Truck accidents almost always result in serious injuries that will require intensive, lengthy medical care in order to have a good shot at a full recovery. The cost of this medical care is very likely to be incredibly expensive. Many victims of truck accidents need some kind of help in order to deal with these gigantic expenses, so for that reason, many truck accident victims will decide to file lawsuits against those who injured them. However, if financial relief is the primary concern, some victims may be wondering whether it is better to push a lawsuit all the way to trial or to accept a settlement offer given by the defense.
When deciding between whether to accept a settlement offer or go to trial, there is, unfortunately, no cut-and-dry catch-all answer. You need to take into account the needs of your situation as to whether it is better to take a settlement offer or go to trial in a truck accident lawsuit.
For a free review of your case, call our Maryland truck accident lawyers from Rice, Murtha & Psoras at (410) 694-7291.
What is a Settlement in a Maryland Truck Accident Lawsuit
A settlement is an alternative way to, well, settle a legal dispute besides a jury trial. Many, many lawsuits will be resolved by settlements rather than a full-on trial. The reality is that jury trials are quite rare in terms of how lawsuits play out. Most of the time, the parties will come to some kind of agreement beforehand, be that dropping the case on the spot or having a more nuanced deal in place.
How Settlements Work in Maryland Truck Accident Lawsuits
In lawsuits, settlement offers are usually given by the defendant. The defendant will basically present terms to the plaintiff, and our Baltimore truck accident lawyers, and the plaintiff will then decide whether they want to accept them or not.
Acceptance or denial of settlement terms does not need to happen right away. There may be some back and forth between the plaintiff and defendant regarding some of the terms, and the initial settlement offer is very likely to be negotiated by one side or the other. If the terms are at any point acceptable to the plaintiff, they can accept the offer. Alternatively, they can keep denying offers until the case goes to trial or have their mind set on going to trial from the beginning.
Should You Settle Your Truck Accident Lawsuit in Maryland?
Unfortunately, there are no criteria for settling a truck accident lawsuit that is set in stone. Each plaintiff, each truck accident, and the circumstances surrounding each and every truck accident lawsuit will all be unique. Therefore, it is hard to say with certainty whether a generic settlement offer should be accepted or not.
Personal injury lawsuits exist to help victims who have been wronged get back to where they were before the defendant wronged them. This can be accomplished by taking someone to trial, but it also could be accomplished by getting what you need through a settlement offer.
Is a Settlement Worth More than a Jury Verdict in a Maryland Truck Accident Lawsuit?
It is also hard to say whether a settlement will be worth more than any damages you might receive at trial. Many people would assume that a settlement would be lower than what you can get at trial because why else would the defendant choose to settle other than because it benefits them? However, there are countless reasons why a defendant may choose to settle, ranging from personal reputation to goodwill and beyond, so it is not always the case that a defendant offering to settle is trying to save some money or hide a weak defense.
Factors Influencing Whether You Should Settle a Maryland Truck Accident Lawsuit or Not
The most important thing to think about when looking at a settlement offer in a truck accident lawsuit and deciding whether to accept it is whether it meets your needs. Remember, you are looking for a “win” in your case. This does not necessarily mean winning at trial. If a settlement offer meets all your needs and has everything you are looking for, you are winning by accepting it.
Guaranteed Outcome
One of the most attractive reasons for accepting a settlement offer is that the outcome is guaranteed. At trial, the fate of your case is pretty much entirely up to the jury, as is your damages award. It is entirely possible that a strong case could still result in a defendant being held liable or middling damages awarded to you. In a settlement, the terms of the outcome are agreed to by both parties beforehand.
Financial Needs
Another very important reason to consider a settlement is whether it meets your financial needs. If a settlement does everything that you would want from a damages award, it may not be worth trying to push for more damages at trial when you could potentially get less or nothing at all. This will need to be determined on a case-by-case basis, so determine what is best for you with the help of our Aberdeen, MD truck accident lawyers.
Sense of Justice Done
Yet another thing to consider when deciding whether you should accept a settlement offer is whether it will give you the sense of closure you need after a truck accident. When a settlement goes through, a lawsuit is resolved with significantly less pomp and circumstance than would be present if the case went to trial. For some plaintiffs, this is desirable because it keeps things private, and they can put the truck accident behind them. However, other plaintiffs may want to have more of a sense that those responsible for their injuries are being held accountable, in which case a trial may be preferable, even if the outcome may not be guaranteed.
Talk to Our Maryland Truck Accident Lawyers Today
For help with your case, call our Aspen Hill truck accident lawyers from Rice, Murtha & Psoras at (410) 694-7291 for a free case review.