Going through a personal injury lawsuit can cause a lot of stress and trauma, so you must know all of your options before you pursue it. There are a lot of opinions on these lawsuits, so it’s important that you get the facts before you sue.
What Percent Are Settled?
When personal injury cases start, 90 percent of them are settled out of court. This means that the other party offers them an amount of money or an action like not working in that portion of the city anymore, and the suing party has decided it was good enough and accepts it.
Why Do So Few Go to Court?
Personal injury lawsuits are one of the most stressful things someone can go through, and unfortunately, it’s often stretched out over the years. In these years, you not only have to deal with the loss of financial compensation but also the opposing lawyer calling you a liar and smearing your name through the mud to prove their point.
People fear taking these to court because of the long, drawn-out process and the many issues with being on the stand. In addition, you may have to take time off work for the court, possibly relive something traumatic every time you discuss it, and deal with many eyes looking at you and calculating whether you’re telling the truth or not. This is exhausting and too much for most people.
What Happens When They Go to Court?
Unfortunately, when these cases go to court, only 10 percent win. The other ninety percent lost their case and all of the money they had to pay for court fees and their lawyer’s costs if they weren’t hired on contingency. This is a stressful percentage to look at, considering how much time, stress, and effort was put into getting you this far. But, for many who settle, this number is the reason why they do it.
How Can I Decide Whether to Settle?
When you’re offered a settlement amount, consider if it’s enough to help what you’ve gone through and what other agreements come with it. For example, if you’re suing a company, there’s a chance that they could ask that you don’t discuss this publicly or that you don’t enter their company anymore.
For some, this isn’t fair, especially since they may feel like they have to warn other people who visit the business. If the money is enough, and you don’t mind the fine print, you can settle and move on with your life. Otherwise, it’s time to find a personal injury lawyer that you trust.
What Can Help Me if I Go to Court?
If you go to court, avoid having a jury. Although you may feel more appealing to a court of your peers, a judge is far more likely to grant more compensation. This means if you win, you’ll get a bigger payout and will be able to spend that money on recovering what you lost.
Although you know what happened to you, it’s hard to fight against the statistic that 90 percent of cases that go to court fail. It’s important to discuss everything thoroughly with your lawyer before you move forward with a decision.