As a business owner, it is vital to understand the legal terminology commonly found in business contracts. One such term is “indemnification,” which is a clause that can have significant legal and financial implications for your business.
According to the Judicial Council of California, in its report published in 2022 for Fiscal Year 2020-2021, there were 646,142 statewide civil lawsuits filed in that period. The statistics don’t break down these legal actions by how many of them were filed by or against businesses—but as someone who owns and operates a business in California, you surely know that the possiblity of litigiation when it comes to your enterprise is very real.
Starting and operating a small business comes with many challenges. While most business owners handle the day-to-day operations themselves, there are times when they need professional help.
Almost always, a business will face disputes, whether it's with customers or entities helping the business achieve its goals. Probably the most serious of these disputes involve a breach of contract – a supplier or service provider fails to live up to the terms of the mutual agreement.
Before the onset of online commentary and reviews, consumers pretty much had to rely on word of mouth and their own instincts when evaluating whether to use a certain product or patronize a certain business. Now, with the almost ubiquitous presence of online reviews, consumers can resort to these 24/7 statements to make their purchasing choices.
If you have a claim under your commercial general liability (CGL) insurance being challenged or denied in California, call William B. Hanley, Attorney at Law.
A protective order can have two different meanings and applications. One type of protective order is a restraining order against an individual that prohibits certain conduct by that individual. The other type of protective order concerns the discovery process in legal proceedings.
Going to court to resolve a dispute or seek compensation for damages you suffered can be an expensive proposition. Sometimes, the cost of attorneys’ fees can outweigh any gain you might make by prevailing in your lawsuit.
The lockdowns, shelter-at-home orders, and other measures put in place during the height of the pandemic certainly disrupted life as we know it in California. Many businesses were hit hard financially when they were forced to shut their doors by government fiat.
According to statistics compiled by The Zebra, a website that compares insurance companies and tracks business trends in the United States, anywhere from 36 to 53 percent of all small businesses nationwide are sued every year, and 43 percent are threatened with lawsuits annually.
