People work hard and invest a great deal to create, grow, and maintain a successful business. Yet, that investment can be ruined in little to no time by the wrongful or unlawful actions of another. Business torts, or commercial torts, are civil wrongs committed by or against an organization that result in economic harm. These encompass all non-contractual claims and disputes that arise in the business and commercial environment.
Business torts are typically complex matters that involve a variety of legal issues. The injuries central to these claims can extend beyond evident losses to include serious harm to a company’s goodwill and business reputation, customer and vendor relationships, and its intellectual property. Business torts can often harm not only existing economic interests and business relationships, but tortious activity by unscrupulous competitors can interfere with prospective business.
Business torts affect businesses of all types and sizes. While many of the underlying claims may be the same, the circumstances in which they arise and the appropriate resolutions may vary greatly. The business tort attorneys at MartinWren, P.C. understand this truth. As such, we provide a personalized approach to any business tort litigation and offer counsel and resolutions in view of your unique situation.
Common business torts include:
- claims for misrepresentation and fraud
- misappropriation of trade secrets
- unfair competition
- deceptive trade practices
- tortious interference with contractual relationships
- breaches of fiduciary duties
- misappropriation of business opportunities
- conversion
- discrimination
- conspiracy and RICO actions
In addition to a wide variety of common law actions for tort claims, there are also numerous state and federal statutes, such as the Virginia business conspiracy statute and the federal Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO), that protect businesses from certain dishonest, unlawful, or unfair practices by competitors, especially when the dishonest, unlawful, or unfair business practices involve conspiracies or agreements among two or more parties.
Tortious acts against a business can severely affect the ability of your business to operate. When a business has been harmed or placed at risk for harm due to another’s actions, it can place an unwanted and unnecessary burden on the business. This can be stressful, time consuming, and expensive. When internal strategy and trade secrets are wrongly leaked or trust is violated by someone in a fiduciary relationship, your business may be vulnerable and exposed. As a result, it is important to take charge of the situation quickly and fully so both the business and the affected individuals can recover.
The Virginia Business Torts Lawyers at MartinWren, P.C. have extensive experience representing businesses involved in business tort litigation. From the beginning, our business tort lawyers at MartinWren, P.C. will listen to your specific situation, help you gather the details and information, and proceed in an effective and efficient manner. Whether your business dilemma is best resolved by negotiation, mediation, or formal litigation, our business tort attorneys are highly skilled and experienced to provide superb legal representation.
The business tort attorneys at MartinWren, P.C. are dedicated to your business’s success. If your business has suffered or been placed at risk because of the actions of another person or business, call (434) 817-3100 and speak with Robert E. Byrne, Jr. or John B. Simpson, MartinWren, P.C.’s Virginia business torts attorneys.