If you are like most, you have been on the money trail toward auto accident compensation for months and months. If you are wishing that journey was over so that you can begin to get your life back to normal again, you are also like most. There are some important facets that concern the dollars and cents of accident claims, however. To learn more about getting compensated for your injuries, read on.
There should be funds available to pay you. You cannot get money from a bare money tree, so your personal injury attorney likely would not have even accepted your case unless:
1. You have a decent chance of winning your case. If your attorney is like most personal injury attorneys, they work on a contingency fee basis, and there is absolutely no reason to work on a case that does not have merit.
2. The at-fault party has the means to pay. In most cases, the other side has auto insurance, but it can come from other sources as well. Your attorney will discover how capable the other driver is of paying off any judgments through the use of bank accounts, real estate and more.
You may not need to go to court to get compensated. Many personal injury cases never make it to the courtroom or the judgment phase, and you can understand why when you consider how expensive and time-consuming a court case can be. From the moment you contact your attorney and get your case started, there is the potential to be offered a settlement. There are, however, a few key moments that could result in an offer:
1. The demand letter is received. Even before your attorney files suit, a letter will be crafted and sent to the other side listing pertinent information about the case, why the other driver is at fault and most importantly, the amount you are "demanding" to be paid to settle the case out of court.
2. The deposition takes place. If the demand letter doesn't do the trick, the deposition might. This meeting occurs during the discovery phase of the case, after you have filed suit but before the trial begins. Since the point of the meeting is for both sides to share information, such as witnesses and evidence about the case, the other side may be prompted to make an offer rather than proceed with the trial.
3. Court begins. Just because you find yourself in court should not mean that your chances for an offer is over. Settlement offers can come at any time, even after your trial begins.
To get more information about your chances for money damages, speak to your personal injury attorney. Click here for info on working with an attorney.
