Pros and Cons of Settling Your Case

If you were injured in an elevator or escalator accident, you might want to file a personal injury case against the at-fault party. Once this process is set into motion, there are a lot of decisions that you have to make. One big decision is if you want to take a settlement offer (if one is offered to you) or if you want to take your case to trial. There is a settlement offer in almost all personal injury cases, and the majority of these cases resolve through settlement. While settlement is an option that you should explore, it might not be right for your situation. Here are a few things to consider if you have been offered a settlement for your personal injury situation.

What is a Settlement Offer

After a personal injury case is filed and both parties go through their discovery process, they need to determine how the case will be resolved. Two common options are a settlement offer or taking the case to court. Generally, the defendant in the case will offer a settlement option if they know that there is a strong case against them and they want to resolve it quickly. The settlement is a certain amount of compensation that the defendant thinks is fair to pay to the plaintiff based on their injuries and the strength of their case. The plaintiff in the case can either accept the settlement and resolve the case, or reject the settlement offer and take the case to trial.

Pros of Taking a Settlement Offer

There are reasons why the settlement is such a popular option in personal injury cases. For one, taking a settlement means that you avoid taking your case to trial. This means that you will be able to resolve your case quicker and receive compensation faster than if you go to trial, which can take additional weeks or months. Avoiding trial means that you will avoid a lot of fees. For example, you don’t have to pay an attorney to represent you in court, you don’t have to pay for expert witnesses, and you don’t have to pay additional court fees. You also don’t have to deal with the stress of building your case and going through the trial. Instead, you can start to put the experience behind you.

For many, a settlement offer is a safe bet because you know that you will get compensation. If you take your case to court, there is always the chance that the judge will dismiss your case or they will not award you as much money as you hoped for. When you settle, you know you will get money and you know how much money you will receive.

Cons of Taking a Settlement Offer

Settlement offers can be a good option, but they are not right for everyone. One reason why this might be the case is if your settlement offer is much less than what you feel you deserve. Initial settlement offers tend to be low, and the other party might be trying to take advantage of you. To avoid this issue it is important to hire an attorney to review the offer and negotiate on your behalf. But if the other party simply won’t pay what you think you deserve, you might not want to take a settlement offer. Taking your case to court could mean that you get more money in compensation.

Going to trial can be more risky, but it can also lead to greater rewards in some cases. If you want to take the risk, you can discuss this option with your attorney. They can advise you on what might be best for your situation. If you would like to review your case with one of our attorneys, contact our office today!