Investment fraud is sadly a common issue in California and throughout the nation. Sophisticated fraud schemes can deceive even experienced investors. If you are a victim of investment fraud with significant financial losses, you may be able to recover them with help from a California investment loss recovery attorney.
At Meyer Wilson, we bring fraud claims all day, every day. We know how to help individuals who have suffered losses as a result of investment misconduct in California. Contact us today to start your case with a free consultation with one of our California investment fraud lawyers.
Why You Need an Attorney to Recover Your Lost California Investment
It can be very difficult to recover losses from investment fraud without assistance from an attorney you can trust. Although the Internal Revenue Service has processes in place to help victims of certain types of fraud, such as Ponzi schemes, hiring a lawyer of your own can help ensure your personal interests are being looked after in these cases.
An experienced investment loss recovery attorney in California can help with every aspect of your case, from evaluating your losses to negotiating a fair settlement from the defendant(s). Hiring an attorney means a professional will pursue damages on your behalf while you focus your attention elsewhere.
How to Recover Losses
Dozens of types of investment fraud pervade the market in California. Some of the cases we most commonly handle include:
- Ponzi schemes
- Pyramid schemes
- Insider trading
- Fraudulent transfers
- Trading fraud
- Churning
- Broker misconduct
- Oil and gas scams
- Real estate fraud
- Securities fraud
- Unauthorized trading
- Excessive trading
- Unsuitable investments
If you fell victim to one of these fraud schemes and sustained significant losses, a civil claim could restore the money a fraudster took. Filing a civil claim against an individual or corporation in California could lead to the defendant paying for your economic and non-economic damages.
An experienced investment loss attorney in California will investigate your case to identify the losses you sustained, gather evidence that supports your claim, and prove the fault of the liable party. They will take care of all the paperwork in your case and see your case through until the finish.
Be Sure to File Your Claim Before Time Runs Out
Depending on the circumstances of your case, you may be required to abide by the state’s statute of limitations to bring an investment loss recovery claim in California. In certain circumstances involving claims filed in court, you may have as little as three years to sue your financial advisor or brokerage firm from the date of discovery or the date a reasonable person would have discovered the investment fraud scheme.
It’s critical to understand that the standard statute of limitations does not apply in every case. The specific details of your situation can alter the amount of time you have to take legal action. As a result, you may be able to file a claim long after the typical deadline. Alternatively, you could find yourself with a much smaller window in which to file.
An experienced lawyer can help you identify the exact deadline for your case and file the proper paperwork by the cutoff date so you do not miss your opportunity to recover losses. Your attorney can also help you prove your case against a defendant so you successfully obtain a settlement or judgment award.
Why Choose Meyer Wilson?
The award-winning team at Meyer Wilson has more than 75 years of combined experience and will use that accumulated knowledge to get you the money you need and deserve from those liable for your damages. Some of the things that set us apart from other investment fraud law firms include that:
- Our firm has been working hard on behalf of clients for over 20 years.
- We have recovered more than $350 million in settlements and verdicts.
- Our lawyers are committed to being transparent and responsive to all clients.
- We keep our caseload manageable to ensure that every client and every case gets the proper attention.
- We approach every case as though it is going to trial from the moment our clients hire us, which gives us leverage during settlement negotiations and ensures that we are ready should a trial prove necessary.
- Our lawyers take investment fraud cases on a contingency fee basis, meaning you won’t have to pay for our services unless we recover compensation on your behalf.
- We use state-of-the-art technology throughout our firm.
Most Investment Loss Recovery Cases Are Resolved Through FINRA Arbitration
When attempting to recover compensation in an investment loss recovery case, it is important to understand what options you have available for pursuing damages. Typically, when you sign an investment contract with an investment advisor or brokerage firm, there will be language in the contract stating that any disputes that arise will need to be resolved through FINRA arbitration. This process has a different set of rules for the timeframe permitted to file your claim.
The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) is a not-for-profit organization authorized by the United States government to hold financial advisors and brokerage firms accountable for any illegal or unethical behavior. Investment firms have a fiduciary duty to their investors. FINRA aims to ensure it upholds this duty and maintains a fair marketplace for investors.
The FINRA arbitration process is a quicker way to resolve disputes than going through a courtroom trial. The appeal of this form of alternative dispute resolution for investment firms is that the proceedings are private. FINRA arbitration rulings are legally binding, and in most cases, appealing the decision is not an option.
Compensation Available
If your lawyer wins your investment fraud claim, you and your family could receive financial compensation for the losses you suffered because of the incident. This can include economic and non-economic damages. Your attorney can file a demand letter seeking an appropriate amount for all your losses.
Some of the damages most commonly awarded in investment loss recovery cases include:
- Lost money or income
- Lost assets or property
- Attorney’s fees
- Emotional distress
- Mental anguish
- Lost quality of life
- Punitive damages
A compensatory award could make up for everything you lost out of pocket because of the fraud scheme, as well as potential additional damages such as interest payments or penalties against the defendant. You may also qualify for a punitive award, which serves to punish the defendant for investment misconduct.
Combined, both types of damages could provide your family with future financial stability. Identifying all the damages that apply in your case can be critical for recovering the full value of your investment loss recovery claim.
Contact an Investment Loss Lawyer Serving California to Recover Your Investment Losses
You should not have to accept your losses and move on without a fight after becoming a victim of investment fraud. The experienced California investment loss recovery lawyers at Meyer Wilson are passionate about representing victims in civil lawsuits against financial advisors, stockbrokers, agencies, and other defendants.
We can help you build a strong case against one or more defendants in pursuit of compensation for your losses. Find out if you can recover the losses you suffered in an investment scam in California today.
Contact us by phone or through this website to set up a free case review with a member of our legal team. We’ll review your case, advise you of all your legal options, and answer any questions you may have.