Getting Paid after a Lawsuit

There are many questions that surround a lawsuit. Will you win? What is my case worth? Should you settle?

The one big question that everyone asks their attorney after winning their lawsuit is – How long does it take before getting paid?

A personal injury lawsuit in comparison to a business disputes takes much faster. Getting paid after a personal injury lawsuit can take a few weeks to months depending upon who is paying and how quickly your attorney receives the proceeds from the case.

The typical process starts when the plaintiff’s lawyer receives a check from the defense. The defense in a personal injury lawsuit is typically the insurance company. Once the money is collected by your attorney he or she will typically place the check in a trust account. The lawyer will always be the first to collect on the lawsuit. Your lawyer will deduct his or her fees from the account. These fees are typically incurred during the length of the case and if hired on a contingency fee basis will be a percentage of the winnings.

If there are liens on the case (medical, child support, lawsuit funding) they will be paid by the trust. The remaining funds will be distributed to you.

There are no guarantees in life and a lawsuit is no different. Whether you are considering pre settlement funding because you can’t wait until your lawsuit settles or can’t wait for your settlement check because of a pressing financial situation, we are here to help.

Contact LawLeaf to receive lawsuit funding against your winnings or against potential proceeds from an unsettled case.

Medical Authorization

When a person is involved in an accident the insurance company may request medical authorization. Medical authorizations allow insurance companies to view current medical records, past medical records, employment records and financial information. If an insurance company obtains these records they can use them against you during the recovery phase. They may deny a claim or get the claim reduced to a bare minimum. You should never give the insurance company medical authorization.

What Should You Do?

The first thing you should do after you seek medical attention is to contact a lawyer. A lawyer will protect your legal rights. A lawyer will know what information to share and which information should be kept private. If an insurance company contacts you during the process you should immediately refer them to your attorney. Do not provide any information or authorization without consulting with your attorney. You should always let your attorney handle all communications with the insurance company.

If I allow authorization can it hurt my case?

The short answer is yes. If you allow the insurance company to obtain medical or healthcare authorization it can hurt your case. They can use this information against you and in some cases can be catastrophic to your case.

LawLeaf believes that each person should have the right to receive full compensation for their case. Insurance companies use many different tactics in hopes of lowering a settlement or denying a claim. You should be aware that while some companies come off as if they are in your corner, it’s quite the opposite.

If you are going through the process and considering a lawsuit cash advance against your case, contact us today.

Who Do You Sue

If you are a victim of an accident with a commercial vehicle understanding who is responsible for paying damages can be confusing. Trying to figure out who is liable may require the expertise of a personal injury attorney. Whether you were hit by a UPS driver, postal service vehicle, government vehicle or tractor trailer you may have a case against a host of different parties.

Who may be responsible:

• The driver of the vehicle
• The company
• The state or local municipality
• The manufacturer
• Rental agency

In order to successfully win compensation for your case we would recommend immediately documenting the accident. This should be done soon after the accident happens; so you don’t forget the events leading up to the incident. When documenting the accident you should write down in detail exactly how the accident occurred.

Jot down notes on different passengers (where they were in the vehicle), where you were heading, time, weather conditions, details leading up to the accident (was heading down route 1 when the vehicle crossed into the lane), and what happened right after the accident (head slammed into the steering wheel). It is important that you write down everything you can remember.

We would also recommend you have the passengers inside the vehicle write down the incident leading up to the accident and thereafter.

You always have the right to seek legal counsel before speaking with the other insurer. You are not required to share any information with the other party until your case has been evaluated by an attorney. If you were involved in an accident and interested in lawsuit funding against your case, contact us today.

Investigating a Traffic Accident

If you were involved in an accident and the police were called they will likely be the first in line to investigate the accident. When the police arrive at the scene of the accident they will be responsible for assessing and managing the scene, putting traffic cones or flares surrounding the scene, interviewing witnesses, and filing reports.  We have provided a general overview of how a police officer may initially investigate an accident.

