MILWAUKEE ATTORNEYS FOR BUSINESS FRAUD & COMMERCIAL TORTS
Business fraud can have devastating financial and reputational consequences for businesses—and closely held organizations are especially vulnerable. They don’t always have the same capacity, resources, or institutional knowledge that larger organizations use to detect and prevent fraud. And they’re often targeted by larger companies that use spurious claims and litigation to gain a competitive edge or as leverage in negotiations.
Most closely held organizations never fully recover their financial losses; many are even forced to cease operations. And while those guilty of malfeasance can face serious financial and even criminal charges, justice doesn’t always come swiftly enough for their victims.
If your business has been victimized by malfeasance or by untrue allegations—whether the culprit was a business partner, competitor, former employee, or anyone else—you need an experienced attorney who won’t hesitate to take action. We provide personalized, painstaking representation for our clients, and help them resolve their cases as favorably as possible.
What Is Business Fraud?
Business fraud, broadly speaking, includes any wrongful or illegal act meant to deceive a business for financial gain. Fraud can be internal (committed by employees or insiders against the business) or external (committed by third parties such as customers, vendors, or insurance companies).
Common examples of internal business fraud include:
- Embezzlement
- Falsifying payroll information
- Claiming false expenses or submitting personal expenses as business expenses
- Asset misappropriation
- Stealing company assets, such as customer data and contact information, pricing structures, research, and other trade secrets.
Common examples of external business fraud include:
- Making false statements or promises to secure business
- Failing to disclose legally or contractually required information
- Overbilling or billing for services not actually rendered
- Substituting substandard services or materials in violation of an agreement
These are just a few examples of the types of cases that our business litigation attorneys handle, but it is not exhaustive.
If your organization has been the victim of any type of business fraud, deception, or wrongdoing, give our law firm a call today. We can also help if you’re being targeted by unfair allegations and need a robust defense.
Business Fraud Cases Require Determined, Effective Representation
Civil fraud cases are rarely simple to litigate. Because fraud is a deliberate deception that results in financial harm, plaintiffs must prove several things to a high level of certainty.
It isn’t enough to simply show that the accused party misrepresented facts. The plaintiff must also typically show that the defendant deliberately intended to deceive, that the plaintiff relied on that false information to make a decision they otherwise would not have, and that the reliance caused measurable financial harm. Oftentimes, fraud must be proven by clear and convincing evidence. This is a high standard to clear and requires a thorough investigation. If even one of these components is missing, the claim may fail.
Determining the value of a fraud case can be even more challenging. In theory, the goal is to make victimized organizations “whole.” This includes compensation for direct financial losses, such as due to theft or embezzlement. But it also includes the value of lost business opportunities, compensation for damage to your reputation and business relationships, and other reasonably expected financial losses that can be difficult to calculate.
You must provide extensive evidence to prove that your damage claims are reasonable. This can go beyond contracts, business records, and financial statements. You may also need to provide market analyses, expert testimony, and proof of lost business opportunities.
In complex business cases, effective legal representation is critical. Hiring an attorney with a sophisticated approach can be the difference between walking away with a fair settlement, an unfair settlement, or nothing at all.
Call our Wisconsin business litigation attorneys today at 414-877-0690.