It’s Not Too Late to Hire an Experienced FINRA Arbitration Attorney

If your investments were ruined or you lost money because of negligent financial advising or fraudulent investments, you may be able to file a claim against your stockbroker or financial advisor.  In some cases, you may be able to file a conventional lawsuit in court, but most cases are handled through FINRA arbitration.  If you are hesitant to file a claim through FINRA, you may have waited a few years before looking into your options.  In other cases, you may have begun the process without a lawyer.  Either way, it isn’t too late to take your case to an attorney to help you with your claim.  The FINRA arbitration attorneys at Epperson & Greenidge, P.A. explain how long you have to file your case, and what an attorney can do to help with your FINRA arbitration claim.

Time Limits for Filing Claims against Negligent Brokers

State and federal law create legal “causes of action” to let you file lawsuits against negligent or fraudulent broker-dealers.  Many of these causes of action have short deadlines, such as 2 or 3 years.  The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) licenses and registers nearly all broker-dealers in the US, including stockbrokers and financial advisors.  If you were harmed or taken advantage of by these financial professionals, you may be able to file a claim through FINRA instead of the courts.  Further, due to binding arbitration clauses, filing a FINRA arbitration may often be your only recourse.

When filing a case through FINRA, you generally have a longer period to file your case.  Even if a year or two has gone by, you shouldn’t rule out the ability to file a claim.  FINRA’s rules give you a significantly longer period to file than many civil lawsuits, and our attorneys can help build your case and prepare your case for FINRA arbitration in the years after you suffered harm.

Can You Hire an Attorney After You’ve Already Filed a FINRA Claim?

Simply put, it’s never too late to talk to an attorney about your case.  The earlier you contact an attorney to help with your case, the more time you have to build a strong case with their help.  If you’ve already filed your claim, that’s perfectly fine.  The initial steps of filing a complaint with FINRA often happen much more quickly than you might expect, and before you know it, you are already on the path to getting compensation and justice for your claim.  If you have already filed your claim on your own without the help of an attorney, it isn’t too late to hire an attorney to help with your case.

Our law offices get a significant number of calls from potential clients who have already filed their cases, and our attorneys are more than willing to take these kinds of cases.  In many cases, the initial “statement of claim” can be amended or re-filed if there is something you missed or if a claim was filed incorrectly.

Filing your case in the strongest light possible from the outset is always preferable.  Because of this, you should call an attorney as early in the process as you can.  If you’ve already filed the initial case, it is important to talk to an attorney before progressing any further.  As the case moves on, there will be complex legal procedures and preparations for arbitration hearings that the advice and counsel of an experienced FINRA arbitration lawyer can significantly improve.

For instance, preparations for your arbitration case include selecting the arbitrators who will hear your case and evidence exchange during the “discovery” period.  Having an attorney who understands the potential conflicts of interest and inherent pros and cons of different arbitrators can help ensure that you are in a better position to have your case heard by arbitrators who will be compassionate to your claims and, hopefully, rule in your favor.  When it comes time to exchange evidence during discovery, it is vital to have an attorney ensure that you get all the information you are entitled to – and any additional, relevant information and evidence you may be able to request.

Finally, as a practical matter, financial advisors and their firms are nearly always represented by attorneys in FINRA arbitration claims.  These attorneys often do not treat investors seriously who file a claim by themselves (known as ‘pro se’ representation).  However, if an investor is represented by an attorney, the opposing attorney (and, frankly, the arbitrators) may treat the case more seriously, and the opposing attorney may be willing to offer more money in a proposed settlement.  That is because if an investor is represented by a competent attorney, his or her chances of prevailing at the arbitration increases.

Types of Qualifying FINRA Arbitration Claims

Any time you are harmed by an investment advisor, stockbroker, or other broker-dealer, you may be entitled to file a claim with FINRA.  Our attorneys handle cases dealing with breach of broker agreements, financial negligence, unauthorized transactions, and more.  If you or a loved one suffered any of these harms, they may be entitled to file a claim.  Sometimes, it can be difficult to understand whether the harm you suffered rises to the level of a FINRA claim, but our attorneys can help examine your claim and advise you on the strength of your claim.  Do not hesitate to call our law offices today for a free consultation.

FINRA Arbitration Attorneys Offering Free Consultations

The FINRA claims attorneys at Epperson & Greenidge have represented clients in various FINRA arbitration claims and offer free consultations to help new clients understand their potential claims.  Even if you’ve already filed your claim yourself or you aren’t sure if you have a FINRA claim, contact our law offices today. Our number is (877) 445-9261.