When a patrol car arrives at the scene of the accident they will immediate assess all vehicles and individuals involved in a crash. If someone is hurt they will immediate contact an emergency dispatch. If there is wreckage they will contact an emergency cleanup crew to remove the debris from the roadway. Plastic orange traffic cones and flares will most likely be used. These devices are used to help clear the roadway and serve to divert traffic from the scene of the accident. They are also important for oncoming traffic in less populated areas in which another oncoming vehicle could crash into the scene of the accident. The cones are generally used during the daylight and flares at night.

Once the officer has taken all necessary precautions they will begin investigating the scene of the accident. They may begin looking at the roadway around the scene of the accident. They will look for tire marks, skid marks, acceleration marks, gap skids, debris, scuff marks and other signs of where and how the collision occurred.

The police officer will also assess all the vehicles involved in an accident. They will look at the exterior and interior of all vehicles. This includes damage to the front, back and sides of a vehicle.

The officer will begin interviewing witnesses. These witnesses will include the drivers, occupants and other motorist and pedestrians that may have witnessed the accident. They will take down the names and contact information of each witness. The officer will be responsible for diagramming the scene of the accident based upon the roadway marks, damage, and witness statements.  They will also be responsible for a narrative of the accident.

If you were involved in an accident make sure you request a copy of the full report. This report should be provided to your attorney. If you were a victim of a traffic accident you should always consider speaking with a lawyer soon after the accident has occurred.

If you already have an attorney and interested in receiving pre settlement funding against a pending lawsuit or claim, or a settlement loan against a settled case, contact us today. We provide lawsuit funding throughout the United States.

Experience Matters

The legal industry is no different than most other industries. Whether you are searching for a lawsuit cash advance or hiring an attorney, experience does matter. If you are presently searching for an attorney on the internet, two of the areas on any website you will likely run across are Attorney Bios and About Us pages.  These are the two areas of a website that provide information on experience and probably the most important pages on a website. These areas should provide some initial information about the law firm or background of an attorney and should be used in making an informed decision of whether or not to contact a firm.

As marketing dollars increase and competition tightens some attorney’s are taking different approaches in promoting their firms. These approaches are designed to maximize their conversion rates. We won’t go into to the various approaches but you can be sure that marketing the experience of a firm is part of their campaign.

The amount of experience a law firm has in regards to your case is extremely important. There are hundreds of thousands of lawyers in the United States and most focus on one or two different areas of law. If you have a personal injury case you will likely want to speak with an attorney that focuses on personal injury law. Because personal injury law encompasses all injury related cases, some people would benefit from hiring an attorney that is an expert in a specific area of personal injury law. For example if you were a victim in a medical malpractice, you will likely benefit from hiring a law firm that focuses on medical malpractice lawsuits. The same can be true for car accidents, workers compensation and wrongful death claims.

The reason why you should be concerned with experience is because it can directly impact your case. If you are working with a law firm that has never handled your specific case type, your chances of obtaining full compensation compared to a firm that focuses on your specific case type will decrease. This doesn’t mean you won’t receive compensation using an inexperienced lawyer, it just means using an experienced attorney will improve your chances of receiving full compensation for your case.

We believe experience does matter. If you are presently involved in hiring an attorney you should always consider interviewing the attorney and finding out their experience in handling your case type.

LawLeaf is a leading lawsuit funding company that has a great deal of experience with a great reputation. We provide pre settlement funding and post settlement advances throughout the United States. Our experience has allowed us to expand our services in Canada. If you are interested in obtaining litigation financing or a settlement loan, contact us today.

Reputation is Important

LawLeaf believes a company is only as good as its reputation. The reputation of any company will ultimately determine their success in their respected market. If you are a company with a great reputation you will be rewarded and a company with a negative reputation will be penalized.

LawLeaf’s approach is growth by reputation. We believe we have one of the best reputations in the industry which is the main reason for our growth. LawLeaf has focused on client centric services since the inception of the company and our main focus continues to be the client.

