Are you a personal injury victim with an immediate need for cash? Struggling to make ends meet while waiting for your case to settle? Legal funding might be a great temporary solution for you. This type of funding allows plaintiffs in active lawsuits to get cash now instead of waiting months or sometimes even years before their settlement is paid out.
Unfortunately, regulating the legal funding rates can backfire on plaintiffs who are embroiled in litigation with large insurance companies. In states where these rates are tightly regulated, similar to bank loans, lenders may be hesitant to offer non-recourse financing for future settlements due to the hard restrictions imposed by the jurisdiction. This lack of access to funds could potentially leave an injured party without the necessary financial support they might need, ultimately making it more difficult to pursue a favorable outcome in their legal proceedings.
Read on as we explore this issue and explain why regulating legal funding rates isn’t always in the victim’s best interests.
Why do state governments regulate the interest rate of legal funding as a bank loan?
As consumer demand for legal funding (also known as litigation funding or lawsuit financing) continues to increase, state governments are responding by regulating the interest rate for these services and making them comparable to those of bank loans. While this is intended to safeguard consumers from exploitative practices and provide a secure and transparent lending model, imposing regulations on interest rates can have a detrimental effect on those seeking additional financial support. People involved in pending lawsuits rely on these loans to survive a legal battle. However, they are put at risk of not being able to access the needed funds when interest rate regulations are passed to be similar to what a bank would offer.
These limits simply mean lawsuit financing companies don’t receive enough of a return to continue operating. That means that these companies may stop offering non-recourse loans altogether in jurisdictions with regulated interest rates, ultimately leaving plaintiffs looking for urgent assistance without any options but to accept the first lowball settlement offer from the insurance.
It’s essential that we understand the consequences of these regulations before they’re implemented, as it could result in a tremendous decrease in justice and resources for people with legitimate claims struggling through difficult litigation.
How can this type of regulation hurt a plaintiff seeking legal funding?
If you’re a plaintiff seeking legal finance, the regulation of interest rates, similar to what banks offer, can be a major impediment. When the interest rate is regulated, most legal funding companies will stop providing services in those states due to decreased profits, making it difficult for you to access cash and continue with your litigation.
Without access to consumer legal financing, you could be at a disadvantage and discouraged from pursuing your case. It can also lead you to pressure your lawyer to settle your case for less than its real value, even if you have a reasonable chance of getting a successful outcome. Additionally, your lawyer can have difficulty gathering evidence during the litigation process to win the best settlement for you and ultimately settle the case quickly.
What are the consequences of a state regulating legal funding interest rates that are similar to bank loans?
If a state government regulates legal funding interest rates similar to what banking institutions provide, plaintiffs seeking lawsuit advances may become unable to access the money they need while dealing with a personal injury, lack of income, and a family to provide for. When legal funding companies stop providing funds in whatever particular jurisdiction, it leaves plaintiffs in a vulnerable situation as they may have no other option for cash flow and will likely have to settle for much less than if they had been able to access more liquid means of capital.
It is, therefore, very important for state governments to understand how their regulations can adversely affect a plaintiff’s ability to negotiate for proper compensation and take steps to ensure access remains open without any negative consequences.
What is legal funding and why should plaintiffs be aware of it?
Legal funding can an incredible amount of financial support for plaintiffs dealing with the lengthy and expensive process of personal injury litigation. Through this form of non-recourse financing, lawsuit funding companies pay plaintiffs upfront who are litigating their cases in exchange for repayment plus interest when the case settles. Unlike bank loans, funders do not expect repayment if the case is lost. There are also no credit or income checks, as what a bank would require. This means that the lender carries all the risk in investing in your case,
Nonetheless, this safety net isn’t always reliable for everyone since state regulations can significantly lower the interest rates that funding companies are able to charge. Regulating the interest rates to what banks offer ultimately results in fewer lawsuit financing companies operating in certain states, much higher funding amount requirements, and no money available to those in need.
No matter what state you live in, it’s important that you understand these stipulations so you can budget accordingly and find the help you need before your respective case concludes.
What are the alternatives to lawsuit financing when legal funding companies stop funding in jurisdictions with regulated rates?
If you’re in an unfortunate financial situation and don’t have the support of lawsuit funding, there are other alternatives to legal finance that may work for you. You could consider diversifying your finances by taking out a loan at a bank or credit union, getting a cash advance loan from a designated financial institution, or even borrowing money from friends and family. Whichever option is best, always ensure you read the terms of repayment of a bank loan and ask any questions to ensure the loan will not force you into an unaffordable repayment plan.
How do you choose the best legal funding provider for your needs?
Choosing the best legal funding provider is key to a successful non-recourse funding offer. The benefit of this type of transaction is that it also provides medical funding, which works as healthcare when surgery is needed. As noted above, it helps pay any important expense for you during your lawsuit until your claim’s resolution.
However, it can be difficult to find the best funding provider since, in some states, governing regulators have put restraints on companies’ interest rate charges. To make sure your choice is the best one for your needs and for your case, research all available legal finance companies, compare quotes and ask questions about how they structure their loans.
Additionally, look into any policies or restrictions their services may come with in order to protect yourself from any financial risk that comes with working with a legal funder.
Ultimately, you want to work with a trustworthy and experienced provider who caps on their rates. Never sign an agreement with a lawsuit funding company that does not offer caps. A legal funding company with capped rates means the lender has fair terms and is providing you protection so you get the most out of your legal funding agreement.
How do capped rates protect my lawsuit advance?
Capped rates are typically provided in the second year or third year of the loan by a few legal funding companies. Capped rates are beneficial because they limit the amount of interest that can be charged. This means you don’t have to worry about continually increasing fees and instead know that the amount of money you owe will remain constant throughout the remainder of your loan term.
Furthermore, this allows you to understand how much you’ll pay exactly when your case finally wins. Additionally, capped rates can provide financial relief by helping to protect borrowers from predatory lenders who might try to charge exorbitant interest rates or fees that never end.
Overall, capped rates are a great feature for those looking for lawsuit funding as it ensures that their payments stay constant and predictable over time. So even if your case takes 5 years to settle, capped rates stop all charges in the 2nd or 3rd year of your loan advance.
The takeaway
State governments regulate the litigation funding interest rate in order to protect plaintiffs from overly high-interest charges and ensure a fair legal funding process. This can, unfortunately, come with consequences if states regulate settlement funding rates similar to bank loan rates.
Plaintiffs should become more knowledgeable of their options when it comes to settlement funding, including researching the reputable providers they are considering engaging with. Legal funding companies can help you get through your case financially while you wait for a fair settlement or verdict.
If a state you live in has regulations for consumer legal funding that provide so-called usury shield laws, this legislation will ultimately work against you since most lenders won’t fund any case in those states because non-recourse legal funding is not a loan.
All in all, choosing the best lawsuit funding company is crucial for receiving quality financing that is tailored precisely to your needs and offers capped rates. And having access to these funds is essential for ensuring justice is served within our court systems, so take a look at Baker Street Funding.
Funding your case with Baker Street Funding offers several advantages. Firstly, we provide capped rates that stop the lawsuit loan charges after two or three years of the loan. This ensures that you pay the lowest rate possible after your case settles. Our simple interest-rate loans never grow, which helps you understand that your rate will stay the same throughout the life of your advance.
Baker Street Funding is a reputable funding firm with a long track record of success in providing excellent services. Our reliable lawsuit funding team provides you with personalized assistance and support throughout the entire loan process.
With all these benefits, there is no doubt why plaintiffs should choose Baker Street Funding for their lawsuit financing needs. Apply for cash today.
