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    Carrollton Car Accident Settlements

    One of the options available for Carrollton car accident settlements is a global settlement of the claims for a monetary amount. All cases begin with negotiations with an insurance adjuster for the defendant’s insurance company. If the adjuster believes that settlement will be made or can be achieved in the case, they begin negotiating with the attorney to see if there is a number that is fair to you.

    That number is then presented to you by your skilled car accident attorney. The settlement decision is always in your hands. Never allow your attorney to settle claims without your prior knowledge.

    How Carrollton Car Accident Settlements Work

    Lawyers, judges and police officers go to court all the time, on a daily basis, but that is not something a lot of people ever want to do. The potential client has the option to settle prior to filing a lawsuit (based upon the opinion and evaluation of their attorney) as to any settlement offer made by the insurance company.

    A fair settlement offer prior to trial by the insurance company is a gift for the injured person. Attorneys work on a contingency fee basis so any settlement prior to trial would be a 33% fee as opposed to a 40% fee once a lawsuit is filed. Once a lawsuit is filed, and is into the court system, the court system does not move quickly and it may take a year to get to trial.

    Reasons to Settle Instead of Going to Trial

    When deciding whether to consider Carrollton car accident settlements, it is important to keep in mind that every case is different. In some cases, there are actions made by the injured person that could put some fault on them. Other times, there are certain insurance companies out there that make fair offers based on the injuries they sustained.

    Lastly, it is all up to the victim. Certain individuals are frightened of the court process and the court system, so if they end up filing a lawsuit and take depositions, if it goes to trial, they are fearful they will be called to the witness stand.

    Reasons to Refuse a Settlement

    If Carrollton car accident settlements are too low, then the cases often proceed to trial. An experienced accident attorney can quickly estimate what a case should be worth. Attorneys will inform the person throughout the process as to what the insurance company is offering to settle their case, and what they think the value of the case should be for settlement purposes.

    How an Attorney Can Help

    If someone is interested in discussing Carrollton car accident settlements with their attorney, they should bring a copy of the accident report, any and all pictures of their vehicle, pictures of the scene of the accident, as well as pictures of the other vehicles involved in the accident, any pictures of the individual’s injuries (any visible bruising, or things of that nature), their driver’s license, their health insurance cards, and a copy of their insurance Declaration page if they have one.

    Before the statute of limitations runs (which is two years from the date of the accident in both Georgia and Alabama, with some exceptions), an attorney can meet with you to explain what they believe the strengths and the weaknesses in the case may be, so they can help you make an informed decision as to whether or not you should proceed with the trial, or pursue Carrollton car accident settlements instead.