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Personal injury cases can be resolved either outside of court or through a lawsuit. Most personal injury cases are settled outside of court. In fact, only 4% of personal injury cases go to court. Most people prefer to settle outside of court because of the benefits it has over trials.
This doesn’t apply to all cases. When it comes to personal injury cases, each case is different. You don’t have to settle outside the court just because others do. You need to speak with experienced lawyers to know what the best course of action is for your case.
Reputed law firms, like The Francis Firm, can guide you through the claim process. It is best to hire lawyers and discuss your case with them. They will know whether to settle outside the court or file a lawsuit.
Benefits of Settling a Case Outside the Court
As said, settling outside the court has many benefits over a trial process. Following are some of the significant benefits of settling outside the court:
- Quicker Resolution
- Maintains Privacy
- Less Stressful
- Trials are unpredictable
- Less Expensive
- More Final Than a Trial Decision
Quicker Resolution
Probably the most significant benefit on the list. Following an accident, you will have many bills pressuring you. Financial stress can be scary. Usually, insurance companies take advantage of this. With the help of a lawyer, you can avoid that. Settling outside the court takes very little time compared to the trial process. With a lawyer negotiating for you, you can get the deserved settlement soon.
Maintains Privacy
A trial is public. Arbitration is not. The moment you choose to file a lawsuit, everything goes public. It might bring a lot of unwarranted attention to you and your family. This attention can add a lot of stress to what is already a stressful situation. By settling outside of court, you can remain private.
Less Stressful
A trial process is much more stressful than an arbitration. A trial process involves a lot of legal aspects that you won’t fully understand. In addition, you have to convince 12 more people (the jury team) that you have sustained damages due to the defendant’s negligence. You won’t get a resolution soon through a trial process.
Trials are Unpredictable
Even if your case is strong, you could still lose a trial. A trial’s outcome is decided by 12 people. If they don’t find your story true, you will lose the case. You cannot predict their feelings or how they think about the case. The best you can do is share the facts of the case, present the evidence you have collected, and hope for the best.
Less Expensive
The travel cost alone will be more than your damages if you choose to file a lawsuit. Since the court proceedings will go on for a long time, you will have to travel a lot. In addition, you will incur expenses like court fees. Also, your lawyer will charge more if the case goes to trial since a trial requires more work than arbitration.
More Final Than a Trial Decision
If the defendant loses the case in court, they can appeal. In arbitration, you cannot file an appeal. Cases that are settled outside the courts are final. A trial process is already long, so if the defendant chooses to file an appeal after losing, it will be longer.
Takeaway
Settling outside the court has some great benefits, but sometimes you have to file a lawsuit to get the preferred outcome. Speak with your lawyer to know whether to settle outside the court or file a lawsuit.