If you keep up with the legal financing markets you will find companies spending hundreds of thousands of dollars each year promoting their services through direct mailings, email blasts, television and radio commercials, billboard advertising, website advertisements and other marketing channels. Our approach is much different. A large percentage of our business comes from attorney referrals and past client referrals. This is a testament to our commitment to our clients and our reputation within the lawsuit funding market.

When a client contacts LawLeaf they will be immediately in contact with the underwriter. The underwriter(s) are the individuals who ultimately make an approval on an application. Our ability to streamline our process is unparalleled.  We also put a great deal of emphasis in obtaining our clients with some of the most competitive rates in the industry. Furthermore any person that is applying for a lawsuit settlement loan needs the money immediately. We have experience in securing approvals the same day the applicant applies for an advance.

If you have previously tried obtaining a settlement advance with another company your experience may have been less than desirable. The lawsuit funding industry can be overwhelming at times. There is a lot of stress on both lenders and applicants. This is directly related to the economy as more people are out of work and need financial assistance than any time before. LawLeaf has the resources in place to make sure our customers are treated professionally and in a judicious manner. We understand that most of our clients are in desperate need of financial relief and time is always a necessity. LawLeaf employs and works with some of the most compassionate and understanding people in the industry. We are approachable and always willing to listen.

Our reputation is well intact because we are serious about putting our customers’ needs ahead of our own. We are truly a partner in the process regardless of how fast the process may be.

If you look at the business landscape in America you will find the majority of small businesses that are successful put an emphasis in providing great services to their clients. In some cases business owners will go great lengths of improving their reputation in their respected industry because they understand the importance to their bottom line. A great reputation can significantly increase the demand for a product or service as fast as a poor reputation can cripple the growth of a company. Whether you are searching for a lawsuit loan, an attorney or other services within the legal industry, you should always consider the reputation of an individual or company before proceeding into a contract.

Is Your Case the Right Fit

You wouldn’t hire a commercial litigation attorney to handle your personal injury lawsuit; and you wouldn’t contact a lawsuit funding company that doesn’t fund your type of case. The idea that all companies handle all different types of lawsuits is just incorrect. If you recently applied for a lawsuit cash advance with a company and you’ve not gotten a response back, it’s likely they can’t help.

The industry as a whole is fairly new. There are companies that offer a wide range of services and others that are more selective in the types of cases they will fund. Because the industry is still in its infancy underwriters are only willing to bet against cases they are familiar with. If a company will only provide legal funding against catastrophic injury cases it’s probably safe to assume they would not be interested in a whiplash accident. The same can be said for commercial cases. There are a very small percentage of companies willing to consider both personal injury and commercial disputes. In most cases those companies that provide funding for commercial litigation disputes will not provide advances against personal injury cases and vice-versa.

One of the benefits of working with LawLeaf is our flexibility. We can fund almost any type of case regardless of its size and scope. We are also one of the few companies that work with plaintiffs in the United States and Canada. There is a good chance if we can’t secure funding for your case, no one else will. This doesn’t mean we won’t use all of our resources to find a buyer as we’ve successfully provided funding to some clients from independent investors outside of the legal funding markets.

LawLeaf historically has provided a variety of different funding types since the beginning. We have done a terrific job in expanding our investment resources around the globe. Some companies that provide legal financing have limited capital. Those companies may have limits per case and limits per year. At LawLeaf we have unlimited capital resources. There is no case too large or too small. We have capital resources from companies in North America and some companies that are public traded companies throughout Europe and other areas of the world.

LawLeaf understands that not every case will be a fit but we do believe if a case is going to get funded, your chances of receiving funding through LawLeaf is higher than many other competitors in the market.  To find out if you qualify for a legal advance against your case, apply online today.

Lawsuit Funding Agreement

If you have applied for lawsuit funding and were approved the next step is signing off on the agreement. The contract for each company is different however there are some similarities. It is important before you sign an agreement you have your attorney review the agreement.

