guidelines.

Learn More

Do you think that a civil lawsuit could help you recover your finances or prevent a burdensome loss? If so, the best place to start is to learn more about this often-unfamiliar process. The Law Office of Joe R. "Jay" Johnson, II, can help Tennessee residents seek what they need through civil litigation. Call today to make an appointment.

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