When one party has a dispute with another, a civil litigation attorney can file a lawsuit in court instead of criminal charges being filed. For example, if a company is violating an environmental law, the government may want to pursue criminal charges where the community impacted by this may want to file for a civil lawsuit in order to get monetary compensation for their suffering.
Many people are unaware of when a civil case would apply so they seek justice through the criminal system alone. That is an option some of the time but a prosecutor has to agree to try the case. Many disputes or situations can be resolved through the civil court which at times, can be more gratifying simply because it allows the injured or damaged party to go after a cash verdict, rather than a strict criminal conviction.
Here are some of the types of cases where working with a civil litigation attorney in Rapid City can be helpful:
- Landlord/Tenant Law: If one of the parties has violated their end of the agreement, it is typically related to finances and this is a way to recover damages. For example, if a landlord didn't repair a building and as a result, you were injured or became sick – you could have a claim for damages. Likewise, if a tenant stops paying their rent during the course of an agreement, the landlord can take the case to civil court in order to get a judgment and force them to pay.
- Environmental Law: There have been many instances where companies have polluted a local environment. Whether dumping waste into a river or burying toxic chemicals, this can have disastrous consequences for a local community. People can become sick, wildlife endangered and the ground polluted. Filing a civil lawsuit gives the residents of the area an opportunity to force the company to pay for the damage they have created.
- Construction Cases. When you buy a new home, the hope is that it will be built correctly without any issues. The challenge is that some builders can get sloppy when they have a lot of houses in the works. In this scenario, many homeowners will have leaks, cracks in the walls, electrical problems, etc. If you have tried to get the contractor to fix the problems and they haven’t done so, a civil case is your opportunity to make them pay to have the repairs completed along with anything else that was damaged as a result of their inferior work.
- Employment Law. As a civil litigation attorney in Rapid City, we work with employees that have been wrongfully terminated, faced discrimination, or are having challenges with an injury case.
In order to determine whether or not your case has merit, we recommend scheduling a consultation. We will discuss the case, go over the facts and details, and see whether or not it is wise to file for a civil lawsuit. We provide excellent service and our goal is to be as informative as possible so feel free to ask questions during the meeting.
