Legal Definitions - sue

To sue means to formally initiate a legal proceeding in a court of law against another individual, organization, or entity. This action is typically taken to resolve a dispute, enforce a right, or seek a remedy, such as financial compensation or a court order, from the party being sued.

• Example 1 (Personal Injury): After slipping on a wet floor in a grocery store that had no warning signs, a customer suffered a broken arm. Despite repeated attempts to negotiate with the store's management for medical bill reimbursement, the store refused to take responsibility. The customer decided to sue the grocery store to recover their medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering.

  Explanation: In this scenario, the customer is formally beginning a lawsuit against the grocery store in court to seek financial compensation for the injuries and losses they sustained due to the store's alleged negligence.

• Example 2 (Contract Dispute): A software development company was hired by a client to build a custom application, with a clear contract outlining deliverables and deadlines. The software company failed to deliver the completed application by the agreed-upon date, causing significant financial losses for the client. The client chose to sue the software development company for breach of contract.

  Explanation: Here, the client is initiating a legal action against the software company to enforce the terms of their contract and seek damages for the financial harm caused by the company's failure to fulfill its obligations.

• Example 3 (Property Damage): A homeowner discovered that a neighboring construction project caused significant cracks in their foundation due to heavy machinery vibrations. After their requests for the construction company to cover repair costs were ignored, the homeowner decided to sue the construction company to compel them to pay for the necessary structural repairs.

  Explanation: This example illustrates the homeowner taking legal action against the construction company to resolve a dispute over property damage and to obtain a court order or compensation that would cover the cost of repairing their home.