No, in fact, there are some cases that don’t make it very far in the court system.
After being involved in an accident in Madison, MS, whether it was a car crash or slip and fall incident, you may have sustained injuries and are now looking to recover compensation for the damages you suffered as a result of it. These damages might include medical bills, lost wages, or even mental anguish, and in order to obtain the money you believe you are entitled to for all the damage the accident has caused, you decide to file a personal injury lawsuit.
While most victims assume that all personal injury lawsuits are settled in court, this doesn’t exactly stand true for all cases. The fact is, there are two ways a case involving personal injury can get settled which include taking it to trial or settling outside of the courtroom.
Settling Your Lawsuit Before It Makes it to Trial.
Once the party you are holding liable for your damages is notified that a lawsuit has been filed against him or her, or an entity if you are suing a business, they will be required to appear before a judge for a preliminary hearing. So, let’s say you are seeking $25,000 from the defendant, or liable party. The defendant may either pay you the amount you are seeking before this scheduled hearing date arrives, show up to dispute the allegations made against him or her, or agree to negotiate with you in an effort to provide you with a different amount than what you are seeking in the lawsuit.
In the event the defendant and the plaintiff (victim) are able to come to an agreement on an amount, the defendant shall provide the plaintiff with it and the case ends there. But what happens when the defendant doesn’t want to pay the plaintiff or the two are unable to come to terms on a fair amount?
The case then goes to trial.
Taking your Personal Injury Case to Trial
When a settlement agreement cannot be reached, the case shall be decided on during a trial hearing. Both parties will have the opportunity to explain/defend their side and the judge will return a verdict. The verdict may or may not be in the plaintiff’s favor.
Should I retain a personal injury lawyer if I want to file a civil claim against a party in an effort to recover compensation for my injuries?
Absolutely.
Madison, MS personal injury attorney William E. Ballard will be there by your side helping you through each step associated with the lawsuit process. From filing the initial documents that must be submitted to the court to negotiating with the defendant if you truly want to avoid going to trial, he will guide you and advise you until a favorable outcome is reached. If you would like to speak with attorney William E. Ballard, contact our office at 769-572-5111 to set up an initial consultation.
We encourage you to contact our office in a timely manner as personal injury claims do have a time constraint on them. In the state of MS, you have three years from the date in which the injury occurred to bring forth a lawsuit [Source: Miss. Code. 15-1-49]. If you fail to take legal action within this limited time period, you forgo your chance to recover compensation for your injuries.
You can reach Ballard Law, PLLC. at:
108 S. President Street
Jackson, MS 39201
769-572-5111
Website: www.ballardlaw.ms