Georgia Injury Lawyers Blog
While some personal injury cases are quickly and fairly settled, many are not. In those cases there comes a time when you have to decide whether to accept what the insurance company is offering or decide to pursue the matter in court. This is an important decision – if you accept the settlement, you can’t change your mind. If you decide to go to court, your case could drag on for several more months or even years before you receive any compensation.
An experienced personal injury attorney can help you weigh your options. The personal injury attorneys at Slappey & Sadd have been helping accident victims make the right decision since 1992. If you’ve been injured and don’t know what to do, contact the Georgia personal injury attorneys at Slappey & Sadd to schedule a free consultation – call us at 404-255-6677 today.
How Long Will it Take for Your Case to Get to Trial?
This is an important consideration for many people. Lawsuits can be incredibly time-consuming and emotionally draining. Once you file a lawsuit, you give up some of your control over your case – you will have to comply with court-ordered deadlines that may get set further out than you would like.
What Expenses Will There Be?
Most personal injury attorneys handle cases on a contingency fee basis. This means that you do not pay any attorney’s fees unless you win your case, at which your attorney will get a percentage of the amount you are awarded. However, there may be other expenses that you will be responsible for. You may need to retain an expert witness in order to prove your case, which could be very expensive. The bottom line is that these costs can be quite expensive and consume a significant portion of your compensation.
Is the Insurance Company Continuing to Low-Ball Your Claim?
If the insurance company refuses to pay more than a fraction of your claim, then you may have no choice but to file suit if you want to be fairly compensated. Filing suit can incentivize the insurance company to be more reasonable in settling your claim – after all, they have to pay their lawyers, who work on an hourly basis rather than on a contingency fee.
Is Your Case Extraordinarily Complicated?
While every case is unique, some cases involve circumstances that are highly unusual or raise legal questions that have never been addressed by the court. As interesting as your case may be, these cases are often difficult to settle because both sides have a reasonable basis for their position.
What if You Lose?
If you’re trying to decide whether or not to file suit, give some careful consideration as to whether you can stand to lose. While filing the lawsuit doesn’t necessarily mean fighting it out until the bitter end, people do tend to get invested and can be reluctant to settle later on. There are no guarantees when it comes to litigation, so you need to be prepared for the possibility that your claim may not be successful. If the possibility of losing gives you tremendous anxiety, you may want to reconsider settling your case.
Contact the Atlanta Personal Injury Attorneys at Slappey & Sadd
If you’ve been injured, you don’t need to answer face these questions alone. The personal injury lawyers at Slappey & Sadd can explain your options and help you make an informed decision. We are dedicated to fighting for our clients’ rights to get them the compensation they deserve. If you would like to schedule a free consultation with one of our personal injury attorneys, call us at 404-255-6677 or visit us online to learn more about how we can help you.