Does Filing a Lawsuit mean I’m going to trial?


How Do Car Accident Cases Get Resolved?

A car accident case is resolved when you receive a monetary settlement or a verdict from a jury trial.  The settlement is usually paid by the insurance company of the person who hit you or your own insurance company.  Most car accident cases settle before the case goes to a jury.  In fact, most personal injury cases settle in the pre-suit phase, meaning before your attorney ever has to even file a lawsuit on the matter.  However, sometimes it is necessary to have to file a lawsuit against the person who hit you (or another insurance company) in order to move the case towards resolution.


Why Does My Lawyer Have to File a Lawsuit on My Car Accident Case? 

Once it is clear that the insurance company isn’t going to pay an adequate amount of money to resolve your car crash case in Florida, your attorney may suggest that you allow her to file a lawsuit on your behalf.  Having to put your car crash case into litigation is a normal step of the process once all pre-litigation attempts at negotiations have failed.

Does filing a lawsuit mean I’m going to trial?  

Just because a lawsuit has been filed, it does not mean that your case is going to trial in the near future.  In fact, more likely than not, your Florida car crash case will never be heard by a jury.  The wheels of justice turn slowly and less than 1% of car accident cases actually make it into a courtroom for a full jury trial. Most often, Florida car crash cases that have lawsuits filed are litigated for a few months or years and then the attorneys for both sides are able to reach an agreement to settle the matter for an agreed amount of money.  In Florida, it is mandatory for each personal injury case in litigation to go to mediation prior to any trial. Florida personal injury cases usually settle at or shortly after mediation, without your ever having to step foot into a courtroom. 

Do not be afraid to use the legal system, including litigation, to get the compensation you deserve after a crash!

If you or a loved one are in need of legal representation after a car crash in Florida, call Florida injury attorneys at 1-855-342-7297 for a no obligation, free consultation.  Our main office is in Clearwater but we serve car crash victims in every city across the state.

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