When It Is Better to Settle After an Auto Accident

You will be surprised to know the number of auto accident injury claims reach a settlement, a major portion of which are settled outside the courtroom. While there may be advantages of going to court and letting a jury or judge decide the outcome of your case, most people prefer to resolve things between themselves or let their attorneys negotiate the terms and reach a common ground to avoid the case to go to trial.

Filing an Auto Accident Injury Claim Instead of a Lawsuit

If you take a moment to ponder over why you do want to file a lawsuit or claim against the other party, the first thought would be to get maximum compensation for the damages you incurred. You want the responsible person to pay for all the expenses related to the injury, as well as the losses you sustained during the recovery time. In other words, you are in for the money, and that is the decisive factor in almost all the cases. Depending on which option will cover your economic and non-economic damages, your attorney will help you decide whether settling is a good option.

Some other reasons why people may prefer to settle matters include:

• The level of surety that the responsible person will pay outweighs the possibility of an unpredictable jury decision.
• The process is relatively faster and involves less hassle, as you don’t have to go through multiple court hearings, trials, and depositions
• Avoid mounting fees of your attorney, which increases with the length of your case and the number of court proceedings.

Here are a few examples of situations where it is better to settle after an auto accident than filing a lawsuit and going to court:

• If the accident caused minor damage to your car and you didn’t sustain any serious injuries, it is better to negotiate the settlement amount with the other party.
• If you were at-fault in the accident, you must prevent the case from going to court as the attorney fees and the jury decision can turn into an overwhelming amount, which your insurance company may not be able to cover. If it is a minor fender-bender, it is best that you get a mechanic’s estimate for the repairs before involving your insurance company or your attorney, as you may be able to pay it from your pocket.
• It can be hard to trust a stranger to be fair and reasonable when deciding on a settlement, but if it is a close relative or friend offering to pay you back, you may accept the private arrangement deal.
• If your attorney advises you that the going to court will lower your chances of getting compensation for your damages, you may go for settlement.

Determining the settlement amount and deciding whether to settle or sue can be difficult. But with the help of an attorney, you can make an informed decision and rely on them to negotiate the best possible deal. Contact Fisk & Monteleone Ltd. today at 815-209-9030 to schedule a free case consultation with one of our experienced auto accident attorneys.