If you’ve been injured due to someone else’s negligence, securing fair compensation is essential to cover medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering. When an insurance company offers a settlement, deciding whether to accept it or proceed to trial can be a difficult choice. Although trials can sometimes lead to larger awards, settling your personal injury case often provides several important benefits.
This decision can be complex, and you might need a personal injury attorney to help you weigh your decision carefully. An experienced lawyer can go over the settlement, talk about potential outcomes, and recommend the best course of action to protect your interests and receive the compensation you deserve.
1. Quicker Resolution
Trials may take years or months due to clogged court dockets, procedural logjams, and possible appeals. So it might take longer for you to even receive any money, which will keep you in fiscal suspended animation. Settling, on the other hand, can help both parties to agree to something in weeks or months. This faster resolution enables you to pay medical bills, cover living expenses, and focus on recuperation without the stress of waiting.
2. Lower Costs
Trial can be expensive. Legal fees often escalate with the amount of preparation, court appearances, expert witness compensation, and other cost liabilities incurred with the lapse of time. Such costs eat into your award or settlement dollars. To settle early keeps such costs minimized, thus more compensation goes into your pocket. Leaving out trial fees renders settlement economically more prudent in most cases.
3. Reduced Stress and Emotional Toll
Trials are not only financially taxing but also emotionally exhausting. You’ll be forced to recreate painful aspects of your injury over and over, face cross-examination by defense attorneys, and live with the uncertainty of what a judge or jury will do. This can put your emotional healing on hold. Settling the case prevents this stressful ordeal, so you can close the case sooner and move on to rebuild your life.
4. More Control over the Outcome
When you settle, you are negotiating with the opposing side or the insurance company. This is where you get some voice regarding the amount of money you receive and when you receive it. You do not put it in the hands of a judge or jury, where rulings can be unsure and sometimes disappointing. Settlements are certain; you know what you are going to receive and when you will receive it.
5. Privacy
Trials are public proceedings. This means medical records, financial records, and other personal information become a public record that anyone can access. Settlements are private agreements, and your privacy is kept intact. For a majority of injured victims, not publicizing the information about their case is an important consideration.
Conclusion
While going to trial may seem like a way to fight for the highest possible compensation, settlements often provide a faster, more affordable, less stressful, and more certain resolution. They also protect your anonymity and give you a voice in the decision regarding your case. In order to reach the best decision, it’s essential to visit a veteran personal injury attorney who will examine your case and guide you to the solution most suitable for your unique situation.
