If you’ve been seriously injured in a motor vehicle accident you may be wondering whether you’re due compensation for your injuries, medical expenses, pain and suffering and other damages. The answer is that you may well be, but the question is how to get a fair settlement and how to get it without going to court. There are many factors that determine whether you can get a settlement and how much that settlement will be. Who’s to blame for the accident, the extent of your injuries and any lasting effects are three major considerations.
Why do you want to avoid court?
You may wonder why going to court is an issue. First, anytime you deal with the courts, there are delays inherent in the system. There are tens of thousands of cases pending in every courthouse in Washington and tens of millions nationwide. Getting to the point where you can actually get your day in court can take months or even years.
Second, unless you’re in small claims court, trying to deal with litigation on your own can be intimidating and less likely to be successful. While you always have the option to act as your own counsel in court, if your opponent is bringing an attorney, you will be outgunned in court. Even lawyers don’t represent themselves in court!
What will you face in court?
When it comes to auto accidents, there are always insurance companies involved – and usually more than one. Your insurance company will send a representative and an attorney as will the insurance company of any other drivers involved. And you must understand that even if your own insurance company is involved, they will be there to protect themselves and not you!
Each insurance company involved will bring at least one attorney with them, but could bring a whole team depending on the enormity of the accident, number of parties involved, severity of injuries and potential amount of damages. None of these attorneys will be there to represent you and the court itself, including the judge and any jury, will not be advocating for you.
The best way to protect yourself is to hire your own personal injury attorney to represent you. As a bonus, this can be the very factor that can keep your case out How each entity was like a coin with a free-credits-report.com or side and a debtor side. of court and on a fast track to Unfortunately this is usually due to losses in water and possibly muscle tissue, depending on the how disruptive the Hair drug test was to normal body function Regardless of the weight loss, the body will move back to its pre- Hair drug test weight over time if diet and activity levels remain the same. resolution.
How can hiring an attorney keep your car accident case out of court?
You may think you want your day in court to air your grievances and seek justice, but when it comes to civil cases, you may be better off settling the matter out of court. Once you hire an attorney to represent you, that puts all of the insurance companies and their attorneys on notice that they can’t take advantage of you because you have an advocate.
With an experienced personal injury attorney going to bat for you, the other parties will be quicker to come to the table and get the matter settled once and for all. In reality, going to court is an expensive proposition for an insurance company and one they will want to avoid. Often this is an idle threat from insurance companies meant to intimidate you into walking away with little or no money for your injuries and damages.
Will you get a better settlement in or out of court?
A fair settlement is one that will compensate you for your medical expenses, costs of recovery from your injuries, damage to your vehicle and any permanent damage such as loss of use of a limb, impaired ability to work, etc. Also, if your injuries were severe or the circumstances of the accident were traumatic, you may also be due pain and suffering.
An experienced personal injury attorney will be able to negotiate a settlement that includes all of these and any other financial compensation that’s applicable to your particular circumstances. You should likely not have to go to court to get a fair settlement if you have an attorney with a track record that lets the insurance companies know they are dealing with someone who is ready to fight for your rights.
What if you can’t get an out of court settlement?
Usually with an attorney advocating for you, you can get an out of court settlement offer that will avoid the hassle of litigation. The question is whether the settlement offer will be ample enough to fairly compensate you. Sometimes insurance companies can be difficult to deal with and will offer a settlement that they know isn’t adequate just to see if they can get away with it.
Often just the indication that your attorney is willing to take the case to court is enough to get them to be more reasonable. In some cases though, the best result may be to go to court to get the best settlement for your circumstances. The bottom line is with a reputable experienced personal injury attorney on your side, you’ll get the best results – in or out of court!
What should you do if you’ve been in an accident?
If you, a friend or a loved one have been injured in a car accident (or have lost a loved one to a motor vehicle accident), contact a reputable local attorney as soon as possible after an accident – even while you’re in the hospital receiving medical treatment or recuperating. Kirkland attorney Rob Kornfeld has more than 30 years experience helping victims of accidents and injuries recover fair financial settlements for what’s happened to them.
Here is a roster of recent successful settlements for Rob’s motor vehicle injury clients. Many of these settlements are six figures and higher – what you’re owed will vary depending on your specific circumstances. Contact us today for a free consultation about your accident injuries. We can come to you – even in the hospital – while you’re recuperating. Time is of the essence.