As a business owner, you need to be ready for potential legal action from employees, customers and other companies. While no one likes to spend time in settlement talks or go to court, there may be ways to minimize the chances of experiencing legal issues or minimizing the damage that they cause.
Nobody Really Wants to Sue
While most parties will go to court if they have to, most will avoid it at any costs. Therefore, you should be ready to negotiate with those who are threatening legal action. Coming to an amenable solution outside of court can save time and money for all parties involved. It also gives all parties more time to resolve issues as they see fit instead of risking an unfavorable ruling from a judge.
Have Written Policies in Place
In many cases, a company can save itself from going through the legal process just by having policies in writing. For instance, having a sexual harassment policy in writing may prevent an employee from suing because that may satisfy its legal obligation to protect workers. Furthermore, your human resources department should be properly trained in employment law and any issues that may specifically apply to your company.
Accept Responsibility
It may be possible to avoid a lawsuit simply by taking responsibility for the actions of your employees. For instance, if one of your truck drivers causes an accident, you should be on the phone with anyone who was a victim of that crash. By talking to victims or their legal counsel, it shows that you care about them as people. This may result in a favorable settlement or a favorable ruling from a jury if a personal injury case does to trial.
Have Good Insurance
One of the best ways to deal with legal issues is to pay for them before they happen. Having a quality insurance policy may make it easier to pay damages or otherwise cover the costs of legal disputes without ruining the company’s ability to make a profit. Depending on the size of your business, this could be the difference between recovering from disaster or closing its doors forever.
No matter what type of company you create, you are generally responsible for the safety of your workers and customers. If you don’t follow the law, it could cause a financial catastrophe for your company if you aren’t prepared for the legal process that follows. By being proactive, you may be able to obtain favorable outcomes in court or avoid the need to go at all.
