Most Missouri residents who suffer serious injuries in car accidents caused by the fault of another person may have the ability to pursue a claim for financial damages in court. The recoverable damages in these cases relate to medical costs, pain and suffering, compensation for temporary and permanent disabilities, legal costs and more.
As for the end result of a car accident lawsuit, plaintiffs will often settle their cases before going to trial. A pre-trial settlement like this can be advantageous as it allows both sides of the suit to stay in control and manage the outcome. The plaintiff benefits from settling because there is no chance a judge will unexpectedly deny the plaintiff’s claims after the trial. The defendant benefits because a settlement saves money on legal fees and allows the defendant to retain some level of control over how much they will need to spend on the matter.
As a part of the settlement, the plaintiff will agree to withdraw the action and drop the claims against the defendant — usually in exchange for a lump-sum, monetary payment. Plaintiffs who settle their car accident lawsuits typically resolve all current and potential claims against the defendant up to the date of signing. Nevertheless, in some settlements, plaintiffs will zero in on very specific aspects of a lawsuit and continue to litigate the rest.
Since it’s the defendant’s insurance company that typically pays any settlements or personal injury awards against the defendant, plaintiffs who file car accident injury claims will usually be dealing with highly experienced insurance defense attorneys. These attorneys are skilled at defending people against negligence claims and gifted settlement negotiators. Therefore, if you plan to pursue this kind of legal action, make sure that you retain a high-powered and experienced trial lawyer of your own.
