Be a smart business owner-don’t get caught blindsided.

(Newswire.net — May 13, 2020) Lehi, UTAH —  If you listen to Dana’s live broadcasts, called, “Practical Legal Insights,” you will quickly see that she is not a typical attorney.  Dana offers tips for small business owners that are immediately applicable to help them avoid court.  For example, on Friday, November 2, 2018, Dana explained on a live broadcast called, “Stop, Talk & Listen” why taking legal action against someone too soon can be a detriment to resolving a situation.  “Too often we fail to have one last open and courteous discussion to address conflicts,” and she cautioned you to keep your emotions under control during that conversation.  She stressed that even though you may disagree with certain things, you can still come up with resolutions that both of you can walk away and still be amicable with each other. Just addressing and resolving disputes as soon as they rear their ugly head—it’s essential.

One of the biggest mistakes a business can make is to ignore complaints from:

• Customers
• Employees
• Business Partners or
• Other third parties. 

“Complaints that you ignore will eventually boil over into a legal mess and turn into a full blown lawsuit,” advised Dana in a live broadcast entitled, “Don’t Ignore Complaints.”  During last week’s broadcast, Dana discussed the realities of money Utah business owners are being required to pay in order to cover legal claims and regulatory violations. Ignorance of the law is not an excuse and small business owners will have to pay up if they are caught.  Examples of such lawsuits include:

1)    Breach of contract – misunderstandings that go unresolved

2)    Wage and hour violations – for not paying overtime or backwages correctly

3)    Harassment and Discrimination claims – unfair treatment that could end up before an unpredictable jury.

Dana asked if business owners have $150,000 lying around to cover such claims, probably not. 

The Small Business Administration concludes that, “litigation causes not just financial loss, but also substantial emotional hardship, and often changes the tone of the business.”  (Klemm Analysis Group (2005 October) Impact of Litigation on Small Business).

Dana concludes with, “if you want to stay out of court, preserve your relationships and your business’ reputation, then timely addressing and resolving disputes is essential.”  A small business attorney can help you identify legal issues early so that they don’t become expensive legal problems down the road.