What Are Your Chances Of Winning Your Personal Injury Case?
Lawsuits are time-consuming and expensive, whether you are a plaintiff or a defendant. If you have ever operated a small business, and a customer or former business partner sued you or credibly threatened to sue, it was probably one of the most stressful events of your life, perhaps to such an extent that it convinced you to change careers. When you are a plaintiff in a personal injury lawsuit, you might also feel like every detail of your life is under the microscope, and that the defendant is fighting dirty to make it look like the accident was your fault or like you are a dishonest person. Is the amount of money you can get from a personal injury lawsuit worth all the work of suing? Is it possible to get the money you need without filing a lawsuit? A Columbia personal injury lawyer can evaluate the individual circumstances of your case and help you choose the best option.
Most Personal Injury Lawsuits Do Not Go to Trial
When you search online for personal injury lawyers or see commercials on TV for personal injury law firms, you might get the idea that lawsuits are the solution to the problems of everyone struggling with medical debt related to an accidental injury. In fact, it is often possible to get a settlement without filing a lawsuit. If your accident-related losses are less than the policy limits of the relevant insurance policies, then your lawyer might be able to get you the money you need, simply by negotiating with insurance companies.
It only makes sense to file a lawsuit if your medical bills are so costly that they exceed the insurance policy limits. When you approach a defendant about a lawsuit, they will usually be willing to negotiate with you about a settlement, and your lawyer might even be able to persuade them to pay the amount that you originally requested. Lawsuits are costly for defendants, too, so they are usually willing to settle instead of going to trial.
Juries Are Sympathetic to Injured Plaintiffs
If your case goes to trial, the odds of winning are on your side in most personal injury cases. Plaintiffs win in about two thirds of motor vehicle accident trials and about half of premises liability cases. Medical malpractice cases are harder to win because patients sometimes have adverse outcomes even when doctors do everything right. To prevail in a personal injury case, you only have to show a preponderance of the evidence (a greater than 50 percent likelihood) that your interpretation of events is true. Thus, it is easier for plaintiffs to win civil cases than it is for prosecutors to convict defendants at trial.
Let Us Help You Today
The personal injury lawyers at the Stanley Law Group can help you seek compensation for your financial losses related to a motor vehicle accident, with or without filing a lawsuit. Contact The Stanley Law Group in Columbia, South Carolina or call (803)799-4700 for a free initial consultation.
Source:
scstatehouse.gov/code/t15c032.php
