A contract is broken, someone is injured, a loan is not repaid, goods and services are not provided as agreed. One or both parties believe they didn't get what they bargained for. Eventually, the dispute escalates to a win or lose battle that the parties often can't resolve on their own. "They shouldn't be allowed to get away with this, I don't care how long it takes, I am going to make them pay."
Lawsuits are time consuming, stressful, expensive and unpredictable.
Time is money. The longer a dispute remains unresolved, the more divided the parties can become. The dispute becomes more and more personal. Parties lose objectivity and lose sight of the real economic impact of their dispute. Litigation costs rise quickly and there is no end in sight. When will the case go to trial ? When will the judge rule ? How much will I be awarded? Can I recover everything in court that I think I am entitled to? What about my attorney fees? Can I punish the other party for what they did? How and when will I be able to collect a judgment ? Is it all really worth it, especially when you consider that less than 10% of all lawsuits filed ever get to trial?
Who should hold the power to control the outcome of a dispute?
Should a judge or jury always be left to decide when, if and how much you recover ? After all, it's not their money or reputation that is at stake. How else can you get what you believe that you are entitled to besides pursuing litigation? Its called ADR - Alternative Dispute Resolution. There are many types of formal and informal ADR processes available to help manage and resolve a wide variety of problems and disputes. There are many different types of individuals and organizations available to help. More information about these processes and resources are discussed throughout my website.
Ó Copyright 2006 - 2007 Thomas F. Meyer and 4 Disputes, Inc. – All Rights Reserved
Disputes are inevitable.