We have listed only a few items in a lawsuit funding agreement that are standard for most companies. A contract looks different for each company however the items below are generally consistent in each contract.

Non recourse or contingency fee

All lawsuit funding companies in the United States provide lawsuit funding on a contingency fee or non recourse basis. In the contract a company may use either term. These terms describe a person’s financial responsibility if the case is lost. A company has no recourse if a case is lost. This means if you lose your case, you are free and clear. The company agrees to lose the whole investment should you lose your case. Yes, you owe nothing.

The amount

The agreement should clearly state the amount you are borrowing.

The rate

The rate should be clearly stated in the agreement. The rate is what you will be charged monthly or yearly for the advance. The rates are generally different for each company. There are some companies that will outline their rates making it easier for the applicant to understand what they will owe on a month to month basis. There are other companies that will include the rate along with a schedule. The type of rate should be clearly stated in the contract. If you are receiving a monthly compounded advance the agreement should state the lawsuit loan rate will be compounded monthly. Some contracts may provide a compounded and annual rate. If you are confused when reading over the agreement, make sure you ask questions.

The fees

The fees are generally different for each company. Most companies will charge an underwriting fee and origination fee. These fees are added to the total sum of the amount borrowed. When a company underwrites a case they are generally using an attorney to review the case. A company may have underwriters in house or outsource their underwriting to a third party. If the case is outsourced the underwriters are paid by the company with these fees.

The date

The date of the agreement is important because of the rate. Whether you are receiving a flat fee rate or compounded monthly, the date will serve as the starting point for the advance. If your rate will increase six months from the time of the advance, the date will serve as the starting point.

Initials

You will be required to initial every page in the agreement.

Signatures

The lender, plaintiff and the attorney will all be required to sign off on the agreement. A public notary will also have to notarize the agreement.

If you have questions regarding an agreement you have received you should always contact the lender. You should never sign off on an agreement until all your questions are answered. You should also have your attorney review the contract to make sure the agreement is in par with the verbal agreement.

Determining an Amount

You are considering lawsuit funding but unsure of how much you should borrow. Determining the amount of money needed is always different for each client. If you are unsure of how much money you will need, let us know and we will process your application with a ceiling amount. This means we will provide you with the maximum amount you can borrow; whether you accept the full amount or a partial amount will be up to you.

When determining the amount of money to borrow take in consideration the following:

What are you borrowing the money for?

If you are considering a lawsuit cash advance to have some extra pocket money, you may want to reconsider. Lawsuit funding is best used by those individuals that need to pay off expenses while waiting for a settlement.

When is your case going to settle and what happens if you run out of money?

While you should only borrow what you need, if you believe you may need another advance because your case is far from over, consider an open line of credit. This will allow you to borrow up to the maximum approval amount. You should only borrow what you need however you will have the flexibility of borrowing additional funds at a later date. In most cases it will eliminate the need of having to get your case underwritten a second time.

What are your current and ongoing expenses?

If you are out of work you will need to determine how much money you will need until the case is resolved. You should give yourself a few extra months in the event the case goes on a little longer. If you are heavily relying of legal funding to pay off your expenses while waiting, make an itemized list of each expense.

What if you run out of money?

If you received legal financing and you run out of the money you can apply for a second round of funding with LawLeaf. If you received funding from LawLeaf, simply contact us again and we will submit your case for additional funds. If you received a lawsuit loan with another company, we can still help. LawLeaf has adopted a rate refinancing program that has become very popular within the legal finance markets. We will have an underwriter review your file and if you qualify we can reduce your current rate, while providing you with additional funds against your case.

Are you unsure of the amount?

This is not uncommon. We receive applications on a weekly basis from people that are unsure of how much money to borrow. If you are approved but still having a hard time determining the amount, we will have the underwriter keep the contract open until you figure out the amount you want to borrow. We can keep a contract opens for several days and in some cases a week.

The amount is determined by the rate?

