Reasons For Settling With Opposing Party

The legal system offers a choice to any accident victim that would like to seek compensation for an accident-linked injury that was caused by negligent behavior. According to Personal Injury Lawyer in Lindsay, such victims must choose between settling with the opposing party or suing that same party.

Our courts would be packed if a majority of victims were to decide in favor of suing the allegedly responsible party. Fortunately, that is not the case. Why do so few people elect to sue the opponent in their accident-triggered dispute?

Settling provides the disputing parties with a greater level of certainty.

The victim can state a demand, and suggest the value of an insurance company’s starting bid. Both sides take part in the negotiations. Both sides must agree on the settlement figure. No jury can order payment of an exorbitant amount of money.

Settling saves time and money

A negotiated settlement marks the end of a relatively short period of negotiations. A trial usually drags on for much longer, and the results could push the losing side to pursue an appeal. That would make the process continue for a greater length of time.

A lawyer’s contingency fee becomes greater, if some of the lawyer’s time must be spent in a courtroom. Moreover, the added expenses that are created by a trial come out of any money that might be awarded to the plaintiff.

The process used to reach a settlement offers a guarantee of privacy.

Members of the public have the right to sit in a courtroom during a trial. Hence, any member of the public could hear about the private life of the plaintiff. No members of the public can sit in the room where the disputing parties conduct their negotiations.

Few individuals want to add any more stress to their lives.

Some people find their job to be stressful. Some find their home life to be stressful. Some discover that a community responsibility can fill their lives with added stress. Few individuals want to take part in any activity that might add more stress to their life.

Plaintiffs want their lawyers to limit the amount of stress by keeping them informed, as the trial progresses. Lawyers already have a heavy responsibility, because they must arrange for presentation of the evidence, along with presenting both an opening and a closing statement. Furthermore, not all lawyers have a wealth of valuable trial experience.

Even the defendant derives some benefit from an agreement to settle with the other side.

Following agreement on a settlement figure, the defendant does not have to admit liability. Nothing about who should be held liable for the injury-linked accident goes into the public record.