Your initial reaction to receiving a letter from a lawyer may be to panic. After all, depending on the type of letter you may have received, it may sound very threatening. Before you become all worked up over the letter or attempt to respond to the letter, take a deep breath and follow these steps first:

Determine What the Letter Says and Demands

The letter may assert that you are guilty of some type of wrongdoing. Determining who has sent you the letter will help you weed out whether someone is attempting to scam you. If the letter is not legitimately from a lawyer, it may be an attempt by a con artist to obtain your personal or banking information.

Examine the letter and determine what is the sender accusing you of, and if the facts that they are stating, point to your culpability. Next, you need to figure out if the plaintiff is able to clearly prove that you are responsible for whatever you are being accused of.

You will want to take note of any monetary damages that are being sought from you. You will want to consider whether it is in your best interest to settle or to try to negotiate or fight the claims in court. Going to court puts the onus of the plaintiff to prove that you are in the wrong.

Do not admit to anything that is in the letter if you are contacted by the lawyer who sent the letter. Anything that you respond with could be used against you in court.

When in Doubt, Speak to a Lawyer

It is a good idea to seek the advice of a lawyer if you receive a letter from a lawyer. Whether you are guilty or not, having a lawyer to advise you in how to respond to the letter can be very helpful. A lawyer can advise you of what your chances are if you decide to fight what you have been accused of and what your potential liabilities might be. If you recently received a letter from a lawyer, contact the office of Eric Harron for a free consultation.