• A plaintiff is a person who brings a lawsuit against someone else, who is then called the defendant. The suit can be for matters of bills not being paid or some harm having been caused to the plaintiff. There are certain precautions a plaintiff must take when suing another person so that they can be awarded as much money as they are entitled to.
  
  

Reduce Damage

• Even if a plaintiff is injured, it is her job to make sure that no other injuries occur. This means if a doctor recommends a course of action be taken to help the injury or to ensure it does not get worse, the plaintiff should do what the doctor says. Court cases take a long time to settle, so a plaintiff must take care of herself in the meantime. Any damages that occur as a result of negligence will be the plaintiff's fault. Also, if there is a medical problem, the plaintiff must seek medical help so that recovery can begin. If help is not sought out, then the defendant is not responsible for what happens to the plaintiff.
  
  

Seek Employment

• If the plaintiff is not able to work at his job after an accident, then the plaintiff must seek other employment. Any money that is lost as a result of the plaintiff not seeking work is not the responsibility of the defendant. However, if the plaintiff is looking for employment and just has not been able to find a job, then the defendant will still be held responsible for losses. For example, if a plaintiff gets job interviews, but does not show up or is sloppily dressed and is not hired as a result, then the plaintiff is responsible for losses, not the defendant.
  
  

File Appropriate Papers

• The plaintiff is responsible for filing all paperwork that is needed. The judge may order certain papers be filed to close the case, and this must be taken care of. If the plaintiff has a lawyer, she may not have to file the paperwork herself, as the lawyer usually will.