You may also be determining an amount based upon the rate. It is important to understand there are no two lawsuits that are similar. The rate will always be dependent upon case. To get a broad over of rates, please visit our lawsuit loan rates FAQ.

Determining the amount is important. You should always take your time in determining the amount you should borrow. If you have questions about amounts please contact us today.

Interviewing a Lawyer

Before you can receive lawsuit funding you must first have an attorney. If you are currently in the process of hiring a personal injury attorney you should consider interviewing a few attorney’s before making a final decision. We have provided a small checklist of locating and interviewing a lawyer.

One of the best ways of finding the right attorney is asking your friends or colleagues for a referral. If you are unable to get a referral consider using the internet. The internet can be a great resource of finding the right attorney for you. You can use one of the major search engines and search for an attorney by practice area and location. If you want to get more specific with the search, consider searching for the type of accident. For instance if you were involved a car accident in Florida, do a search for Florida car accident attorney. You can also get more specific by searching for a region or area within Florida. For instance search for exact location of where the accident occurred.

You can also search through directories like lawyers.com, justia.com or findlaw.com. These directories are specifically geared towards consumers looking for information on attorneys.

Once you’ve identified a group of attorneys you should prepare yourself for the interview. While the interview process will be used to assess the validity of your case, you can also use it to find out if the attorney is qualified to handle your case.

Some questions include:

1. How long have you been practicing law?
2. Do you have experience in handling my type of case?
3. What is your success rate specific to my type of case?
4. If we decide to decline an offer will you handle the litigation of my case or refer my case to another attorney?
5. What is your track record when taking a case to trial?
6. Based upon our discussion do you believe I have a good case?
7. Do you handle cases on a contingency fee basis?
8. If I have questions during the process can I easily reach you?

These are a few of the questions that you should consider asking. The interview process is important for you and the attorney.  When you have identified several attorneys make sure to use the same questioning for each. This will help you to identify those attorneys that you feel are best suited to handle your case.

If you are going to consider a lawsuit cash advance make sure to ask the attorney if he or she is willing to work with a lawsuit funding company in getting you legal financing against your case. Without cooperation from the attorney, it will be impossible to get litigation financing against your case.

Pre settlement funding and post settlement funding is only available to those individuals that have legal representation. If you have questions about hiring an attorney, give us a call. While we can’t make any recommendations we can certainly assist in helping you make an informed decision of what types of attorneys are best suited for your case.

After an Accident

There are millions of accidents each year and many are just out of our control. If you were involved in an accident you should always take all the necessary steps assuring the safety of those involved, regardless of the party at fault. You should also understand the ramifications that may follow. If you have recently filed an injury claim or lawsuit against the other party and interested in receiving a lawsuit loan against your case, contact us today.

If someone was hurt

If someone suffered injury you should immediately contact 911. You should make sure to stay at the scene of the accident and direct emergency personnel to the injured party. Unless a dire emergency, never move the person. As hard as it may be you should always try to stay calm. If you are in a position let the injured party know that help is on the way.

Contact Police

If an accident has occurred you should always contact the police. If you contact 911 the police will show up however if minor injures were sustained you should still contact the police, especially if you were the victim. The police will file a report and take statements from all parties involved. They may also take statements from pedestrians that witnessed the accident. The police report can play a critical role later in the process and eliminate the need of having to visit the police station at a later date and filing your own report.

Exchanging Information

Make sure to exchange information with all parties involved. If a car accident you will want to get basic information such as name, phone number, address, driver’s license number and license plate tag. You should also request the name of the insurance company and policy number of the other driver. If there were witnesses request the name and contact information of each witness.

Take photographs or video

It is much easier today than years ago. Most people have cell phones that will take pictures and video. You should always take pictures and video of the accident. You should capture as much of the accident as possible from various points. If you were involved in a motor vehicle accident take pictures of each vehicle. If you have time try taking pictures or video specifically of the areas in which the impact occurred. You should also take pictures of all injuries.

