When you think of lawsuits, you probably have visions of courtroom dramas with sharp quips and animated lawyers and judges. Your case likely won’t reach that point. That’s because in reality most personal injury lawsuits settle before going to trial. That being said, you should certainly be prepared for trial when you sit down at the negotiation table. After all, that’s the only way to truly know your case and where you stand.
But there are some other things that you can do to better determine if a settlement offer is right for you. Let’s look at some of them:
- Know your losses: You can’t tell if a settlement offer is appropriate if you don’t know what your case is worth. Therefore, take a close look at both your economic and your noneconomic damages. Medical expenses, rehabilitation costs, lost wages, pain and suffering, and your loss of enjoyment of life are all key here.
- Know the evidence: When deciding whether to accept a settlement offer, you need to know your likelihood of success at trial. If your evidence is strong and there’s no indication of contributory negligence, then you might have little to lose and a lot to gain by going to trial. If your case has evidentiary weaknesses, though, then you might want to carefully consider the settlement offer.
- Know how similar cases have played out: No two personal injury lawsuits are exactly the same, but there are often a lot of similarities. By looking at how similar cases have resulted, you can better gauge your chances of success at trial and use that information as leverage at the negotiation table.
Have a strong ally on your side
Far too often car accident victims are taken advantage of during settlement negotiations because they don’t know what their claim is worth and they simply want to move on with their lives. Don’t let your future be jeopardized. Instead, be aggressive and ready to stand up for what you deserve. If you’d like help in that arena, then attorneys like those at our law firm stand ready to assist.