Have you been injured in a car accident, workplace mishap, or another catastrophe? Then, you might need to seriously consider filing a personal injury lawsuit.
An estimated 40 million lawsuits get filed in the United States every year. Personal injury cases are some of the most common. Between 300,000 and 500,000 personal injury lawsuits are filed for various reasons resulting from negligence or malice.
It is difficult to predict the outcomes of a personal injury lawsuit without knowing the case’s specifics. However, the facts alone don’t determine the outcome. Your level of preparation, the quality of your representation, and other decisions will play a huge role.
“Facts help win cases, but only when plaintiffs have the right strategy and attorney on their side,” says Jonathan Goidel of Goidel and Siegel New York attorneys.
You need to be organized and strategic when pursuing a personal injury lawsuit. Here are some guidelines to help.
Always get the best possible representation.
The most important decision you’ll make is choosing your legal representation. Some attorneys are more qualified to handle personal injury cases than others.
You must do your due diligence when selecting an attorney. It is best to choose an attorney specializing in personal injury cases rather than one that handles a broader range of cases. You might find this difficult if you are located in a rural community since fewer attorneys specialize. Instead, you should consider reaching out to a more prominent urban law firm that will have qualified specialized attorneys to represent you.
Pay close attention to reviews from previous customers and track records on all the cases. However, you might need to be careful about paying too much attention to the percentage of winning cases. Some of the best attorneys have lower wind rates because they take on more complex cases than their less qualified peers.
Be very transparent with your attorney.
Your attorney is going to be your best friend during a lawsuit. But, unfortunately, they can only help you effectively if you are clear and honest with them.
Never be afraid to tell the truth to your attorney. They will have a much easier time providing good representation if they know all of the facts. In addition, if there is an embarrassing or concerning issue about your case, they will be able to get out ahead of it if they are made aware.
Don’t be shy about taking a settlement.
Some people are adamant about having their day in court. They might think that they have an ironclad case and will get a lot more money if they find it. They might also want to take a scorched earth approach and drag it out in court to make the other parties suffer. Some people might even want to go to court just to enjoy their 15 minutes of fame.
Whatever your reasoning, you should be hesitant to fight your lawsuit in court if you have other options. An estimated 92% of all personal injury lawsuits are settled outside court. This is a much safer and more cost-effective alternative.
One of the most significant benefits of a good lawyer is that they can help you get the best possible settlement. You should take advantage of this rather than insist on rolling the dice by going to court.
Avoid discussing critical details about the case with anyone other than your lawyer.
You might be tempted to vent with your friends and family about the state of your lawsuit. You might want to boast about a perceived advantage that you think you have in court.
There are many things that you might want to say about your injury case. However, it is best to keep them to yourself.
You never know what kind of blowback you might experience from speaking about your case. You might give the other party an opportunity to get ahead of a detail that would have helped you win in court. On the other hand, you might unknowingly reveal something that compromises your case.
When pursuing a personal injury case, you should always live by the motto “loose lips sink ships “when pursuing a personal injury case. Certain details simply need to be kept to yourself.
Be reasonably picky when accepting a settlement offer.
If you have a great case, the other party will likely offer you a settlement. Therefore, you might want to take the first reasonable offer. However, it is a good idea to be a little picky and negotiate. On the other hand, you don’t want to be so picky that you lose a good offer and go to trial and lose.
This is where your lawyer will come in. They will help make sure you get an offer that you deserve.
