The United States offers protections of intellectual property known as copyright laws, and these provide protections for all kinds of original work, whether published or unpublished. There is a wide range of work that copyright law covers including artistic works such as literature, music and paintings, but also extends to business works such as computer software, architectural plans, or other types of intellectual property. If you believe that somebody has used your property without your permission and you want to file a copyright infringement lawsuit, you need an experienced copyright infringement lawyer who is familiar with all of the nuances of copyright law. Call Bochetto & Lentz today to see how a copyright infringement lawyer can help you protect your property.

One of the most important and effective ways that a copyright infringement lawyer can help to protect your property is to assist you in registering your copyright with the United States Copyright Office. When you have registered your copyright before somebody infringes on it, or within three months of publication, it allows you to seek statutory damages against those who have infringed upon your property, in addition to recovery of attorneys’ fees. Registration establishes you as the valid copyright owner.  If you have intellectual property that you believe is worth protecting, this is an inexpensive and worthwhile step to take. Having a copyright registration allows the owner to get up to $150,000 per work that is infringed upon, but that is not the only claim that can be made. When somebody infringes upon your copyright you may be able to sue the for unfair competition, trade dress infringement, misappropriation, and other claims.

When you contact the copyright infringement lawyers of Bochetto & Lentz regarding somebody infringing upon your property, the first thing that we will do on your behalf is to send a cease and desist letter to the infringer. This is often effective in and of itself, but when it is not, the fact that the letter was sent will assist in proving willful infringement. This may lead to more significant damages, and also supports our claims for the defendant to pay attorneys’ fees and costs if the case goes to court. We will help you identify all of the potential damages that you have suffered so that you can decide whether it is more advantageous for you to claim actual damages or statutory damages. We will help you identify all documents that you will need for discovery and prepare you for all of the steps involved in litigation, as well as what settlement offers may be worth your consideration.

Copyright infringement is a growing problem in the United States. In many cases the perpetrator is unaware of copyright law and will quickly step back from use when advised of their wrongdoing, but in other cases infringement is purposeful. If you need help protecting your property and fighting back from those that are appropriating your intellectual property, call the copyright infringement lawyers at Bochetto & Lentz today.

Learn more from our Copyright Infringement Lawyer HERE.