When clients walk into personal injury lawyers’ offices in Atlanta, they have two questions. The first thing they want to know is how much their case is worth. The second thing they want to know is how long it’ll take to get their money. What they don’t realize is that an attorney really can’t answer these questions –especially during the initial consultation. Any attorney who promises their clients anything in the first meeting isn’t really the kind of lawyer you want handling your Atlanta car accident lawsuit. It’s impossible to know that early exactly how much someone’s case is worth. And, unless settlement negotiations are already underway, it would be unfair to tell a potential client how long it will take to resolve their case.
The reason people ask these questions is simple – they want money. They wouldn’t have hired an attorney if they weren’t seeking damages from the defendant. Yes, lawyers want to get their clients justice. But the way they do this is by getting them compensation for their injuries. And this can take time. In fact, most cases take anywhere from 9 months to a year to settle. By the time you decide that you need to file suit, it can be months after your initial accident. For example, for the first few months following your crash, your lawyer will be hoping the defendant’s insurance company will do the right thing and pay your claim. When it becomes evident that this isn’t going to happen, your Atlanta car accident lawyer will have a few decisions to make.
Once it becomes clear that the insurance company has no intention of paying your claim, you and your attorney need to decide if you want to sue. If your case is worth more than a few thousand dollars, the answer to this question will probably be yes. And, the stronger your case, the more likely it is that you would win in court. These are the kinds of things your car accident lawyer in Atlanta will consider when deciding if they’ll take your case.
Is it Better to Settle Your Atlanta Car Accident Lawsuit Rather than Go to Trial?
A lot of car accident victims think they’ll get a ton of money if they sue the other driver. They take their accident and their injuries personally. They want their day in court. What they don’t realize is that more than 95% of all car accident cases in Georgia actually settle long before trial. Nobody wants to go to court – this includes the insurance company. It takes years to actually get to trial. And it costs thousands of dollars in fees and costs. It’s in everyone’s best interests to settle outside of court.
There are lots of reasons why would want to consider settling your case rather than go to trial:
- You’re guaranteed money in your settlement. If you go to trial, there’s always the chance that you could lose and get nothing.
- You’ll get money a lot faster than if you wait and go to trial.
- You’ll get a lump sum. If you sue and win, you could get a judgment that isn’t worth the paper it’s printed on. For example, if the defendant has no assets, your judgment will be worthless.
Your attorney can explain all of this when you meet with them for the first time. They’ll answer any questions you might have. They’ll also let you know what the benefits are of settling your case. Of course, they won’t settle your case unless that’s what you want to do. If you insist on going to trial, they’ll do that on your behalf.
Contact an Experienced Car Accident Lawyer Sooner Rather than Later
If you’re hurt in any sort of car accident, you’re going to need an experienced Atlanta car accident injury lawyer. One of the things your attorney is going to work toward is settling your case. The goal is to resolve your claim without the need for a lawsuit. Trials are expensive and time consuming. If your lawyer can settle your case without the need for any actual court appearances, it’s best for everyone involved. But there’s no way to know for sure how long this will take. it could take weeks or it could take months. In fact, some Atlanta car accident lawsuits take years to settle. It all depends on how complicated your case is. It may also depend on how large your claim for damages is.