If you or somebody you love has been injured as a result of the actions of another individual or entity, you should be able to recover compensation for your losses. However, recovering compensation can be challenging, particularly when it comes to determining whether or not to take an insurance settlement or go to a jury trial. There are various aspects of these claims we want to discuss when working to understand the decision between a settlement and a jury trial in Pennsylvania.
Benefits of an Insurance Settlement
There are several reasons why settling an injury claim with an insurance carrier may be beneficial to your case. First, an insurance settlement is not going to take nearly as long as the entire personal injury trial process. In some cases, individuals can receive insurance settlement checks within a few weeks or months after an injury occurs. Compare this to how long it takes for a case to get to trial, which can be years after the initial incident.
That does not mean that securing an insurance settlement is particularly easy. Insurance carriers do not want to make large payments to individuals. In fact, they do not want to pay anything at all. However, in the event, the claim is relatively simple, and the fault of the other party is clear, it is likely better to take an insurance settlement than pursue the case further. There comes a point where taking a case to trial is not going to result in any additional compensation. In fact, going to trial could ultimately result in a person losing compensation, depending on the factors of their case.
Why You May Need to go to Trial
There are various reasons why it may be more beneficial to take a personal injury claim in Pennsylvania to trial. In the event the insurance carrier denies the claim, or if they refuse to offer a fair settlement amount, the only way to pursue additional compensation will be to file a personal injury lawsuit in civil court. In many cases, the damages associated with an injury may exceed the insurance limitations of the policyholder. In this situation, the only way to recover additional compensation will be to file a personal injury lawsuit against the at-fault party to go after their personal assets.
Additionally, for claims that are complex in nature or that revolve around severe injuries, the only way to secure maximum compensation will likely be to go to a personal injury trial.
Working With an Attorney in Philadelphia
If you or somebody you love has sustained an injury caused by the actions of another party in the Philadelphia area, you need to work with a skilled Philadelphia personal injury attorney immediately. When working to decide whether or not to take an insurance settlement or go all the way to court with a case, you need to have an attorney with extensive experience by your side to help you make this decision. An attorney will use their resources to fully investigate every aspect of your claim, gather evidence to prove liability, and handle all communication with other parties involved.