There are few people who enjoy going over legal documents due to their frequently complicated nature, and receiving a letter from a plaintiff’s lawyer stating a lawsuit is being filed will tie a knot in anyone’s stomach. It’s a dreaded experience for anyone, and if you’ve never experienced a lawsuit, it can be downright terrifying. A civil lawsuit can happen to anyone, and if you have a career in finances or the medical field, there’s a good chance you’ll go through a malpractice lawsuit at some point.
The biggest silver lining in receiving a lawsuit is that it’s unlikely to go to trial. In fact, only about 3% receive formal judgments. This can be for a variety of reasons with the most likely being that settling out of court is simply the most convenient and less expensive option for all involved. Still, this won’t end the stress you’re under from receiving the summons, and the plaintiff is counting on it. Their first move is to try to break you down emotionally a psychologically. Here are some of the best things you can do to control your stress.
Defend Yourself Immediately
You’ll need to seek legal defense right after being served, and taking immediate action can focus your mind and keep your stress down. If you already have a lawyer, great. If not, you’ll need to find one as soon as possible. You’ll typically have a deadline of 20 days to respond to a complaint, but this time may be cut short depending on the case or your state’s laws. Learn as much as you can about the litigation process from your lawyer, and stay as involved in your case as possible. This can go a long way toward making the process less scary.
Particularly if you’re a professional being sued by a client, a lawyer like Howard Fensterman can help you out. He handles a variety of cases including healthcare and financial malpractice law. He also contributes to many charities and is a member of the Board of Directors of the CCFA. Finding a lawyer who specializes in your type of case will help ease your mind and give your case the best chance at a favorable outcome.
Keep Yourself Active
This goes for both physically and mentally. Regular exercise provides a myriad of psychological benefits as well as the physical ones. These include improved mood, increased self-esteem, and reduced stress, all of which will be great for you in this difficult time. Physical activity is also great for clearing your head and can help out with sleep, something you’ll certainly need.
It’s also important to keep yourself mentally engaged by cleaning up your schedule and finding activities to occupy the unused time. Sitting alone with your thoughts during stressful times typically just exacerbates the problem.
Try Therapy
The stigma surrounding therapy has been disappearing in recent years, so it’s usually not as hard of a sell as it used to be. It’s important to realize that therapy isn’t just for those who suffer from a mental illness or for those going through traumatic life events; therapy is for everyone. While a lawsuit can definitely fit the description of a traumatic event, you can see a group like NYC therapist for anything.
Therapy can help you through your greatest challenges in life, but it can also help with the ordinary aspects like making good career decisions or deciding how to move forward in a relationship. Sometimes therapy can just be a way to put things in perspective or figure out how to relax. If a lawsuit is affecting your overall well-being, therapy can help you learn the techniques to cope with it.
