Stage 3 in a Personal Injury Suit: Settlement or Trial
The team at the Tawwater Law Firm, PLLC is proud to help clients who come to our Oklahoma City office seek justice in their case. Our team of experienced personal injury attorneys provide peace of mind and strong counsel during the legal process, helping clients move forward with confidence.
While it comes as a surprise to many clients, a number of cases never proceed to trial. Instead, they are settled out of court, which has a number of advantages as well as disadvantages that vary from case to case. Let's look at legal settlements right now.
About Legal Settlements
A legal settlement is basically a type of resolution in a case that is made before a trial even begins. When there is a legal settlement, the plaintiff agrees to give up their right to continue further legal action against the defendant. In exchange, the defendant will compensate the plaintiff with a certain amount of money. In some rare instances, the defendant may agree to perform some sort of action in lieu of or in addition to the monetary portion of the settlement.
How Common Are Legal Settlements?
As we noted above, legal settlements are quite common, and it's not unsurprising when a case is settle out of court. This even applies to high-profile cases involving celebrities or major corporations and companies.
Why a Settlement May Be Better Than a Full Trial
Sometimes a settlement is a better option than going to trial. There are a few reasons for this:
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Saves on Trial Expenses – Going to trial can be quite expensive, and settling out of court will help prevent the additional cost of legal services incurred.
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Avoids the Duration of a Trial – In addition to being expensive, trials can take a long time. A settlement can help save months and even years of waiting for a resolution.
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Avoids the Stress Associated with a Trial – Trials are, as you may imagine, quite stressful for all parties involved. Sometimes taking a settlement is worth the peace of mind.
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Helps Matters Remain Private – As a trial progresses, there is a chance of information leaking out that you'd prefer to be outside of public knowledge. This is important to consider for certain kinds of cases and trials.
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Offers Certainty a Jury Cannot Provide – The decision of a jury can never be guaranteed, even with strong evidence and witness testimony. A settlement means you can avoid mistrial or an unsuccessful lawsuit overall.
We Can Help You Make Advantageous Legal Decisions
Keep in mind that sometimes it's important to bring your case to trial, especially if there's a larger point to be made in the case, or if the settlement does not seem commensurate with the injury or losses sustained.
These are big decisions, which is why working with our attorneys is so crucial. We will help you make the most beneficial legal decisions, and provide the counsel you need to make these choices with confidence.
Speak with Our Team of Injury Attorneys
For more information about legal settlements and whether or not you should consider going to trial, it's important that you contact our team of personal injury attorneys today. The layers of Tawwater Law Firm, PLLC will work with you to ensure you receive sound legal counsel every step of the way.