Were you aware that the vast majority of claims related to accidents or injuries actually never make it into a courtroom? It is far more common for both the plaintiff and the defendant to come to a settlement and avoid court altogether.
Whether or not you should look to settle your personal injury case depends upon your particular situation and your goals. According to FindLaw, whether or not you should settle depends on how much you are willing to negotiate and how strong your case is.
What should I know about negotiation?
The cornerstone of negotiation is that it involves compromise. This means that it is likely you will need to give in a little bit in order to get a settlement out of the other party. For example, if you are willing to accept a remedy that is not a large cash payment, you may be able to reach a settlement faster. An example of a non-cash remedy may be the defending party agreeing to stop a particular action that resulted in your injury.
A big benefit of negotiation is that it often takes less time and is a far less expensive process than taking a case to court. There may also be tax-related benefits to settling as well.
What about the strength of my case?
The stronger your case is, the more likely it is you will win at a jury trial. A competent attorney can help you judge your relative position pursuant to other personal injury cases. Additionally, the stronger your case is, the more likely you are to receive a favorable settlement from the defending party.