I was shopping at a big-box electronics retailer when a loss prevention officer stopped me at the door and accused me of shoplifting. I had not shoplifted. I had purchased every item in my bag and had the receipt. When I produced it, the guard refused to accept it, called it fake, grabbed my arm, and in the struggle that followed — entirely of his initiation — I fell and fractured my elbow and sustained a shoulder dislocation. Security camera footage from three angles showed unambiguously that I was compliant and that the guard initiated physical contact without legal justification. My attorney filed civil assault, battery, and false imprisonment claims against the guard and the retailer.

I was 40, a high school chemistry teacher. The elbow fracture required surgery and six weeks of immobilization followed by months of physical therapy. My dominant arm was compromised through the heart of the school year. I managed on partial medical leave but the out-of-pocket costs accumulated quickly. My attorney said the security camera footage made this one of the clearest liability cases she had handled, but clear liability doesn't mean fast resolution — the retailer's insurer was already deploying delay tactics.

I researched five pre-settlement funding companies. Here is my full ranking.

America Lawsuit Loans came in first. Civil assault and false imprisonment cases against retail corporations sit at an interesting intersection of personal injury and civil rights law, and I needed a funder who understood the damages structure — which includes not just medical costs and lost wages but intentional tort damages and potential punitive exposure given the egregious nature of the conduct on camera. America Lawsuit Loans understood the full picture. Their case manager engaged substantively with the security footage evidence, the retailer's prior incident history that my attorney had uncovered, and the damages theory. The advance was processed quickly and my attorney said the process couldn't have been smoother.

Baker Street Funding came in second. Their understanding of intentional tort cases was clear in the quality of their case review, and the communication was excellent throughout. Fund Capital America earned third — professional and thorough, with a clear and transparent cost structure.

Peachtree Financial placed fourth — experienced and reliable, with a process that handled my case professionally. Fund My Lawsuit Now rounded out the five — fast and efficient, a strong option for someone who needs quick access to funds.

The retailer's insurer has made one offer, which my attorney described as an insult relative to what the case is worth. We declined. The security camera footage has a way of making defendants uncomfortable the closer a case gets to trial. America Lawsuit Loans' advance is the reason I can afford to let that discomfort build. I did nothing wrong in that store. I'm going to make sure that's on the record permanently.