Off topic question, wouldn't winning offset the legal costs?
No.
Consider the 2 common scenarios....
1) I sue because someone owes, but won't pay.
I win the case, but then I have to collect.
This is the hard part, usually collecting cents on the dollar.
So I don't file many suits.
Instead, I negotiate what I can, & give up on the balance.
2) It's cheap to file suit, but expensive to defend.
So frivolous (suits without merit) ones to exact money (legal extortion) are common.
One is guaranteed to lose.
The questions become.....
A) Minimize the loss by settling (giving in to extortion), keeping legal fees down.
B) Fight to the bitter end. One spends more, but one.....
B.1) Has the satisfaction of winning.
B.2) Sends a message to others who might try the same scheme.
Judges don't award costs to the prevailing party, even when the plaintiff lacks merit.
A typical suit which goes to trial is at least $100,000 (in my experience).
So winning is very expensive indeed.