Relationships come and go but what if you were owed money when a relationship is ruined? That is the question behind alienation of affection cases. This is not about divorce, although it can be a connected issue. Alienation of affection is a civil charge and you can be paid money damages if you can prove your case. To see what this unusual form of personal injury law is all about, read on.
Who To Sue?
Even though you might want to sue the other person in the spoiled relationship, that is not the object of the action. A failed marriage or love affair is not enough to sue for alienation of affection — there has to be a third party behind the problem. People have cheated on each other, in various ways, forever. This form of civil law puts some of the blame for the break-up on the other person who entered the life of your loved one and created the rift between you. It should be mentioned that the target of this type of suit is usually a lover but you can sue just about anyone for alienation of affection. Say, for example, your in-laws have never liked you and have been trying to break you up for some time. You can sue them if you can show that their actions contributed to your relationship falling apart. Others who might be the target of an alienation of affection lawsuit include:
- Therapists
- Lawyers
- Parents
- Clergy
- Adult children
- Co-workers
and more.
Proving Damages
When you have been harmed, it's all about damages. This is the term to describe the ways your life has been negatively changed by the break-up. When it comes to damages with an alienation of affection case, you might suffer from the following:
- Loss of consortium
- Sickness or injury connected to the split (loss of health insurance might have caused you to be unable to seek medical care for a physical condition, for example)
- Financial support has been reduced or lost
- Psychological damage to your mental state
- Mental anguish on your children's behalf
- Damage to a family business
Proving Alienation of Affection
If you can prove some or all of the above damages, you must still meet the legal standards for alienation of affection. This involves showing that your relationship was fine and would have remained that way if not for the defendant. You must also link the actions of the defendant directly to the break-up. This is a complex civil matter and needs to be discussed with a personal injury lawyer.
Speak to a personal injury lawyer about your case today.
Sadly, many people are injured due to someone else's negligence. Maybe you were in a car accident that was the other driver's fault, and now you're dealing with relentless back pain. Or perhaps your neighbor's dog bit you, and you're considering suing them. Both of these scenarios fall under the legal umbrella of personal injury law.
Since proving someone else is responsible for your injuries can be challenging, the world of personal injury law is a vast one. Your own attorney is your best source of information directly related to your own case, but we created this website to give you a good basic overview of what your personal injury case may entail — and what you can expect when you meet with your attorney. Dig in and start reading our articles; you'll soon feel more informed as to what's to come.