Contact a lawyer

If you were severely injured you should always consider contacting an attorney immediately after the accident occurred. An attorney can play an important role during the initial process. They have experience and understanding of how to better handle a claim. More importantly they will preserve your legal rights assuring you compensation after the accident occurred.

If you are currently in the process of an injury claim or lawsuit and interested in lawsuit funding against your case, contact us today.

Do I need Good Credit

This is a question we receive monthly. It’s important to understand how legal financing is provided. A person that applies for this type of financing does not need good credit. In fact, a person can have horrible credit or no credit at all and still be approved.

The idea that someone would need good credit to receive a lawsuit cash advance is just not right. This is because a company does not approve clients based upon their credit history or rating; rather they look at the case. An approval is based upon how a lender feels about your case. If a lawsuit lender believes you are going to win compensation for your case, it’s likely you will be approved.

What if I have a lien on my suit?

A lien is much different than credit. If a person owes child support or the IRS etc. and the entity has placed a lien on the lawsuit, it may affect an approval. This is because of the way legal financing is paid out once the client wins their case. Lawsuit funding companies usually want to be second in line, unless the lien is a small fraction of the expected award.

If a person receives an advance from a company the first person to get paid on the case once it settles is the attorney. The second would be the funding company. If the funding company a lien on the suit, they may either deny the application or find out what the total amount of the lien is. If a lien was placed on the lawsuit by another funding company, LawLeaf may still be able to help. We offer buyouts of existing liens that were placed on a case by another lender. We are sometimes successful at buying out a lien at a lower rate, while offering additional funds to the client.

Regardless of your credit history or rating, if you are interested in settlement funding against your case, contact us today. We are ready to help.

Do You Need a Lawyer

We receive dozens of requests each month from applicants that are representing themselves in a legal case. LawLeaf can only work with those applicants that have legal representation. Pre settlement funding can only be used by those individuals that have a lawyer. If you do not have legal representation, you will not be approved for a lawsuit cash advance.

Why isn’t this available for Pro-Se?

Lawsuit funding is non recourse. This means a person that borrows money against their suit will only be responsible for paying back the advance if they win their case. If they lose their case, they owe nothing. When a person decides to represent themselves any lender would have reservations in loaning against the case. There are many reasons why a company won’t lend against a case and having someone representing themselves is a big reason.

Main Reasons include:

• Borrower has no experience in handling a case
• Being able to place a lien on the case and collecting the money if the individual wins their case
• Ability to see the case through
• Ability to win their case
• A borrow may decide to give up the lawsuit
• If the borrower wins the money goes directly to the plaintiff

Placing a lien on the case:

When a person is approved for an advance, a company will use the contract as a lien. This lien is signed by the attorney and the customer. When the attorney receives a settlement check or judgment he or she will be responsible for paying off the liens prior to releasing the remaining funds to the client. When all the liens are paid in full, the client will receive the remainder of what’s left over. This is how the company is guaranteed to be repaid if and when a case is won. If a company loaned money to a person handling their own case, there is no telling if the borrower would pay out the lien when they received compensation from their lawsuit.

If you are representing yourself you will unfortunately not be approved for legal financing. You will first need to hire an attorney before we can look at your case.

Qualifying for a Lawsuit Cash Advance

If you are going to apply for a lawsuit cash advance the first thing you will need is an attorney. Legal funding is not available to those individuals that are representing themselves.

The legal financing industry is very unique. When a company decides to invest in a case they do so at their risk. In order to minimize this risk the first qualification factor will always be the attorney. The lender believes if an attorney is willing to work with you on a contingency fee basis, the case probably has some merit. Because this tool is non recourse, it will be important that a company only invests in those cases which have a good chance of winning. When a client is pro se (representing themselves) it’s impossible for a company to place a lien on the case.

If you were involved in an accident and in the process of interviewing attorneys, we will be able to help once you have hired legal representation.

If you have recently filed an injury claim, in arbitration, mediation or negotiating a settlement we can assist you. We work with plaintiffs that have declined settlement offers and others in which the defense was unwilling to accept full liability.

