Victims pursuing a civil suit may wonder what their options are for financial recovery when the liable party has no money. You should still sue someone who has no money for a couple of reasons. First and foremost, you deserve justice after suffering injuries due to someone else’s negligence. You also have options for collecting compensation after a favorable verdict, even if the person you are suing does not have much money.
There are other assets, such as their income or their property, that the court can order them to relinquish. You can hire a personal injury lawyer to help you through the legal process and explore your options for collecting compensation from a defendant who has no money.
You Deserve Justice, Even When You Are Suing a Person Who Has No Money
Bringing a civil suit against a liable party can offer you a chance to seek justice. Sometimes, the defendant will also face criminal charges or traffic citations for the accident that they caused. In the absence of such charges or citations, a civil suit may be the only way to hold a negligent party accountable for their actions.
Even if they face criminal charges, you still deserve a chance to seek compensation for your accident-related losses. A simple traffic ticket may not feel like justice was served in the eyes of a car accident victim, either.
Just because the person does not have money doesn’t excuse their behavior. Besides, you may have more options for collecting compensation from them than you think.
For a free legal consultation, call 404-214-2001
Potential Options for Collecting Compensation When Suing a Person Who Has No Money
Even if a defendant in a personal injury case does not have any money, the court can still order them to do certain things to help the plaintiff collect compensation. Of course, this would apply only if you win your personal injury case against someone.
The court will make a determination of a verdict owed to you, and if the defendant cannot pay it, the court may explore these other options for holding them financially accountable for your losses.
Wage Garnishment
The court orders may allow you to garnish the person’s wages up to a certain percentage. This means that the court will order that a percentage of the defendant’s wages be regularly paid to you for a certain amount of time. Each state differs in its laws regarding wage garnishment, and some defendants, such as low-income workers, may be exempt from this process.
Levying Personal Assets
If wage garnishment does not apply in your case against a specific defendant, you may have the opportunity to place a levy on the person’s personal assets. Once again, the court will have to order this. Personal assets that may help cover your accident-related losses include:
- Real estate property
- Personal property, including vehicles
- Investments, such as stocks
Levying Business Assets
If you are suing a person who does not have any money but has a business, you could also levy their business assets, such as machinery and other industrial equipment. You may be right in assuming that a business person with no money is not far from having to close their business anyway. If they still own it, your levy of their business assets may be the final straw to make them close down.
As with a levy on personal assets, a levy on business assets is also something that only a court order can bring about.
How Our Lawyers Can Help When Suing Someone Who Has No Money
As with any personal injury case, you want a lawyer who will approach it with dedication. At our firm, we can help you pursue a personal injury lawsuit and handle the entire legal process so that you do not have to.
We can help by:
- Investigating an accident to establish negligence and liability
- Gather evidence of your losses, such as medical records, expert witness statements, and wage statements
- Communicate with the liable parties, their insurers, and their representatives
- Handle all the applicable paperwork for your claim or lawsuit
- Negotiate for fair compensation, as well as a plan to collect it
- Represent you in a trial
While we do all this, you can have more time to focus on recovering from your injuries. When we take on a case, we give it the personalized attention it deserves. We never use a cookie-cutter approach to a case, and we make it a point to keep you updated throughout the process.
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Don’t Forget About Your Deadline for Suing Someone
Regardless of the person’s financial standing, you still have to adhere to the statute of limitations when suing someone. According to O.C.G.A. § 9-3-33, you generally have two years to file a personal injury lawsuit.
If you do not meet this deadline, the court could dismiss your case entirely. In that event, you could lose your chance to seek justice and compensation from the liable party. Protect your right to take legal action against them by getting started on your case as soon as possible.
Our lawyers can work to streamline the process of seeking compensation and help you meet this deadline. Keep in mind that it takes time to build a case, and none of the steps, such as negotiating with an insurer, stalls the deadline.
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We Can Help Determine If You Should Sue Someone Who Has No Money
Our personal injury lawyers want to pursue justice for you. While suing a person who does not have money may make getting compensated a longer process, we want to fight for your recovery, regardless.
When you call Kaine Law, we can explore if you should sue someone who has no money during a free consultation. This way, you can get clear on your legal options. Call us today!
Call or text 404-214-2001 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form
