One thing our Athens accident attorneys always do is explain the benefits of a settlement to our clients. We want to make sure they are fully informed before they make any final decisions. This is especially true when the defendant is trying to convince them to settle their car accident case for much less than what they’re entitled to.
It’s Almost Always in Your Best Interest to Settle Your Car Accident Lawsuit
Like it or not, there’s a good chance your car accident case will settle at some point. It’s very rare that our Athens accident lawyers have to go to trial. However, there are times when it may not be the best decision to settle.
If the offer the defendant’s attorney is making doesn’t at least cover your out-of-pocket expenses, you need to turn it down. It would be one thing if you didn’t have evidence proving fault. But if you think you have a good chance of winning in court, you need to be more selective when it comes to accepting a settlement offer.
Our Athens Accident Attorneys Settle Long Before Your Case Goes to Trial
It is true that most of the cases we handle settle long before trial. There are also those cases that settle on the morning of trial. This is because the attorneys for both parties understand that a settlement is the best outcome for everyone.
When you go to trial, you take the chance that you could lose. If the defendant wins at trial, you’ll get away with nothing. So will your Athens accident lawyer.
With a settlement, once you sign the agreement and receive your settlement proceeds, the matter is resolved. You’ll have a lump sum of cash. You can use it to pay off bills or you could invest it. The money is yours to do with what you like.
More Than 95% of All Personal Injury Lawsuits Settle Out of Court
It’s not just our Athens accident attorneys who believe a settlement is your best option. More than 95% of all personal injury cases settle long before trial. Your attorney knows how much your case is worth. They also know what you paid out of pocket.
At a minimum, they will demand that you receive this amount. They don’t want you to walk away from the settlement table in a worse position than you were before your accident.
There Are Times When You May Want to Rethink Settling Your Car Accident Case
As briefly stated above, there are times when you may not want to accept a settlement. While your Athens accident lawyer normally encourages you to settle, even they know that some offers are nothing more than an insult.
Below, we’ll discuss some of the more common reasons why you may not want to consider settling your car accident case. Keep in mind – just because the offer isn’t for as much money as you’d like, if it’s the best deal you’re going to get, your Athens accident lawyer will deal with that.
The Defendant’s Offer Won’t Cover Your Out-of-Pocket Expenses
If the settlement offer doesn’t even cover your out-of-pocket expenses, you cannot accept it. If the other driver caused the crash, you should not have to pay a penny toward your medical bills and other expenses.
The defendant owed you a duty of care and they breached it. Your Athens accident attorney knows how insulting this sort of offer can be. They’ll give you their honest opinion as to whether you should settle.
The Defendant’s Attorney is Pressuring You to Sign a Settlement Release
If the defendant is forcing you to sign a settlement release, there could be something awry. We always tell our clients that they should never sign a release without first having their Athens accident lawyer review the terms.
If, after reviewing the settlement agreement, your attorney thinks it’s a fair offer, they’ll let you know.
The Defendant Won’t Give Your Athens Accident Lawyer a Date of Payment
During settlement negotiations, your Athens accident attorney will let the defendant know your terms. They would never expect someone to agree to an arrangement that is patently unfair.
Your lawyer will also make sure all the terms of the agreement are laid out. For example, if the defendant promises that you’ll have your lump sum payment by July 1, your Athens accident lawyer will hold them to it. If something goes wrong, your Athens accident lawyer can ask the court to enforce the settlement agreement.
Your Athens Accident Attorney Thinks Your Car Accident Case is Too Strong to Lose
If your attorney believes that your case is too strong to lose, they’ll let you know. They may feel that you have a very good chance of receiving your full demand in damages.
By a certain point, your Athens accident lawyer will have seen what the defendant has by way of evidence.
Talk to a Seasoned Athens Accident Attorney Before You Make Any Final Decisions
When the defendant offers you a lump sum of money to settle your case, it’s hard to turn down. This is especially true if you’ve gone several months without an income due to your injuries. The last thing you want to do is accept a settlement offer that doesn’t even cover your out-of-pocket expenses.
That’s why it’s a good idea to call and talk to one of our Georgia car accident lawyers.
Our attorneys have seen one too many car accident cases where the defendant pressures our client to settle. By the time they retain our services, the defendant is already under the impression that they’ll accept the deal.
Our Athens accident attorney will call and let them know you aren’t accepting the deal. They’ll work to make sure you get a settlement offer that is fair.
We suggest you contact our office so you can schedule your free, initial consultation.
