A demand letter is a formal communication written to encourage the recipient to take a certain action, such as paying a debt or completing a service. The sender hopes the letter will help resolve the dispute so they can avoid taking the issue to small claims court.
Treat the following as a set of general guidelines: Gather complete information before you start writing. Describe your injuries and medical treatment. List your medical expenses, lost wages, and non-economic damages. Make a settlement demand. Include a deadline for legal action if you want to, but don't bluff.
Treat the following as a set of general guidelines: Gather complete information before you start writing. Describe your injuries and medical treatment. List your medical expenses, lost wages, and non-economic damages. Make a settlement demand. Include a deadline for legal action if you want to, but don't bluff.
Even an attorney can make a mis-step where his or her demand letter amounts to extortion, but a non-lawyer is more likely to make such a mis-step, and is why you should never write a Demand Letter but, instead, have an attorney do it for you.
Demand letters are valuable tools for creating records, dispute resolution, and much more. But, they can backfire and lead to liability for the sender and even its attorney for threats or demands that are legally improper.
If you are trying to resolve a dispute, you may want to send a demand letter. You can write one yourself, but hiring an attorney will help you navigate legalities and show the recipient the seriousness of the matter.
Demand Letter Components Facts of the case. An outline of what happened. Statement of the issue. A brief description of the problem. Demand. The dollar amount or action necessary to resolve the case. Response deadline. The date by which the recipient must respond. Noncompliance consequences.