When you've been hurt by a careless driver, the road back to normal can seem endless. Getting paid for all the ways the accident has negatively affected you is important, but it can take months for cases to come to trial. Taking cases to court can cost a lot of extra money and most injured people have already missed work. Since statistics prove that most personal injury cases are settled outside of court, your chances of gaining compensation may be just as good outside of court as in court. Fortunately, there are several opportunities to gain compensation before the trial begins, so read on to find out more about getting paid money damages in a hurry.
Demand Letters
You must inform the at-fault driver about your damages and give them an opportunity to offer you a settlement. A settlement means money that is paid to you immediately and outside of court. If you agree to accept the money, you are also agreeing to take no further action against the other driver. A demand letter may serve as a warning to the other side that you will take further legal action if they fail to comply with your demand, which is a dollar figure you will accept to cover your accident damages. Even if they disagree with the amount you are asking for, the letter may open the door for negotiations between the other driver's insurance carrier and your attorney.
The Deposition
As both sides begin to prepare for going to court, several events will occur. Discovery is a series of actions that allow each side to share information and evidence about the case with each other. One of the most important of these events is the deposition. This meeting will involve attorneys questioning all involved parties, including you. Depositions look a lot like trials, but there is no judge present to oversee matters. The testimony can be used in the trial and you are sworn in under oath. The other side will gain valuable information about the case that could prompt an offer to settle. For example, they may determine that the strength of the evidence they must fight against in court is too great and decide to offer you a settlement.
Personal injury negotiations that occur because of a demand letter or as a result of successful deposition are best left in the hands of a legal professional. Contact a personal injury legal service, like 911 Pains, and find out what you might be entitled to when it comes to money damages.
