Your personal injury lawsuit may settle, but not for less than what you deserve. We can make sure any settlement is fair and covers hospital bills and lost wages. If you rush a settlement, you might struggle to pay upcoming medical expenses and other damages. We can stop you from accepting a lowball settlement and work to recover the amount you deserve.
This can take time, even if you have a strong case. Let us counter offers we get and negotiate a larger recovery. Though many lawsuits settle, some go to trial. You can change your mind about accepting a settlement and go to trial so long as you have not signed the agreement. Surveillance footage, photos, and witness statements help us prove fault at trial, which the jury will decide.
Contact our personal injury lawyers for a free case review from The Martello Law Firm by calling us today at (914) 685-6950.
What Does a Good Personal Injury Settlement Cover in Somers, NY?
A good personal injury settlement should cover hospital bills, missed income, and intangible damages. If it does not, it is not worth accepting, and we can send counteroffers to the defense.
Hospital Bills
Hospital bills may comprise much of your damages. Keeping bills orderly is hard for severely injured victims, and we can handle this part of case preparation. A settlement should cover anticipated hospital bills, too. If you have upcoming procedures or follow-up appointments scheduled, tell us. Those treatments will generate additional damages, damages your lawsuit can cover even though you have not incurred them yet.
Lost Wages
If not being able to work after an accident affects your income, a settlement should reflect that. Do not try to return to work against physicians’ advice, as you might exacerbate an injury. This could also jeopardize your claim for lost wages. As might any physical activity that might worsen your injury, so avoid such acts at all costs.
Pain and Suffering
Settlements are bad when they leave out pain and suffering damages. Unfortunately, many settlements do leave out these damages, only for victims to notice after they accept. Painful, disfiguring, and distressing injuries can reduce your quality of life, make you depressed, and overall negatively affect your emotional well-being. Our personal injury lawyers can assert your non-economic damages during settlement negotiations, refusing unfair proposals.
How Long Does it Take to Get a Fair Personal Injury Settlement in Somers, NY?
How long it takes to get a good personal injury settlement varies. Some defendants offer sizeable offers right out of the gate, while others require months of aggressive negotiations before they increase proposals.
If you accept any of the first few offers, it may be insufficient. Even if you want to settle fast, you should let our lawyers negotiate better terms. You want your lawsuit to be worth the time and energy you put into it, which is why you should not walk away until you are happy with a settlement.
Can You Change Your Mind About Settling a Personal Injury Case?
You can change your mind about settling a personal injury case right up until you sign the agreement. Once that happens, your lawsuit is over. You will only get whatever the settlement entails, even if that is not enough.
If you no longer feel comfortable accepting a settlement, tell our lawyers, and we can help you make the right decision. If you change your mind, we may resume settlement negotiations. We can determine which terms you want changed, and explain them to the opposing side.
You may also change your mind about accepting a settlement because you want to go to trial. You can go to trial for other reasons as well, whether because you want to claim more damages or hold the defendant liable in court.
Should You Go to Trial for a Personal Injury Lawsuit in Somers, NY?
Going to trial is not necessarily better or worse than settling a personal injury case. Each case is different. Some plaintiffs may prefer to settle because of their injuries, while others want to go to trial because the defendant’s conduct makes punitive damages possible. Many victims are most interested in recovering the utmost compensation, whether that means settling or going to court.
At a trial, the jury decides how much compensation the plaintiff gets. The jury might give more than the defendant ever offered during settlement negotiations. Settlements often leave out non-economic damages, while juries often include these damages in their awards.
Testifying about your pain and suffering can convince the jury to award larger amounts, too. New York does not limit pain and suffering damages in personal injury claims, favoring plaintiffs.
We can help you decide whether or not to go to trial. We also prepare plaintiffs for what to expect from trials, which may require their testimony.
What Evidence Can Help Me Win My Personal Injury Lawsuit?
Available evidence varies from case to case. Our investigation may overturn photos, videos, police reports, witness statements, and other evidence that wins your lawsuit.
Photos preserve accident scenes making them crucial evidence in lawsuits. You may have taken photos, as might eyewitnesses or first responders. We will review all relevant photos, possibly even getting videos from security camera systems or other devices.
Eyewitness testimony also helps win personal injury lawsuits. Witnesses can corroborate the facts of our case, convincing the jury of the defendant’s fault. Your testimony is also important evidence, as it lets you explain your non-economic damages to the jury.
Surgical reports, injury descriptions, diagnostic test results, specialist consultations, prescription medications, and more are documented in your medical records. Such records confirm your injuries and medical damage, so get assessed by doctors right after an accident in Somers.
Call Our Somers, NY Lawyers About Your Injury Lawsuit Now
Call The Martello Law Firm’s personal injury lawyers at (914) 685-6950 for a free case analysis.
