In the business world, entering into a contractual agreement is commonplace. Although contracts exist to protect those involved, there are also risks to avoid, specifically tortious interference. The following guide outlines what you need to know about this issue so you know when to contact an attorney and seek help.

A Brief Guide to Tortious Interference

Tortious inference refers to a situation in which a third party interferes with an agreement that you and a second party have made or are making. For example, if you signed a contract with a customer to deliver 100 bales of pineleaf straw, and a competing business were to interfere in your solidifying or moving forward with the delivery, you may have a cause of action. Tortious interference applies both to contracts that have already been signed and those being negotiated. 

What Does Your Attorney Need to Prove to Move Forward With a Claim?

If another party prevents you from profiting from a deal, you have the right to hire an attorney and file a tortious interference claim. To prove your case, an attorney must prove one of two things. If the contract was already in place, he must prove the existence of the contract as well as present evidence that the third party knowingly interfered with the agreement and damaged your business.

If a contract hasn’t yet been signed, your attorney needs to prove that the third party knew about the potential agreement and relationship. He will then need to prove that the third party impeded the signing and how the loss of business affected you. 

What Kinds of Damages Can Your Attorney Seek?

The primary goal of a tortious interference claim is to recover any damages lost from the impeded business relationship. Damages may include compensation for defamation as well as reimbursement for the value of the failed deal.

If you need to file a tortious interference claim, talk to the attorneys at Lewis, Brackin, Flowers & Johnson in Dothan, AL. With extensive experience handling business law cases across southeastern Alabama, they have the knowledge and expertise needed to help you recover the compensation you deserve. Give them a call today at (334) 792-5157 to schedule an initial consultation, or visit their website to learn more about the firm.

No representation is made that the quality of the legal services to be performed is greater than the quality of legal services performed by other lawyers.