Can I Lose My Home in a Personal Injury Lawsuit?

If you lose a personal injury lawsuit in court and do not have access to the liquid capital to pay the verdict, the court can force the sale of your home to satisfy the debt. Though it is relatively uncommon in the State of Virginia, it’s understandable to worry– mainly if the sum you’re required to pay is exorbitant or you live in an expensive home. There are several ways to avoid this fate– exploiting the Homestead Exemption being the most common. Call Rutter Mills personal injury lawyers to learn more about protecting your assets in court.

What Does A Personal Injury Verdict Have to Do With Real Estate?

If you’ve lost a case but cannot afford to pay, the prevailing party can seek a court judgment and property lien. The plaintiff’s counsel will not get paid until you come up with the cash, so they have every incentive to seek legal recourse for nonpayment. Once the judgment is recorded in the county land records, it goes from unsecured to secured debt. If there is sufficient equity in the house, the judgment creditor may be able to force a sale of the home– unless the property is exempted as a homestead.

What is the Homestead Exemption in Virginia?

Like nearly every state in the union, Virginia protects a set amount of value in a person’s home from creditors, bankruptcy proceedings, and personal judgments. In this case, the plaintiff can only access what’s left once selling fees, the mortgage balance, and the homestead exemption are applied. The exemption may be granted if the house is your principal dwelling and a spouse or dependents reside continuously in the home.

Virginia residents can designate up to $5,000 worth of real estate as a homestead, plus $500 for each dependent. Residents 65+ years of age or married couples filing together can be exempt up to $10,000. So, for instance, if the exemption is $10,000 and the home is valued at $110,000– but there is a mortgage on the property for $100,000, then the house is exempt from seizure because the homeowner has $10,000 in equity in it.

The one caveat is that a homestead declaration must be filed before bankruptcy to receive an exemption. It is best to work with personal injury attorneys if you are in a high-risk profession- or, at the very least, immediately after an accident or legal issue arises to protect your assets as best you can.

Other Ways To Protect Your Home in a Lawsuit

Depending on the circumstances, Virginia homes can be protected from a lawsuit in several other ways:

• Domestic Asset Protection Trusts (DAPTs) – Originally, spendthrift trusts were established to protect reckless heirs from squandering their inheritances to creditors. Unfortunately, this tool works best if the DAPT is in place 2-4 years before the judgment against you. However, DAPTs can also protect the home should the courts come after it.

• Equity Stripping Plan – Rather than subject the property to a lien, the defendant can remove equity by replacing it with a loan. Similarly, some homeowners create a shell company to place a lien on the property, giving the general impression that there is no equity. This strategy won’t hold up in a court battle, but it is not technically illegal and can sometimes dissuade lawyers or creditors from probing much further.

• Tenancy by the Entirety – Twenty-four states (including Virginia) allow special protection for married couples. When a personal residence is titled as “tenancy by the entirety,” a single spouse cannot dispose of the property by their sole act. Further, a creditor cannot attach a lien to the property held by both spouses, and the title can pass from one spouse to the other following death without passing through the estate.

• Title Change – Putting the home in a spouse’s name can protect the domicile from seizure, particularly if the spouse works in a “high-risk” profession as a surgeon or small business owner. Of course, this is another strategy best pursued before legal trouble arises.

• Umbrella Insurance – Umbrella insurance is designed to protect clients from a wide range of possible scenarios. Generally, umbrella insurance will not cover fraudulent, criminal, reckless, or even negligent actions, but it depends on the specific policy language. This type of insurance can buy $1-2 million in coverage for $300-$500 a year.

Contact us at Rutter Mills for a free consultation

While it’s unlikely you’ll lose your house, it is best to work with a Rutter Mills personal injury lawyer immediately if you cannot pay the initial judgment. Initial consultations are always free, giving you crucial information to aid decision-making.