After someone is seriously injured in a vehicle accident caused by another driver, there is likely to be a great deal of physical, emotional and financial trauma afterward. This person may be contacted relatively quickly by the other driver’s insurance company, wanting to offer a settlement. The accident victim may wonder whether the case is worth a large amount more and whether filing a lawsuit would be advisable. Before contacting accident attorneys in Tucson for assistance, it’s important to understand how personal injury cases are typically managed in the legal system.
Percentage of Cases Settled Out of Court
A staggering 95 percent of personal injury cases in the United States are settled outside of court. That statistic indicates that the victim of someone else’s negligent driving will probably never actually have a day in court as the plaintiff. Nevertheless, this does not mean the person should automatically accept a settlement offer from the insurer.
The First Settlement Offer
That first offer is likely to be quite low, as the insurance company hopes the claimant needs money badly enough to accept it. Offers made to claimants who do not have professional legal representation also tend to be lower. That’s a primary reason why it makes sense to contact accident attorneys in Tucson to learn what a reasonable settlement offer would be, considering all the circumstances.
Cautionary Considerations
Filing a lawsuit and going to trial sometimes brings in more money than a settlement, but there is a substantial risk that the jury will find in favor of the defendant. Another possibility would be the jury finding in favor of the plaintiff but awarding less money than an injury lawyer could have negotiated for a settlement.
Going to court also takes significantly longer than having a law firm such as Price and Price work out an an agreement for reasonable compensation. The plaintiff might not be awarded any money for more than a year. And if the jury does decide on a very generous award, the insurer may appeal, putting a halt to any payments. Please see the website to schedule an initial consultation.
