In these cases, your goal is to keep your money out of your adversary's pocket, or avoid criminal sanctions. In other situations, your objective may be less clear. If you feel your employer unlawfully fired you, you might want to get your job back. If you suffered an injury from a defective product, you might wish to recover money damages. Before you hire a lawyer, think about what you want to achieve.
Many people decide to sue, expecting to win huge verdicts.
But any lawyer will tell you that in litigation, there are few guarantees. Unlike on television or in the news, multi-million dollar verdicts are the exceptions . Be realistic about your chances of winning and what your case is worth. If you aren't sure what your legal rights are, it might be worth your time and expense to retain a lawyer to evaluate your situation and advise you on alternative courses of action. Paying a few hundred dollars for a two-hour consultation with an attorney could be a very wise investment that ultimately can save you time and money.