Claims

Make an appointment

If someone has suffered damages caused by someone else, the party who suffered the damages may want compensation.

The person who caused the damages must then first be held liable, whether this is a manufacturer, contractor, driver or other.

How can the person who caused the damages be held liable and which should be compensated?

In practice, the parties consult a lawyer, solicitor or insurer who approaches the case from a legal standpoint. The party who has suffered the damages provides support for the claim and the party claiming damages may seek legal defence. The parties may start proceedings. This may not always be desirable. The costs could exceed the possible benefits.

Liability: How do you claim damages?

GMW lawyers can advise you on the best course of action. We can discuss the possibilities of a settlement as well as examining the opportunities and costs of proceedings.

A good settlement can sometimes deal with a claim for damages quickly and efficiently, ensuring a solution which does justice to the positions of both the parties involved, and if possible, maintains the relationship. Commercial, strategic and practical considerations may also play an important role.

At the same time you need to prepare for legal proceedings. After all, it is not always possible to achieve a settlement. In that case, proceedings are the only solution.

GMW lawyers has experienced, keen and creative lawyers in the field of damages and injury, unlawful acts, breach of contract, class actions and directors’ liability. They will try to reach a settlement or carry out the proceedings on your behalf.

More information

GMW lawyers will be happy to help you with all your company and business litigation issues. If you have any questions, please contact us directly using the enquiry form below or +31 (0)70 3615048. Our company law lawyers will be glad to support and advise you.

More information >

Lawyers

Previous slide
Next slide

Christiaan Mensink

Company law, Insolvency law Read more about this lawyer

Lucie Burggraaff

Company law, Insolvency law Read more about this lawyer

Mechteld van Veen-Oudenaarden

Company law, Insolvency law Read more about this lawyer
All lawyers

Are you looking for a company law lawyer in The Hague?

GMW lawyers will be happy to help you with all your company law issues and business disputes. Do you have a question? Feel free to contact us.

"*" indicates required fields

newsletter?

You might also like

2 July 2026

Duty to provide information in a WHOA plan

The Zeeland-West Brabant District Court delivered a ruling on the debtor’s duty to provide information in a WHOA procedure.

Read more

Read more about

25 June 2026

Discharge from liability in associations

In a recent judgment of the Arnhem-Leeuwarden Court of Appeal, the central question was whether the board members of an association could rely on the discharge granted by the general members’ meeting in relation to the management of a major project (the construction of the clubhouse).

Read more

Read more about

21 May 2026

Suretyship for entrepreneurs

Suretyship is an age-old instrument used to secure payment or performance of an obligation. The concept already existed in Roman law as a specific form of joint liability, where several debtors were bound to satisfy the same debt.

Read more

Read more about

16 April 2026

Operational and financial lease: what are the differences in the context of business financing?

The distinction between operational lease and financial lease is important in the context of business financing.

Read more

Read more about

26 March 2026

The conditions for a bank guarantee to lift a seizure

Provisinal (or prejudgment) seizure of a bank account is a powerful tool for creditors to safeguard their recourse position, before a court has ruled definitively on a claim. For the party whose assets are attached, however, such attachment can be highly disruptive.

Read more

Read more about

23 February 2026

Directors’ liability: often claimed, difficult to prove

Directors’ liability sounds threatening. In practice, however, a claim brought by a bankruptcy trustee is difficult to win. The threshold for directors’ liability is high. It therefore pays to take a critical look at such liability claims and to provide a solid defence.

Read more

Read more about

27 November 2025

Interpretation of contracts: the Haviltex-ruling

Most business disputes arise from differing interpretations of agreements. That is not surprising. As Paul Scholten already said in 1909: “Words are never clear on their own.”

Read more

Read more about

2 October 2025

Purchase agreement for electric cars and non-conformity

In a ruling of the Supreme Court on 28 June 2024 concerning non-conformity in the purchase of an electric car, an important decision was made regarding the vehicle’s driving range.

Read more

Read more about

8 September 2025

General Banking Terms: impact on your business

When you enter into an agreement with a bank for a loan or a credit facility (hereinafter referred to as a “financing agreement”), you will often see that the General Banking Terms (Algemene Bank Voorwaarden or ABV) apply to that agreement.

Read more

Read more about