2 Things You Need to Know About Injury Settlements
“Settling out of court” is usually the preferred outcome for personal injury settlements. In fact, about 95 percent of all personal injury cases are settled before they go to trial. It’s no wonder: it saves everyone involved time, money, and — often most important — stress.
There’s something to be said for just putting the whole thing behind you and getting on with your life, as long as all parties feel they’ve been treated fairly.
Here are a few things that might surprise you about personal injury settlements:
Patience Is Your Friend
A big reason so many settlements are reached pre-trial is that the negotiation process can seem to take forever and the clients involved are impatient to get on with it. It’s extremely important to trust the process, trust your attorney, and not give in to the temptation to settle for less.
Separate the Myths From the Facts
Don’t fall for any common misconceptions that could make you anxious to rush the process and not reach a higher settlement.
- Myth: A retainer fee is required in order to obtain a good attorney.
- Busted: No reputable attorney requires a retainer fee in order to represent clients in personal injury cases. In most cases, the attorney gets paid only after the case is completed.
- Myth: Most personal injury cases wind up in court.
- Busted: As noted above, only about 2 to 5 percent get that far. Most settlements in personal injury cases are agreed upon out of court.
- Myth: Personal injury cases can take years to settle.
- Busted: The majority of cases are uncomplicated and straightforward, often settled within two years.
- Myth: You don’t need a lawyer if you don’t plan to wind up in court.
- Busted: Just because most cases are uncomplicated doesn’t mean it’s a good idea to pursue a personal injury settlement yourself. Why take a chance? Leave it up to the professionals at the Law Offices of Pat Maloney.
Our personal injury attorneys are ready to help you. Contact us today at (210) 226-8888.
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Pat Maloney, Jr. is a skilled San Antonio personal injury lawyer who has acted as lead counsel and co-counsel in many multi-million dollar verdicts throughout Texas. Pat Maloney represents people injured in car accidents, truck accidents, construction accidents and more. He is well known for his expertise in representing victims of serious personal injuries and has participated as a lecturer in the field of personal injury litigation. He has been named as one of the “Best Lawyers in America” Reference Book every year for the last five years.