When I started getting into trouble I became pretty acclimated to legal procedures. Calling my attorney and working out bail was just another way to spend a Saturday night. Unfortunately, the stiffer the charges, the more difficult it was to talk my way out of a bad situation. After so many charges, I found myself slapped with a long jail sentence, and I realized that I wanted to turn things around. Fortunately, my lawyer was able to walk me through yet another process, so that I could make the right changes. My blog discusses how to emotionally cope with legal issues so that you can start living a good life.
If you are arrested and charged with a crime, reaching out to a criminal defense lawyer will likely be an
Being involved in a car accident can be a traumatic experience, but when the accident is caused by a drun
Very often, one of the most controversial topics child custody attorneys negotiate is child support. As w
With car accidents and other personal injury cases, eyewitness testimony plays a crucial role in winning
When you are arrested under suspicion that you have committed a crime, you will not necessarily be given
You can save money and time by settling your injury case outside the courtroom. Below are a few tips to help you get an out-of-court settlement.
Make Realistic Demands
Insurance adjusters can smell an unrealistic demand a mile away. You won't get far if you demand a $1,000,000 for an injury that cannot exceed $100,000. Know how much your injury is worth and demand fair compensation.
Here are a few tips to help you get an accurate calculation of your damages:
The multiplier, which ranges from 1.5 to 5, is one of the areas where many people go wrong. Don't automatically choose a higher number if your case doesn't warrant it. Some of the factors that determine the multiplier include:
Consult a personal injury lawyer to help you get an accurate calculation of your damages.
Gather Relevant Evidence
The next tip is to arm yourself with relevant evidence for your damages. You must explain to the adjuster why you want $150,000 and not $100,000. Below are some of the different forms of evidence that can help your case:
You can never have too much evidence — the more you have, the stronger your case is. You want to convey to the adjuster that they risk losing the case if the case proceeds to litigation. That is the only way they will settle the case before litigation.
Try Alternative Dispute Resolution
Lastly, you can also try alternative dispute resolution (ADR) to avoid litigation. Various forms of ADR exist, but the principal ones — for personal injury cases — are arbitration and mediation.
Mediation
For mediation, you negotiate your case in front of a neutral third party (mediator). The mediator's main role is to facilitate the negotiation and ensure everyone gets the opportunity to air their side of the story. The mediator doesn't make a rule — instead, you need to reach an agreement with the defendant.
Arbitration
Arbitration is more or less the same as mediation. The main difference is that the neutral third party (the arbitrator) hears both sides of the case and makes a ruling. In both mediation and arbitration, you can still have your respective lawyers represent you. Note that ADR requires the consent of both parties — the plaintiff and defendant.
For more information about settlements, contact an accident attorney in your area such as one from Kaston & Aberle.
Share