How much would it cost a company to defend itself in the case of a lawsuit that is undeniably news worthy?

Question

Let's just say the location is Chicagoland and the case has been said to be the most severe of this kind an attorney has seen in his/her 20 years of practice.

Answer 1

The newsworthiness of the case isn't the issue, rather, it's the type of claim being made by the plaintiff. Also, are you asking about the cost in terms of legal fees or the overall settlement of the case, including any damages that might have to be paid to the plaintiff?

If the case is "the most severe of this kind" it implies you're talking about some form of negligence and/or product liability. These cases (and, in fact, most types of claim) are rarely taken all the way to trial, particulary if the company and its insurance carriers recognize that there has been wrongdoing, particularly severe wrongdoing.

That's because the insurers realize that the cost of the trial, which can be substantial, is only adding onto the damages they'll end up paying anyway. Also, there's a substantial risk that a jury will award damages well above any amount that is reasonable - so settling is usually considered the best option.

Add a bit more information to the question and it will be easier to give a more complete answer.

Answer 2

Well, first, you need to find out how big the company is and if they have a staff of attorneys. That is to say, do they actualy employ their own attorneys and have a legal department? If they do, then the only thing their paying is the normal salaries that they paid anyway. If they don't, then depending on the length of the trial and how complicated it is will determine the cost. It could be anywhere from 100K up to 1 million depending, its too broad and too vague to be specific.