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Accident victims who are hurt by a careless driver expect to be paid for their injuries and other damages. In many cases, a personal injury lawyer should be consulted about the case. Personal injury lawyers offer support to victims after an accident and try to settle the case. However, that may not happen. Read on and learn more. 

Settlements Are Good

If your lawyer can settle your case, it's a very good thing. Settlements are quick and easier than taking the case before a judge and jury. Personal injury lawyers help victims establish what they are owed by the other driver's insurer and negotiate with them to attain a good settlement. However, cases often end up going to trial, nevertheless.

Court Experience Is Important

Victims have no way of knowing whether their case will settle or go to court when they first meet their lawyer. However, even if the case never goes to court, finding a lawyer that is experienced in litigation is important.

When a lawyer has little to no court experience, the other side will know about it. When your lawyer has been known to win personal injury court cases in the past, the other side will take that into consideration. They might be more hesitant to go to trial with an experienced lawyer. That can prompt the other side to offer you a better settlement.  

When Settlements Don't Work

Ask your lawyer about their courtroom experience at your first meeting. This is important because you might need to take the other side to court, and you don't want to change lawyers in the middle of a case. However, a settlement can be offered and accepted even after a trial has begun.

Discovery is part of every court case. This pretrial process allows the sides to gather evidence about the case from the other side. A deposition, for example, allows you to tell the story of the accident and your medical treatment in person. The testimony is recorded under oath. This type of information sharing often spurs the other side to make a new, better offer to avoid court.

Legal Fees and Going to Court

Most personal injury lawyers offer accident victims a contingency fee plan. The plan lets victims get legal help and then pay the lawyer out of an eventual settlement. Lawyers can also be paid out of a court judgment; however, it costs more money to take a case to trial. Ask your personal injury lawyer about court costs when you make the court decision.

Speak to a personal injury lawyer to find out more about settlements, trials, and legal costs.