Some of our clients are surprised when we tell them how many of our personal injury cases settle. Very few of our cases go to trial. There are several reasons for this, and we’ll discuss most of them below. For now, it’s important to know that more than 95% of all personal injury cases settle long before trial. The odds of you seeing the inside of a courtroom are very slim.
The way your personal injury lawyer in Atlanta approaches a case is with the intent to settle. Trials aren’t good for anybody. Of course, there are times when a settlement just isn’t possible. If that’s the situation with your case, then you can trust that our Atlanta injury lawyers will do whatever it takes to win at trial.
Here, we’ll discuss the various reasons why so many personal injury cases settle. Hopefully, this will explain why it makes sense for you to compromise rather than risk your day in court. If you still have questions about your won case, contact our office. We can always schedule your free, initial consultation over the phone or through our website.
Most Personal Injury Cases Don’t Even Require Legal Action
The only personal injury cases people hear about are the unique ones. You may turn on the news and hear about how somebody got food poisoning from a local restaurant and sued them for a ton of money. In the real world, it doesn’t work this way. Cases like that shouldn’t make the news. Not only are most cases settled before trial, but many more are resolved without the need for any legal action.
In most personal injury cases, the defendant is covered by insurance. For example, if you’re in a car accident, the other driver should have auto insurance. The same is true if you slip and fall in a grocery store. The owner of the market has general liability insurance to cover accidents like this. Before the need for legal action arises, the insurance company usually pays the claim. It’s only in certain cases or under special circumstances that an accident victim would need to file suit.
The Insurance Adjuster Will Agree that Trials are Too Expensive
You may be surprised to learn that it’s not only our clients who are eager to settle. Defendants (and their insurance carriers) are interested in settling personal injury cases as well. Trials can be very expensive. By the time you pay for expert witnesses and accident reconstruction specialists, a large chunk of your damages may already be spent.
This is why your personal injury lawyer in Atlanta tries to negotiate a settlement with the insurance company as early as possible. If they can settle your personal injury case without suing, it will save you a lot of money and aggravation.
Trials Can Take Years to Resolve
The other benefit of settling is that your personal injury case can be resolved rather quickly. Typically, it can take a year or two for the courts to schedule a civil trial. The judges’ calendars are already behind, especially with the long delays suffered with COVID-19. By the time your case progresses through mediation, motion hearings, and settlement conferences, a year and a half can pass.
We understand that our clients need their money as soon as possible. This is why we work so hard to settle their personal injury cases. Our Atlanta injury lawyers will continue to negotiate a settlement of your claim, even after you’ve attended mediation and any other pre-trial appointments. While it’s rare for your attorney to settle your case on the courthouse steps, there is a good chance that they’ll settle it in the weeks or months leading up to trial.
Your Personal Injury Lawyer in Atlanta Would Rather Get You the Money You Deserve in a Lump Sum
If your personal injury case goes to trial, you may not see a dime for years. Even if you win, there’s no guarantee that the defendant will pay. Of course, if they have insurance, there shouldn’t be an issue of payment. However, there is a good chance the insurance carrier will appeal the decision. This is especially true if the judgment was large. The insurance company will try to buy as much time as possible before they have to pay the judgment. Every day they hold on to their money is interest in their pockets.
When you settle, the longest you’ll have to wait for your money is a few months. Once the terms of the settlement are reached, your lawyer will draft a settlement agreement and send it to the defendant’s attorney to sign. Once the signed copy is returned, the window for payment will start to run. Usually, our settlement agreements call for payment in a lump sum and within thirty days. The whole point is to get you compensation quickly. There’s no reason to drag it out. The incentive for you to settle is that you’ll get your money fast.
If You Think You Have a Valid Personal Injury Case, Contact One of Our Atlanta Injury Lawyers Today
If you were hurt in some sort of accident, you may have a potential claim for damages. It all depends on the facts, of course. However, the only way to know for sure is to meet with an experienced Atlanta injury lawyer. They have handled just about every type of personal injury case imaginable. They know the law and they know how to deal with the insurance companies. We suggest you call so you can schedule your free, initial consultation.
The longer you wait to meet with a personal injury lawyer in Atlanta, the harder it will be to prove your personal injury case. Your attorney needs fresh evidence. If you wait for months or even a year to sue, it may be hard to find enough evidence to prove your case. Rather than have this happen, meet with one of our lawyers today so you at least know what your options are.
Since the consultation is free, you don’t have anything to lose. In fact, we don’t charge our clients anything upfront. You don’t pay anything until your case is settled.
