What’s the Difference Between a Plaintiff vs. Defendant

If you’ve watched any courtroom show or movie, you’ve likely heard the terms “plaintiff” and “defendant.”

Many people know these words describe parties in the courtroom but struggle to understand what is a plaintiff vs a defendant.

In short, a plaintiff is someone who files a lawsuit, and a defendant is someone who must defend against that lawsuit. 

Ally Lawsuit Loans offers pre-settlement financial support to plaintiffs. Our loans can help you cover costs while you wait for a settlement or court decision. Best of all, you don’t have to pay back the loan if you lose your case.

What Is a Plaintiff?

Plaintiffs are people or entities that initiate legal action against someone else. In most situations, a plaintiff accuses the other side of violating a legal right through existing laws or a contractual agreement.

The plaintiff files a document called a complaint with the court, which begins the lawsuit. Because these claims don’t involve crimes, they proceed to civil court.

What Is a Defendant? 

The defendant is the person or entity being sued. They get their chance to defend themselves against the lawsuit. In many cases, defendants are large corporations like hospitals, manufacturers, and businesses.

However, they can also be individual people like negligent drivers. A plaintiff can’t file a lawsuit without knowing who is the defendant in a case.

Can You Spot What Is a Plaintiff vs. a Defendant in This Example?

Ted goes to a grocery store to buy milk. Moments before Ted enters the store, a worker spilled water in the milk aisle. Ted doesn’t see the puddle and slips on the water. He falls and breaks his arm.

Ted sues the store for not cleaning up the water or putting a wet floor sign. He wants compensation to pay for his injuries and pain. 

Do you know who is the plaintiff and who is the defendant in a case like this?

Ted is the plaintiff because he filed the lawsuit. Meanwhile, the store is the defendant because it must defend itself against the lawsuit. 

Why Do Plaintiffs Need Lawsuit Loans?

Lawsuit loans provide financial support to plaintiffs who are waiting for their settlement or court award. If you’re used to seeing billboards of plaintiffs winning millions of dollars, this may sound strange to you.

​​If the plaintiff wins, they can receive compensation for their damages. But victory isn’t guaranteed, and getting results can take time.

After filing a lawsuit, a plaintiff might have many out-of-pocket expenses like medical bills and car repairs. While the defendant may eventually pay for these costs, the plaintiff might wait months or years to obtain compensation.

At the same time, it’s common for defendants to have insurance policies that handle lawsuits. These insurers don’t want the risk and publicity associated with going to court.

Instead, they may tell the defendant to offer a settlement to the plaintiff. However, insurers want to keep settlement costs as low as possible, leading to lengthy negotiations and causing the plaintiff to incur more costs while waiting for compensation.  

Why Choose Ally Lawsuit Loans?

When you get a loan from Ally Lawsuit Loans, you can use funds however you want. Many of our clients use them for:

• Housing costs, 
• Lost wages, 
• Medical expenses, and
• Property damage.

We also offer the lowest interest rate in the industry, and that’s a guarantee. You only have to pay us back if you win or get a settlement. 

The process is easy. Simply fill out this form to let us know about your situation. We’ll speak with your attorney to learn about you and your case.

If a loan is right for you, we can have the funds to you within 24 hours of approval. You deserve peace of mind during this stressful time. Apply for your loan today.