Suing Someone from Another State

After an accident, the person you need to sue may not be from your home state. This can present a few problems. Your options for bringing a lawsuit against a resident of another state may be limited, so you will need to plan accordingly when you decide to take legal action.

Typically, your options are suing the person in his or her home state or suing the person in the state where the accident occurred. In some specific cases, you actually may be able to bring a lawsuit against a resident of another state in your own state.

Suing in Your Home State

The only way that you can sue an out-of-state resident in your home state is if the out-of-state individual has substantial ties to your home state. Courts may only exercise their authority over individuals in their jurisdictions. For a court to have jurisdiction over someone, that person will have to:

• Have a business in the court’s state
• Own a second home in the state
• Commit a crime in the state

The court may also have jurisdiction over an individual in some cases if the individual frequently visits family members in your state.

Suing in the State of the Accident

Your surest bet for seeing justice is suing the individual in the state where the accident occurred. Courts in this state will have jurisdiction over the individual since courts have jurisdiction over crimes that occur in their states.

Suing in the Individual’s Home State

You also may sue an individual for damages in his or her home state. The courts in this state will have jurisdiction over the individual even though the accident occurred in another because courts always have jurisdiction over their states’ residents.

Contact Us

If you were injured in an accident in another state, you may be able to sue the responsible party for financial compensation. Contact the Coral Springs personal injury attorneys of Eric G. Canter, P.A., at 866-529-0022 to learn more.