{"id":368870,"date":"2021-09-30T13:00:54","date_gmt":"2021-09-30T18:00:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/content.findlaw-admin.com\/ability-law\/litigation\/filing-a-lawsuit\/can-i-sue-a-company-that-has-been-sold.html"},"modified":"2026-05-30T13:29:37","modified_gmt":"2026-05-30T18:29:37","slug":"can-i-sue-a-company-that-has-been-sold","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/litigation\/filing-a-lawsuit\/can-i-sue-a-company-that-has-been-sold.html","title":{"rendered":"Can I Sue a Company That Has Been Sold?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Can I Sue a Company That Has Been Sold?<\/h1>\n\n
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\n By Steven Ellison, Esq.<\/a> | Legally reviewed by Steven Ellison, Esq.<\/a>\n | Last reviewed\n
\n \n <\/i>\n Legally Reviewed\n <\/summary>\n\n
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This article has been written and reviewed for legal accuracy, clarity, and style by FindLaw\u2019s team of legal writers and attorneys<\/a> and in accordance with our editorial standards<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n\n

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The last updated date refers to the last time this article was reviewed by FindLaw or one of our contributing authors<\/a>. We make every effort to keep our articles updated. For information regarding a specific legal issue affecting you, please contact an attorney in your area<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n<\/section>\n\n\n

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Yes, but your legal options to sue a sold company depend on many factors. They include the type of claim you have and the current status of the company.<\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n\n\n\n

If the business entity still exists after the sale, you may file a civil lawsuit against it in state and sometimes federal court. If it no longer exists after the sale, you may be able to file suit against the company’s shareholders. You may be able to sue the buyer of the business, especially if you suffered injury from a defective product manufactured by the seller.<\/p>\n

You also can’t wait too long to pursue those options. You must file with the court before the deadline under the statute of limitations. A litigation lawyer<\/a> can help you understand whether you can still sue the company.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Claims Against the Seller of a Company<\/h2>\n

In most instances, just because a company gets sold does not mean it is no longer responsible for its debts. If it still exists after the sale, you can sue it as if it had not been sold. It’s as simple as that.<\/p>\n

Claims Against the Owners of a Company<\/h2>\n

What if a company dissolves<\/a> and no longer exists after its sale? You still are not necessarily out of luck. In certain cases, particularly those involving\u00a0close corporations<\/a>\u00a0(companies owned by a few shareholders and are not publicly traded, often small businesses and sole proprietorships), the shareholders may be liable in a civil lawsuit.<\/p>\n

This is “alter ego<\/a>” liability or, more generally, “piercing the corporate veil<\/a>.” This veil refers to the legal buffer between a person and their business. Corporations and their owners are separate legal entities. But there are times when the court may disregard the separateness of a corporation.<\/p>\n

A shareholder may held responsible for the company’s debts if:<\/p>\n