3 Benefits Of Out Of Court Personal Injury Settlements
The majority of personal injury cases that are filed settle out of court. This means that a settlement agreement is reached between the two parties before the case ever goes to trial. If you have a personal injury claim and your personal injury attorney is talking to you about settling the claim, you may wonder what the benefits are of reaching an out of court settlement agreement. Here are three benefits associated with settling out of court.
Benefit 1: It Is Typically Faster
The first benefit to settling a personal injury claim out of court is that it is typically a faster process. Many courts across the US are backlogged with cases. It can take months or even years to have your case put on calendar and heard before a judge or jury. If you are looking to get money quickly and/or put the case behind you quickly, settling the claim outside of court can help you to do just this.
Benefit 2: It Is Less Expensive
The second benefit to settling a personal injury claim outside of court is that it is less expensive. Taking a personal injury case to trial is expensive. It is time consuming for the lawyers, and often, expensive experts need to be brought in to testify. Many personal injury attorneys will charge you one fee for settling a personal injury rate and a higher fee if your case has to go to trial, due to the increased workload and costs. If you want to keep expenses low, settling may be in your best interest.
Benefit 3: You Have a Say in the Outcome
The third benefit of an out of court personal injury settlement is that you have some say in the outcome. When your case goes to trial, you have no say or control over what your award will be. It may be much higher than you expected, but it can also be much lower than you expected. Or you may end up with nothing at all. When you settle your case, you have the ability to negotiate, helping you to get a fair resolution and have a say in what you get.
While there are many benefits to settling a personal injury claim before the case goes to trial, not every case can be settled. In some cases, the other party will not accept any liability and in other cases, the parties don't agree on the value of the case. A personal injury attorney can guide you through the process of settling your claim or recommend taking your case to trial if an agreement cannot be reached.
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