LAWSUIT ANALYZER | LEGAL AID FOR PRO SE LITIGANTS
FYI ...
Looking for the Lawsuit Analyzer App? Click the button at the bottom of the page … but it’s importanat to read this page first.
Lawsuit Analyzer©: Legal Aid at Your Fingertips
Historically, case evaluation has been the exclusive province of lawyers. But now that the legal system is giving way to self-service with Alternative Dispute Resolution, online platforms, and higher Small Claims Court limits, you can handle your dispute pro per (self-represented) or at least manage it yourself. That is – if you can evaluate your case.
Here, we present you with Lawsuit Analyzer©, legal aid at your fingertips allowing you to evaluate your own legal dispute. It has been featured on Good Morning America, CNBC and CBN and recommended by the American Arbitration Association as a practical system designed to help analyze a dispute.
Lawsuit Analyzer© addresses civil disputes between people/businesses seeking money as compensation (not including family law, probate, bankruptcy, traffic, and criminal law).
Free Legal Advice in an App For The Pro Se
Although Lawsuit Analyzer© simulates the legal analysis a lawyer undertakes, nothing can take the place of legal expertise. Lawsuit Analyzer© certainly does not intend to do so. This system is offered not as a substitute for lawyers or for common sense, but as a tool for the pro se to assess your own case. It really is like free legal advice on demand but better because it assesses issues beyond legalities, such as collectability, forum choice, attorney expense, and contract provisions.
You may choose to amplify it by hiring a lawyer. You may decide to substitute it for a lawyer. Armed with this analysis you will almost be able to converse with legal repertoire.
Pro Se Legal Aid Doesn’t Get Any Better for Free Legal Advice
Lawsuit Analyzer© applies several critical tests to a legal dispute to determine whether it should be pursued and how vigorously. The potential savings from this exercise are abundantly clear. Legal case evaluation is only the first of Lawsuit Analyzer’s© seven phases. But often, this was the only analysis performed by your lawyer. You, the person faced with the legal problem, are more motivated than anyone to look at all facets of your dispute. You need to look at the whole picture.
- What are the issues?
- Whose fault is it?
- What is your case worth?
- Will you be able to collect on your judgment?
- Will you be able to get your Attorney Fees back?
- Will you have to endure years of battle in the court system, or can you access Mediation, Arbitration or Small Claims Court?
- Do you have the emotional and financial stamina to go to the finish line?
Below is the feasibility analysis you obtain from Lawsuit Analyzer’s© seven critical phases. With your answers to 32 questions aided by extensive Help information, Lawsuit Analyzer© provides a point score as you go along as it examines all aspects of your dispute:
Phase 1, Legal Evaluation: Assesses your likelihood of winning based on the legal issues.
Phase 2, Damages Assessment: Assesses the value of your case and your realistic recovery.
Phase 3, Legal Options Assessment: Evaluates your case based on the legal options available for your dispute.
Phase 4, Collectability Assessment: Analyzes your chance of collecting on any judgment you receive.
Phase 5, Comprehensive Case Analysis: Quantifies your case value and settlement value, based on your gross, recoverable and net damages, and assigns a case feasibility rating.
Phase 6, Feasibility Assessment: Takes your feasibility rating and recommends detailed steps based on your score.
Phase 7, Forum Assessment: Assigns the forum you will enter – Mediation, Arbitration, Small Claims Court, or the Upper Civil Courts.
Phase 5, Comprehensive Case Analysis, provides you with the following breakdown of your dispute:
THE BACK STORY
The claimant, Boomer, bought a certified used RV with a 3-year in-house warranty from an RV dealer. Within the warranty period the diesel engine failed. It cost $17,000 to replace. The dealer says, not our problem Boomer; you towed a vehicle that was in excess of the RV’s tow weight capacity. Boomer disputes this saying that he adapted the tow car so its weight would be within the coach’s towing limit. The dealer disputes this.
Results Carried Forward:
Phase 2, Damages Assessment is only 15 points out of 50, due to these factors:
- 50 points would have been earned if Small Claims Court were the forum for this dispute. This is not the case since $17,000 estimated Recoverable Damages are higher than the Small Claims Court limit of $10,000 in the state where this action will be brought and giving up $7,000 to come under the limit was not acceptable to Boomer.
- If not a Small Claims case, points are earned based on Net Damages, here $15,500, earning Boomer 15 points.
Phase 3, Legal Options Assessment is 150 points out of a possible 190, a very good score, due to many factors:
- There is a written contract between Boomer and the dealership providing for attorney fees to the winning party. So, Boomer is going to be represented by an attorney whose fees will be awarded if Boomer wins his case.
- Their written contract also designates Mediation-Arbitration as their forum, so things are really looking up for Boomer if he can prove the tow car did not exceed the weight limitation. He’s got an automotive bill showing the adaptation of the tow vehicle to meet the RV tow capacity limit. He feels he’s in good shape for a win.
- He’s thrilled that he won’t have to battle it out in the complex upper courts (we refer to as the House of Horrors).
Phase 4, Collectability Assessment of 140 out of 150 is also very good, earned because the dealership that provided the warranty is a local single-person LLC (discovered by following the tips at Collectability).
Comprehensive Case Assessment
Feasibility Assessment: Boomer’s overall feasibility rating is 89% which comes within the feasibility category of good based on Lawsuit Analyzer©’s holistic 4 phase case assessment. He’s feeling pretty good about his case as he follows LA’s recommendations beginning with a settlement meeting. Phase 6, Feasibility Assessment will provide Boomer with detailed recommendations regarding the steps he should take now prior to filing any case documents.
Gross Damages: Gross damages are the engine repair of $17,000.
Recoverable Damages: There are no value reducing factors, leaving Recoverable damages the same as Gross Damages.
Net Damages: Recoverable Damages are reduced by the value of Boomer’s time spent on his case and other factors included in the program algorithm to arrive at estimated Net Damages of $15,500.
Pre-litigation Settlement Amount: The settlement amount projected is $15,047 based on the program’s formula. With all of this in hand Boomer heads into a settlement meeting with the dealership where he will present an affidavit from the company that adapted the tow car to come within the RV’s maximum towing capacity. This number is not engraved in stone and if Boomer can settle at something even a couple or few thousand less he’ll be fortunate, especially if the funds are wired into his account at their settlement meeting or at the mediation hearing. Money in hand is so much better than a judgment that requires chasing down the funds.
Phase 7, Forum Assessment, presents the forum where Boomer’s case will be heard:
When you complete Lawsuit Analyzer©, you will be directed to our resources to guide you through the appropriate legal forum for your dispute, which in this case is Mediation.
Other internet resources related to this topic