Personal injury cases can be long and expensive. The bills can add up and many people find quick settlements attractive. There are reasons, though, that you should wait for your case to go to trial. Below are just three reasons why you should be patient and avoid a settlement.
The Financial Truth
If the other side is trying to get you to accept a settlement quickly, they probably aren’t doing it out of the goodness of their hearts. What they have determined is that paying you off will be less expensive than going to court. In many cases, that means the other side thinks that you have a good chance of winning—and that your winnings are much more than what they are currently offering you. If you want to have the best financial outcome, it’s often a better idea to risk a drawn-out trial.
Long Term Care Matters
It’s entirely possible that your current injuries are just the start of your problems. While you might hope for a quick settlement so that you can take care of the apparent issues, you might be robbing your own future. Remember, issues like chronic pain management can be expensive and the money you get in a quick settlement might not be enough to cover that. If you are really concerned about how your future will play out, it’s a good idea to go ahead and look at getting a more reasonable award from the court.
Making a Point
Finally, it’s important to remember that settlements are often accompanied by non-disclosure agreements. This means that you can’t talk about the cause of the accident or any admission of guilt on the part of the other party. While you might get paid, the other side will be able to continue the actions that led to your injury. If you go to court, everything said will become a matter of public record. You will get a chance to hold the other side accountable and to make sure what happened to you won’t happen to anyone else.
Sometimes, it’s just better to wait. Waiting on your personal injury case might allow you to collect a larger award, to deal with long-term issues, and to hold the other side liable for their actions. Simply putting yourself out there can do a lot of good both for yourself and for many others. Don’t take the bait of a quick settlement—make sure to wait for your day in court.
This article is from Brooke Chaplan, a freelance writer and blogger. She lives and works out of her home in Los Lunas, New Mexico. She loves the outdoors and spends most her time hiking, biking and gardening. For more information contact Brooke via Twitter @BrookeChaplan.
