Legal Question in Civil Litigation in New York
If I win the lottery, can my co-workers who did not play sue me lying to the courts that I promised them money?
2 Answers from Attorneys
Realistically, anyone can sue anyone else. But, whether they can actually prove they were part of (presumably) an office pool is a different story. It would be a tangled, drawn out process.
Not only CAN they sue you, but if you win the million dollar prize, they most assuredly WILL sue you and tie up the dispersal of the prize money until the matter is legally settled. Usually, this means paying a smaller sum of money to the person seeking compensation versus spending years litigating the case and waiting for your money.
All agreements to share winnings should be in writing to avoid this type of confusion and miscommunication. If you've already won something and need further assistance, please don't hesitate to contact me.
Best of luck!