Every week, Indianapolis car accident lawyers meet with clients who insist they don’t want to settle their car accident lawsuit. They’re indignant and insist that their case goes to trial. They think they’ll get more money that way. The truth is, if you insist on going to trial, you could walk away with nothing at all. Your attorney has years of experience handling cases just like yours.
You need to trust that they know what they’re doing with your car accident lawsuit. They would never force you to settle. However, they will communicate every settlement offer to you. They’ll also be honest about whether they think you should accept it. If you aren’t sure what you want to do and want to learn your options, call an experienced Indianapolis car accident lawyer right away.
Your Indianapolis Car Accident Lawyer Will Try to Settle Before You Sue
Even before you file a lawsuit, your Indianapolis car accident lawyer is going to try to settle your case. The first thing they’ll try to do is get your insurance claim paid. If they manage to do this, you’ll have your check in a couple of weeks. They may have to file an appeal with the insurance company. This can take some time. As long as you get your lawsuit filed before the statute of limitations period expires, you should be fine.
If the Evidence is Thin, You May Want to Consider a Settlement
Not every case is a slam dunk. You may not have enough evidence to prove the other driver was at fault. For example, if you didn’t call the police after your crash, you won’t have a police report. This can be the most important document you have to prove fault. If you didn’t go to the hospital to get checked out, you may not have any proof that you were hurt. That’s why you have to at least consider a settlement, especially if your case is on the weak side.
If You Think You Were Partly at Fault
Very rarely is one person 100% at fault for a car accident. You may have been speeding by 10 miles an hour. Or you may have had a brake light out in a rear-end accident. Any number of things could cause you to lose your lawsuit. The way the law works in Indiana is that you can still collect damages if you’re partly at fault. This is called comparative negligence.
But if you’re 51% at fault or more, you get nothing. In fact, if that’s the case, the other driver will end up suing you for damages. Your Indianapolis car accident lawyer will try to keep this from happening. If they recommend that you accept a settlement, you want to give it some serious thought.
Most Cases Settle Long Before Trial
Despite what you see on television, most lawsuits do not go to trial. The image of a jury deciding your fate rarely materializes. From the moment you hire your Indianapolis car accident lawyer, they’ll work on settling your case. They know that a trial will be expensive. It can also take an awfully long time.
The courts are already backed up because of COVID. There’s no telling when your case would go before a judge. Plus, there’s always the chance that you could lose if your case went to trial. Rather than risk that you should consider accepting a settlement. You’ll get a lump sum on an immediate basis once the agreement is signed.
Meet with an Experienced Indianapolis Car Accident Lawyer Today
If you are worried that time is running out for you to file suit, you may have options. You can call one of our experienced Indianapolis car accident lawyers and make an appointment to see them. You can sit down, show them your file, and let them review your case. If it looks like you have a strong case, they’ll probably agree to represent you. Once you retain their services, they’ll reach out to the insurance company and try to negotiate a settlement.
They aren’t going to file suit if it’s not necessary. Legal action is always a last resort. If they’re able to reach a fair settlement with the defendant, you won’t have to worry about a ton of legal costs. You also won’t have to wait months or years for your money. All you have to do is call and schedule your free initial consultation today.
