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  • Writer's pictureKenneth Powell

Is It Better to Settle or Go to Trial?

Car accidents are some of the worst things that can happen to a person while driving since, even if they don’t get injured, they still have to pay a lot of money to repair their car. Fortunately, suing the person who caused the accident is always an option worth considering.


Lawsuits are complex processes, and people can solve them in different ways. The most common method to deal with a lawsuit is to settle everything with the other party, counter-offer the settlement, or take the case to trial, and both options have pros and cons.


Instead of thinking one option is better than the other, it’s better to analyze the situation in which a victim should pick one or the other. Doing that is not easy without the help of an experienced vehicle accident attorney, so hiring one is fundamental to go on with the lawsuit process.


However, many law firms are offering legal assistance in the U.S, and not all of them offer a high-quality service to their clients. The wisest thing to do is hire the Powell Law Firm, which counts with a team of experienced and qualified lawyers who can take any case that comes to the firm.


Settling

Settling


Pros


● It’s faster than going to trial and considerably less complicated

● Victims can take time to negotiate with the other party to receive a profitable outcome

● The parties involved can do it at any stage of the lawsuit process

● Whether it’s worse or better than they expected, victims can assure themselves compensation for what happened by settling


Cons


● In most cases, victims tend to receive fewer funds than they expected to get from their lawsuit

● Victims can’t go over a case after they’ve made a settlement


Most car accident cases in the U.S finish when both parties agree to settle everything out and make a deal. Doing that is faster and less stressful for everyone involved in the lawsuit, and that doesn’t exclude lawyers and insurance since trials can be highly difficult for them.


Trials can last a couple of days and even weeks, so both parties need to prepare a lot for it. Otherwise, they would only end up losing the case.


The major setback to settling is that the most likely thing to happen is that the victim receives less money than they asked for in their lawsuit. Why does this happen?


Lower settlements happen because they´re an agreement between both parties, and even though they may be willing to pay compensation for what happened, they could settle to get a better deal for themselves.


However, most people prefer taking this option rather than going to trial if they feel unsure about winning the case. Losing it would mean not only not receiving compensation for the accident but also losing money to the attorney fees.


Going to Trial


Pros


● Victims can get all the money they asked for

● They can ask for a trial appeal if they don’t receive a positive result


Cons


● Both parties are always at risk of losing the trial

● Trials can take a lot of time depending on how complicated they get


Most people think that settlements are better than trials since they are quicker and at least give you a small compensation. However, victims that are confident of winning their case should always take it to trial since that would get them all the money that they need to cover all the damages caused in the accident.


Trials can take a lot of time, and lawyers need to prepare accordingly for them, but if the plaintiff has a decent lawyer who can get all the evidence needed to win the case, it’s worth investing that time into these court cases. Regardless of that, victims can ask for a trial appeal if they think they didn’t receive a fair verdict.


Conclusion


It's not about which option is better but rather which one is better for the case at hand. Someone willing to sue a negligent driver needs to invest some money into a qualified lawyer that can address the situation perfectly and tell them the option they should choose.


The Powell Law Firm is experienced in these kinds of cases, so all their lawyers are fit to tell clients everything they need to do to receive proper compensation for the case.

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