Also, suing your previous employer ends your career. Prospective employers will see you as a troublemaker and no one will hire you after that, even in a different field.
I don't think this is the case at all. In 17 years, I have never seen the company let it get to trial.
Most recent example is Ellen Pao -> CEO Reddit.
But we're not talking about the Ellen Pao's of the world, we're talking about average workers. I've seen firsthand that some employers won't want to touch someone who sued a former employer - for any reason.
It doesn't have to make it to trial, it just has to be searchable. A civil complaint is enough.