FAQ – How Much is My Case Worth?

The basics.

If you become our client, we are going to everything we can to get you justice and get you paid.

The Constitution of the United States says we have a right to a civil jury trial. The civil courts say we have to put a dollar value on Justice. Justice must NEVER come cheaply.

The laws that control our core cases only allow plaintiffs to recover certain types of damages: (1) actual damages; (2) compensatory damages; and (3) reimbursement of the costs to bring a lawsuit, including attorney fees in some cases. In some cases, punitive damages are available.

Compensatory damages.

These are the most important harms in most of our cases.

These are what our adversaries refer to as “soft” damages and include compensation for things that are imprecise and don’t have a clear monetary value such as emotional harm. We call them “human” injuries because our clients are human beings.

Spiritual energy and wellness are priceless. But since we have to put a dollar value on Justice, it must NEVER come cheaply.

Actual damages.

These are “hard” damages that can readily be proven, such as medical expenses, lost wages and benefits.

In employment cases, employees are entitled to the amount they would have earned had they not been wrongfully terminated minus any amount they actually earned from a new job, and this amount is often the most important factor in how the other side values your case.

If you become our client, there is a good chance that we will advise you to not ask for economic damages and only ask for damages for your human injuries.

Punitive damages.

The purpose of punitive damages is to punish the wrongdoer. Minnesota judges and juries generally don’t allow punitive damages, but we’re going to everything we can to change that.

Valuing Your Case.

In most of our cases the people in charge of the money do not care about you or your harms and want to pay you nothing, or the least amount possible. That is their job: to pay you nothing.

In most of our cases the lawyers on the other side do not care about you or your harms and want to bill hours and get paid off your harms and have their client pay you nothing, or the least amount possible. That is their job and ethical duty: to zero you out.

We’re going to put you in the best possible position to make it so the other side would rather pay you an amount that represents justice than go to court. That’s my job, and I will share with you how I can get you paid when we meet in person.

If the other side offers you a settlement amount that would make a meaningful difference in your life, then I will advise you to take it and move on with your life. Lawsuits are long, spirit injurious and brutal. If the other side does not make an offer that you can live with, then I will advise you to embrace risk, stand strong with me, and allow me the opportunity to get you some Justice at trial.

Maximizing Your Recovery.

One factor has the greatest impact on whether the other side will make a fair settlement offer:

Your willingness to embrace risk and take your case to trial.

The other wants to pay you nothing and has hired lawyers who want to bill hours and get paid off your harm and zero you out. That is their job. The other side is unlikely to make a settlement offer that represents justice unless they truly believe the only alternative is going to trial and trying to convince a jury that their conduct was acceptable.

The single most important thing you can do to maximize your recovery if the other side refuses to make a settlement offer that you can live with is to embrace the process and be willing to take your case to trial.

While we can’t guarantee specific results, we will not accept your case unless we think it has merit and we can win at trial. In other words, if the other side doesn’t do the right thing and make a fair offer, we are ready, willing, and eager to try your case to a jury.

Click here to request a free case evaluation.