Tips For Settling Your Personal Injury Lawsuit
If you suffered a personal injury and have filed a lawsuit, then it is important that you know how to get the best possible settlement for your case. Since the court system always has more cases than it can handle in a reasonable amount of time, you will be required to attempt to settle your case outside of court before it will be scheduled for trial.
It is vital that you go into your settlement conference well prepared and knowing exactly what is and is not acceptable to you. To this end, follow these tips for successfully settling your personal injury lawsuit:
Tip: Decide Early in the Process What is a Reasonable Settlement for You
When you and your attorney get ready to sit down and negotiate your case, it is vital that you have a clear understanding of what you consider to be a reasonable settlement. Since your lawyer is well versed in personal injury claims, they will sit down with you prior to your settlement conference and determine what a reasonable settlement for your case should look like.
For example, if you will have life-long medical problems from your injury, then your attorney will likely advise you to hold out for life-long medical coverage for your injuries. Alternatively, they can help you calculate the approximate costs of your injury over your lifetime and ask for cash in lieu of lifetime medical bill payments.
Tip: Determine What is a Reasonable Settlement for Your Defendant or Their Insurance Company
Just as important as it is for you to know what your bottom line is for your settlement, it is also important to know what a reasonable settlement looks like to whoever you are suing. For example, if a typical slip and fall case will be awarded $25,000 in court, then you can assume the other side is hoping to settle your case for this amount or less. Your attorney can give you the statistics behind your case and help to determine what the other side is aiming for.
Tip: Listen in Settlement Conferences More than You Speak
Finally, while you may be tempted to do a lot of the talking at your settlement conference, the best thing you can do is listen and let your attorney do their job. You never have any idea what you may say that could be turned around and used against you in a court trial. For this reason, fight your urge to argue your case and instead, sit back and let the professionals hack out the details of the settlement.
To learn more, contact a company like Trump & Trump.
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