Creators work hard to produce quality products. It may take years of hard work to get it right. When you finally gain success through your work, there are people who will take notice and may try to take your ideas. These thieves will copy your work and try to pass it off as their own. This is why patents exist, to make sure that you get noticed for your work and to guarantee punishment for anybody who tries to reproduce your creations without permission. Due to copyright infringement, the United States economy loses $58 billion per year. This is composed of $16 billion lost to copyright owners, and $3 billion lost in taxes. In a time where it is becoming increasingly easy to pirate ideas and creations, it is important to make sure you are actively legally protected.
Patent and trademark law and intellectual property law are special segments focused on making sure your ideas legally belong to you. Patent attorneys offer services that will get your inventions patented and protected from thieves. Patent lawsuits have increased greatly over the past 20 years; 30,000 lawsuits are filed each year compared to the past average of 500 per year. The need for patent attorneys is more severe than it ever has been, due to the development of technology. On the internet, your products and ideas are extremely vulnerable to being stolen by people all around the world. Sometimes it is as easy as saving a file for these people to claim your hard work as their own. By investing in patents and using patent attorney services, you can make it much easier to go after pirates and prevent these scenarios from happening.
Depending on your idea, product, or invention, there are different types of patents that may apply. There are two main types of patents that can protect your work. A design patent lasts for 14 years from the day it is filed, and is used to protect the visual aspects of your creation. A utility patent lasts for 20 years, and is used to protect the concept of how your creation works. It can take years after filing for your patent to be granted, so it is important to seek services from a patent attorney as soon as you can.