I am a 100% service connected Disabled Veteran & recently I settled a lawsuit against a company for violations under the ADA – federal stuff. This litigation has been ongoing since @ 2019, because, I believe, the defendant, after the EEOC ruled that they did not find grounds on which I could sue, believed that I would not.
But I did. Fast forward to a few months ago, when I had my deposition. This was a first for me. I prepped. Beforehand, my attorney told me that opposing counsel was an asshole. This made me chuckle because it is nice to know attorneys are human.
Preface this with after the deposition was finished, my attorney told me that I was one of the best deposition witnesses that he had had as a client. – so, approximately seven hours into my deposition, the opposing counsel really starts to hammer on me. Crazy questions. Trying to attack my credibility. I know it’s his job, but finally, I told him this: I decided I do not want to reach an out of court settlement if one is offered and that I look forward to either a bench trial or jury trial because my story deserves to be heard.
LOL. One month after this they settled. For nearly everything, not everything, but nearly.
I signed an NDA. Can’t name the company, settlement amounts, individual names, etc., standard stuff. But I can say that I am pleased with the decision. So I said it.
Advice for anyone who might find themselves in a similar situation at work. Document everything. And I mean everything, even if it includes bathroom breaks. I had retained notes, texts, emails. Had I not done this, don’t know if I would have been successful.