How Many Personal Injury Cases Actually Go to Trial?

Did you know that most personal injury cases do not go to trial? Approximately five to ten percent of the accident cases that are handled by the Giddens Law Firm, P.A. are tried to jury verdict, while all of the others are settled before a trial. These numbers are consistent with the national average settlement rate of ninety five percent for motor vehicle accident cases.

One reason why most cases settle instead of proceeding to trial is that insurance companies and their risk managers understand the risk associated with presenting a case to a jury.  However, the perceived risk associated with any given automobile accident claim is also often associated with whether or not the claimant has retained an attorney. While this may seem unfair, from the perspective of an insurance company, individuals who are not represented by counsel pose a much lower risk of pursuing a case all the way to trial, in addition to being more likely to accept a settlement offer that will not fully compensate them for the amount of damages that they could receive under Mississippi law. Once you retain a personal injury attorney, the insurance company knows that you are serious about obtaining a proper settlement on your claim and that you are prepared to go to trial if an acceptable settlement offer is not forthcoming.

When you work with an attorney, they will help you understand and evaluate any settlement offers that are extended to you. You have the choice of whether to accept or reject any offer, and if you choose to reject an offer, your attorney can communicate with the insurance company in efforts to try to negotiate a better offer. It may take months of negotiating, but the end result is often a settlement offer that is acceptable to the client. When cases are settled through negotiation, clients avoid the time and expense of a trial.

Unfortunately, in some cases, the insurance company simply refuses to offer an acceptable amount to the plaintiff to settle their claim. When this happens, filing a lawsuit may be the only way to obtain the financial recovery that the plaintiff needs. If you do end up filing a lawsuit in your personal injury case, it is quite possible that the insurance company will propose an acceptable settlement offer at some point during the litigation process. In some cases, settlements are reached in the middle of a trial. This can actually happen, because plaintiffs may accept a settlement offer at any point in time before a jury issues the final verdict in the case. Fortunately, whether a good settlement offer comes mid-trial or not, our automobile accident attorneys are skilled litigators who can present convincing cases in court.

Giddens Law Firm, P.A.: Serving Clients throughout Mississippi

If you would like to learn more about whether the Mississippi Personal Injury Attorneys at the Giddens Law Firm, P.A. are a good fit for you and your current legal matter please call our office today, at (601) 355-2022.