The Basics of Any Car Accident Settlement
God forbid that you or one of your close loved ones was recently involved in a bad car accident, that was the fault of a completely distracted, and negligent driver. And let’s say that you were injured fairly badly, and experienced injuries like severe neck pain, back issues, and joint soreness. You can no longer take part in your weekend tennis matches, and every day after you finish work, you are in almost constant periods of pain and suffering. The idea of sitting down for long periods of time in itself has you concerned, and unfortunately the other party’s insurance company isn’t offering you the settlement that you expect, and deserve. While the situation happened only a few weeks ago, many individuals are relatively lost now and have no clue where they can turn to. According to the best personal injury lawyer in Ruskin Florida, in some situations filing a personal injury lawsuit might be your best response, and in other cases you’ve probably heard of countless people settling out of court – but yet again, what is the right route for you to take. As the best personal injury lawyer in Ruskin, Mr. Anissa Morris and her team at Spinner Law Firm know exactly how to help you.
What Does a Settlement Mean?
Settling your case is an essential terms, and means basically resolving your dispute and avoiding going to trial. Its vital that we recognize that in most cases, particularly car accident cases, don’t end up in a full-fledged civil trial. Often, these cases end up settling as the parties come to an agreement that is palatable for both parties involved. Why? Because a jury trial offers no guarantee of a successful outcome – even in the most air-tight of cases. Juries can be unpredictable, while your settlement, once accepted, is not.
The Demand Letter
One important recourse if you feel that your injuries are being undervalued by the opposing party’s insurance company, you have your attorney write up a formal “demand letter”. According to Ms. Morris, the best personal injury lawyer in Ruskin, using that specific document, it gives you the opportunity to explain the incident, describe your injuries and damage, and request a payment amount to settle the claim without any further litigation or court appearances. A well-drafted demand letter will put all of the issues and facts into perspective, carefully laying out your case, any evidence in your favor, include medical records information, and more.
In many cases, a skilled enough attorney may even demand payment at a higher level than what is really expected so there is room to negotiate for both sides. Keep in mind, the insurance company also may require you to get an independent medical evaluation to substantiate your injury claim.
Settlement Negotiations
Both sides will take a look at the letter, review it, and then they’ll be ready to respond to the demand letter – this moves things to the negotiations phase. This means that they will likely be some type of back and forth negotiations between the parties in an attempt to come to some type of an agreement. According to Ms. Morris, the best personal injury lawyer Tampa has to offer, if these talks breakdown in some way and you end up at an impasse, unable to move one way or the other, you may be able to agree to meditation or alternative dispute resolution (ADR). Mediators are licensed attorneys who are usually able to help both parties come together to solve their differences. If your negotiations are successful, you will be able to put this case behind you and collect from the insurer or the at-fault driver. If you are not able to come to a resolution, your case will proceed through the trial courts in your county. According to Ms. Morris, the best personal injury lawyer Tampa has in practice, the ideal resolution here would be to find a settlement, however if its not possible with the help of a top personal injury attorney like Ms. Morris, you have on your side one of the area’s best – that will surely help you to obtain the best results in court possible. For more information be sure to contact Spinner Law Firm today.