Meritorious Patent Lawsuits
Worldwide technology litigation has taken its toll on the United States and has placed it in the worst economic state, according to critics. As more information is generated by computers, it has also created the same problem for individuals. They are now being held responsible for the actions of others because they can download the same content from the internet or access it anywhere with a cell phone. The result is that the cost of technology and litigation has become exponential, creating enormous losses for the companies suing individuals for intellectual property violations and infringement of copyrights.
As this trend continues, many wonder why this is happening and how it will affect the future of American business.
While there may be some truth to the fears of corporate America regarding lawsuits, the recent rise in technology lawsuits should not come as a surprise to any business. The reality is that lawsuits are a necessary part of our society and the ability to sue for damages is something that all people should enjoy. Many feel that the recent rash of technology lawsuits filed against businesses is over-reaching and without an ability to distinguish between what is not acceptable.
The fact of the matter is that the United States has always been at risk for such lawsuits and that it has been the result of meritorious lawsuits filed against businesses that have engaged in cyber-extortion or other illegal activities.
Whether or not the businesses were aware of the conduct of their employees, it was not acceptable. While many may feel that the lawsuits are a bit over-reaching, the fact remains that the world wide technology lawsuit has become a fact of life. Many companies do not feel that they can defend themselves against these lawsuits. That is not an excuse to allow it to happen, however.
In the past, those who brought suits would attempt to ignore the companies and drive them out of business, but that is no longer the case.
Those who file meritorious complaints and seek damages are now being very careful about how they speak publicly about their cases. The recent leak of a big settlement from Microsoft to a well-known patent attorney highlighted this reality. If a worldwide technology lawsuit did occur and there was liability, it would certainly be discussed and the damages sought.
It is difficult to determine what the correct term is in the world-wide lawsuit space, but it is safe to say that it involves damages that a company must pay for using technology in a way that is contrary to the terms of the license granted to them by the patent office.
This is not always easy to prove, since so many companies have become skilled at concealing their activities from the outside. That is why so many large meritorious cases have been resolved without a trial. Sometimes it is not so simple to determine whether or not a company is being honest about its activities.
While it may be difficult to define a meritorious technology lawsuit, it is clear that those who file them are doing so because they believe they have a valid case.
Those who file them do so because they feel that they have a strong case, have enough evidence to support it, or have sufficient proof that the competitor committed acts that are in violation of their license agreement. Those who win meritorious cases in the patent space have an opportunity to receive a significant amount of free product. Many large companies spend millions of dollars every year purchasing patents so they can prevent competitors from manufacturing products that are derived from technology patented by other companies.