There are times which a settlement has been reached but payments are weeks or months away. We work with clients that are interested in borrowing against their agreed settlement.  Likewise, if you have received a judgment or the case is under appeals, we can also work with you.

LawLeaf works with clients throughout the United States. We work with clients that have recently filed a claim and others looking for money after settlements have been reached. LawLeaf is extremely flexible and we offer options that many companies can’t offer. If you are interested in learning more about how we can help you, begin by applying online today.

Do you have an Injury Case

We oftentimes get calls from people that have questions on whether they have a good case. It’s first important to understand that the only way you can qualify for a settlement cash advance is to have legal help. You must always have an attorney before being approved for funding. If you have an attorney please apply online. When we receive calls from those individuals that don’t have legal representation they oftentimes share their stories with our representatives. On of the most common questions we hear is “Do you believe I have a case?”

If a person has suffered an injury or was harmed by the actions of another, they may have a case. A person may file a claim to recoup monies for both injury and property damages. There are instances in which a injury suit can be filed resulting from nonphysical injuries. There are thousands of cases each year in which  attorneys win a cash award for emotional distress.

While most people relate personal injury to car accidents and slip and falls, a person may also file suit for slander and libel. If a persons reputation was ruined and it caused emotional or financial hardship, you may have a case.

We always recommend prospective clients to seek immediate legal advice. This is because each state has laws in place which allow a person to file suit against another within a specific time frame.  These time frames are called statutes of limitations, and are governed by state laws. If a person goes to file a claim after the limitations have expired, they will automatically forfeit their rights to seek compensation for their injury.

LawLeaf does not give legal advice and we always recommend contacting an attorney to discuss your legal needs. If you have questions regarding the validity of a case, contact a lawyer. If you already have a lawyer and are seeking lawsuit financing against your case, apply online today.

Competitive Rates Now

If you’ve come across LawLeaf in the past you are probably familiar with “Competitive Rates & Faster Approvals.” We have embraced this concept since the inception of our company. Our main goal has always been and will always be to offer our clients competitive rates and faster approvals.

Over the last several years the litigation financing industry has been in the national spotlight. It’s important to understand where the industry was and where it is now. Over the last few years the industry has seen a surge in companies, private investors and hedge funds entering into the lawsuit funding market. We are even seeing larger institutional funds enter into the legal financing markets. There are companies that provide funding for standard personal injury cases and some offer financing for litigation costs. Plaintiff and attorney now have the option of borrowing money.

If we turn back the clock 5-10 years ago you would find only a handful of companies offering this type of service. Today the number of companies has more than tripled. There is no question that companies are still charging very high rates but the question is; are all companies charging the same rates. The short answer is no. When comparing the rates from one company to another you may look at several aspects. The shortlist includes practice areas, case types, time frames and in some cases caps. There are always cases in which one company may charge better rates for a specific case type because they are more comfortable underwriting a particular lawsuit. This can sometimes mean the difference between getting approved and being declined. There are other companies that will charge higher rates if they are uncertain of a case type or the strength of the suit. But one thing is for sure, not all companies charge the same rates.

It doesn’t take an economist to figure out competition sometimes drives down prices. We believe lawsuit funding rates are steadily decreasing due to a surge of new companies entering into the market. We believe there are still a handful of companies still charging exorbitant rates however many others have adjusted their rates to be more competitive.

Is lawsuit funding still expensive? Yes. Should it be used as a last option? Yes. But for the consumer that has no other option, it’s nice to know that competition will ultimately result in a more competitive rate.

If you are interested in legal funding, contact LawLeaf today.

Payday Loan Vs Lawsuit Loans

Do not confuse payday loans with lawsuit funding. The two types of lending are completely different. The very idea that payday loans are the same as lawsuit loans is completely wrong. The way the money is borrowed, qualification, the process, the rates and the way money is paid back are all different.  Payday loans and lawsuit funding should never be associated together as the same type lending instrument.

What are payday loans?

