First time Litigants in Person tend to underestimate the time and emotional energy involved in court proceedings.
That’s why they say in one breath,
“Hopefully, they’ll just pay. I don’t have time for this BS”
and in another,
“We’re going to court”.
Consider that this may not be your opponent’s first time – particularly if you are dealing with their insurers or a Government body.
It is likely they have a panel of lawyers on call to deal with claims – just like yours.
Many of the self-represented litigants I’ve talked to have no idea of the importance of the pre-action steps they’ve taken (or failed to take) and the letters they’ve written.
They didn’t realise that a professionally drafted letter before action might have killed the game off in the first half, saving themselves the expense of their day in court – and its associated costs.
The other side’s lawyer is just that. They are being paid to kill the game off in the first half and make you go away.