When you are injured in car accidents, it is very important to be aware of all options since you want to fully recover compensation. It is very important that you analyze the situation you are in so that you can figure out what you want to do.
A limited number of car accident personal injury cases end up in court. Usually, the result is settling before reaching trial. A lawyer for car accidents often recommends settling because this has some very interesting advantages you should be aware of.
Lower Legal Costs
When you go to trial, legal costs go up. You will need to pay for witnesses, expert witnesses, and so much more. Paying a fee is also needed simply because someone will hear your case. Several other expenses will add up. If you decide to settle, all of the legal costs will be avoided.
Less Stress
It does not matter if you are prepared or not. It is very stressful to go into the courtroom. You might not have to testify but it is possible the other side will ask you to do so. The case will be longer and you will spend a lot of time with your attorney to build the case. Then, after the trial starts, this practice continues.
In court, you will go through several tense moments, like closing statements, opening statements, motions, and objections. Then, you have to wait for the judge or the jury to reach a decision. Settling means you can skip such stressful moments.
Preparing For Trial Is Difficult
When you settle, the legal process is streamlined. When you will go to court, several things need to be done, like tracking down eyewitnesses and finding proof of what happened. Basically, for every single piece of evidence you have, you need to go through a lengthy preparation phase.
Settling out of court simply involves less preparation work.
You Cannot Predict The Outcome Of The Trial
You can work with the very best car accident attorney in the world and still not be 100% sure of the outcome since it will be a jury that will decide results. Juries will receive very clear instructions but there are cases in which decisions are unpredictable and surprising. This means you might end up being disappointed with the result.
Settling out of court means you are aware of the outcome of your case. If it is satisfactory, there is no reason why you should not agree.
Privacy
Court records are public. This basically means that everyone will be aware of what is happening and will be able to review court proceeding transcripts. You will need to answer some questions that are not comfortable and you can be sure your personal life will come under scrutiny.
Settling out of court means the conversations you have with the insurance provider are private. And nobody will know what discussions you had and how much money you received after the settlement. In fact, most of those that are decided out of court are never disclosed as it is better for all the parties involved in the case.