subject: Should You Settle Your Injury Lawsuit Out Of Court? [print this page] If you are injured in an accident caused by the negligence or carelessness of another person, you may be wondering whether or not you should settle your case before trial. You may be surprised to learn that 80% to 90% of personal injury cases never make it to the courtroom. Instead, they are settled before trial. There are many reasons for settling instead of taking a case to trial. If you settle, you will be spending less on legal costs. In addition, you will typically receive payment faster if you settle instead of going to court. Finally, an out-of-court settlement will save a lot of stress compared with a jury trial. There are cases, however, where going to court is the best option. When the defendant's offer of settlement is so low that it won't cover the total cost of your medical treatment, lost wages and other expenses, going to trial may be necessary to get the compensation you deserve. A personal injury attorney can offer sound advice as to whether or not you should accept an offer of settlement or try your case in court.
Many injury victims want their day in court, so that a judge and jury will hear their side of story. The benefit of this is you have the potential to receive a higher amount compared with the pre-trial settlement offer. Another benefit of going to trial is that you can appeal the judgment if you lose your case. There are also many drawbacks to taking your case to court, however. A trial will be lengthy, costly, and stressful for you and your family, and it will typically take longer to receive compensation. Also, it is not guaranteed that the award given by the jury will be higher than the out-of-court settlement offer. In fact, a jury may find that you are entitled to nothing at all, in which case it would have been better to settle before trial. A personal injury lawyer can help you weigh the pros and cons of accepting a settlement or going to court.
In Chicago, personal injury victims can count on Shannon Law Group, P.C. for sound legal advice. Mr. Shannon has been representing victims in all types of accident cases for over 20 years. His firm works on a contingency fee basis in all personal injury cases. Call 866-881-9980 or visit http://www.shannonlawgroup.com to learn more about the firm.