Payday loans are simply short term loans which are borrowed against a person’s paycheck.

What are lawsuit loans?

A lawsuit loan is simply a non recourse advance against a pending or settled lawsuit.

What are the qualifications for a payday loan?

In order to qualify for a payday advance a person must have a full time job, have a minimum salary of $1,800 dollars per month after taxes, hold a direct deposit checking account, be 18 years or older and a U.S. citizen or permanent resident.

What are the qualifications for a lawsuit cash advance?

A person must be involved in a pending lawsuit or one that was recently settled and must be represented by an attorney.

What are the rates for a payday loan?

The rates vary depending upon the state. There are some companies that charge upwards of over 300% or more. Payday loans are very expensive and should always be considered as a last resort.

What are the rates for a personal injury advance?

The rates also vary depending upon the strength of the case. The average is between 2.5% – 3.25% compounded monthly. This is just one example of a payment schedule. There are other examples of flat rate lending which are lower in the short-term but higher in the long-run.

How are payday loans paid back?

A cash advance is paid back when the employer deposits funds into the checking account. If a person defaults on a payday loan they may be faced with a much larger problem. Some companies may offer extended payment plans while others may suggest a rollover. The amount of money you will owe back will significantly increase with each passing week. If you decide to default on the loan and close your banking account, it’s likely you will passed into collections, and possibly end up in court.

How are lawsuit loans paid back?

Lawsuit funding is non recourse. This means the lender will only receive payback if the client wins their case. If they lose their case, the lender receives nothing. When the client wins the case the attorney will take his portion agreed upon and then pay off the lien to the funding company.  If an applicant borrows more than they receive in compensation, the attorney will first receive payment and the funding company will receive the remainder of the balance.

While both of these instruments should be a last resort, lawsuit loans are generally a lot safer in terms of payback and rates. If you are considering both options, we suggest taking a look at a lawsuit cash advance prior to going through the payday loan process.

Trouble Getting Docs

We receive calls almost every day from applicants who have been denied from other company’s because the lender was unable to retrieve documents from their attorney. This is not unusual and we understand. It is important to understand that lawyers are busy. Many attorneys represent 60+ clients at any given time. They are in the courtroom more than in their own office. Many lawyers work 60+ hours a week and much of their time is spent catching up with their clients. There are some attorneys that can only speak with their clients in the morning or evening.

An attorney is hired to provide great representation for their clients. This sometimes relates to unanswered phone messages and unresponsiveness because they are swarmed with trials and critical deadlines. LawLeaf has relationships with thousands of attorneys and many of them work during the weekends. The point is that attorneys are extremely busy throughout the week and sometimes they forget to send documents or can’t find the time to have a conversation with an underwriter. This doesn’t mean they are unwilling to help you find funding for your case.

When you are faced with this very predicament understand it’s not impossible. We consult with clients each day that are faced with critical deadlines of their own. Many of our clients are being forced out of their homes because they can’t afford to pay the bills. If you are having a problem getting your attorney to send documents over to any lender, you should consider the following:

• Call the attorney and politely ask him or her to send the documents over.
• We have provided a standard form on LawLeaf titled “Plaintiff Funding Documentation Request”. On the upper right hand of the form, you can email your attorney the document straight from the page, download to a PDF or print it out.
• Call the paralegal or secretary and have them retrieve the documents on your behalf.
• If the attorney is not cooperating explain the advance is greatly needed. Many times it takes a call from the client. If you explain to your attorney that you are only borrowing against your lawsuit because you have no other option, they will concede and agree to send the documentation.

There are some attorneys that would rather not work with any lawsuit funding companies because of rates. We understand their concerns and we agree that legal funding should only be used as a last resort. LawLeaf has a great reputation in this market. We have served our clients with the uttermost respect and we strive to be the best in the industry. If you are having trouble obtaining documentation from your attorney, fill out our online contact form and explain your situation. If we know ahead of time you are having a problem getting documents, we will assign it to the appropriate representative that can walk you through the process.

We are always here to help you.