How Often Personal Injury Cases go to Trial
Most personal injury cases get settled fairly quickly and very few ever make it to trial. According to the government, in the United States, only four to five percent of personal injury cases go to trial, the rest are settled pretrial. The time it can take for a personal injury case to even make it to trial (one to two years) is often the reason most claimants end up settling.
For the majority of individuals who have suffered from an accident, medical bills and loss of work can cause severe financial hardship which makes waiting very difficult. While taking a case to court could take a couple of years, reaching a settlement offer could happen in a matter of months.
Avoid the Risk of Losing
Another reason few cases end up in court is because of the risk involved. Statistically, only about 10 percent of the claimants in personal injury cases that go to trial end up winning. Since there is such a low chance of winning, plus the length of time to even get there, it tends to make sense for most people to accept a settlement rather than bring the case to court. It also helps that settlement negotiations can continuously occur all the way up to the court date which means you have plenty of opportunities to come to agreeable terms prior to a trial.
One interesting fact is that personal injury cases that do make it to trial and win tend to do better with a trial judge rather than a jury. Again, about 90 percent end up losing but should you win, you’re better off with a trial judge as you have a better chance of being awarded a larger amount.
Improve Your Odds in Your Personal Injury Case in New Port Richey, Florida
If you have been injured in an accident and are seeking reimbursement via a settlement or lawsuit, you can improve your chances significantly by working with an experienced personal injury attorney. They will be able to guide you through the process and help you get the best offer possible.
