4 Benefits of Settling Your Accident Injury Case Before It Goes to Trial

If you have sustained an injury due to another person's negligence, you have grounds to file a personal injury case. Hiring a personal injury attorney and filing your lawsuit will help you recoup the cost of your medical bills, time missed from work, and other losses you have incurred.

The insurance company may make a settlement offer once you file your case. Should you or should you not settle? Only you and your attorney can decide, but you have a few benefits in choosing to settle.

1. Settlements Are Faster

Your injury case can take one to two years to go to trial. Scheduling for trial can be much longer if the courts are backlogged or if your issue is complex.

Even after you win, you still may not receive any money. The other side can appeal the court's decision. Three to four years may pass between the time you file your lawsuit until you receive your damages.

You do not have to wait until the court has an opening on their schedule when you settle your case. Once you agree to accept the settlement, an agreement is drawn up and both sides sign off and submit it for approval. Thereafter, you will be compensated in the amount agreed upon and the case is over.

2. Settlements Allow You to Remain in Control

You remain in control during settlement negotiations. You can accept, deny, or counteroffer a settlement offer the other party presents to you.

During a court hearing, the judge or jury will make the final decision on what your case is worth if you win. You can appeal the court's decision in limited circumstances, but you can’t appeal just because you feel that a verdict was too low.

3. Settlements Are Private                       

Do you know that if your case comes to court, anything anyone says during your trial and any orders the court issues are public records? Do you have any embarrassing or uncomfortable components about your injuries or recovery you would not like to have a public record of? Unfortunately, if your case comes to court, you may not have this option.

When you settle before a lawsuit is filed, your settlement remains private. Because people won’t need to relate your injury and recovery details in a public forum, no record will exist of these details. You can even keep the amount of your settlement private.

4. Settlements Are Less Expensive

Only 4–5% of personal injury lawsuits ever make it to court. One reason for this is bringing personal injury cases to court is expensive.

Your attorney has to perform a lot of legwork even before they file your injury lawsuit. They must learn everything about you, your injuries, your medical treatment, and any other relevant information to your case.

Your attorney needs to find and schedule expert witnesses to appear on your behalf. These witnesses will receive payment from any settlement you receive.

Settling your case can streamline some of this process and reduce the amount of money necessary to prepare your case. Even your attorney fees may be a fraction of what you will pay if your case goes to court.



The first step in ensuring you receive the compensation you deserve in your personal injury case is to hire a knowledgeable personal injury attorney. Jarve Kaplan Granato Starr LLC has the experience necessary to help you decide whether you should settle your case. However, we prepare each case like a trial from the beginning to ensure that you get the best outcome, no matter what route you choose. Give us a call today for a free case evaluation.