• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer
Whiplash & Whiplash Injury St. Louis

Whiplash & Whiplash Injury St. Louis

  • Whiplash
    • What is Whiplash?
    • How Long Does Whiplash Last?
  • Symptoms
  • Treatment
    • Exercises
    • Physiotherapy
    • Surgery
  • Compensation
  • Car Accident
    • What to Do When You Get in a Car Accident
    • The Most Common Causes of Car Accidents
    • Wrong Way Car Crash
    • Why Hire a St. Louis Car Accident Lawyer?
    • Injuries
      • Brain Injury
      • Delayed Injuries
      • Head Injury
      • Leg Injury
    • T-Bone Accident
    • Uninsured Motorist
    • Who Pays My Medical Bills?
  • Whiplash St. Louis Blog

Why You Should Always Have an Injury Lawyer Before You Accept a Car Accident Settlement

December 4, 2019 by Christopher

signing settlement agreement

When you think about holding a person who’s caused you harm accountable, you most likely picture being in a court, presenting your case in front of a judge and jury. However, some statistics show that as many as 95% of car accident cases end in a settlement.

Here are a few reasons:

Most Car Accident Cases Go Through Insurance Companies

You can technically sue the driver who caused the car accident in civil court, but your St. Louis auto accident attorney may advise against it. In Missouri, it’s mandatory to have auto insurance, so when you are asking for damages from a driver, that compensation won’t come from their own pockets, but from the insurance company.

Missouri courts prefer this option as well, as it’s a way to make sure they don’t get overcrowded. The judge may hear your case, but it most likely won’t make it to trial.

You Can Sue the Insurance Company as a Strategy

It’s possible not to sue the driver directly, but the insurance company if they are not being reasonable with your claim. However, this is most often a strategy used by lawyers to show you are serious and get the company to agree to terms.

In fact, it’s in the best interest of the insurance company to settle, because they can somewhat control how much they get to pay a victim. In a trial, they cannot negotiate the settlement and will be forced to pay the amount decided by the judge.

Trials Are Unpredictable

If you do manage to get in front of a jury, then you’ll constantly have to prove you are in the right, as the plaintiff has the burden of proof, while the defendant just has to, well, defend themselves.

But juries can be unpredictable. They are not experts, so they can often rely on their feelings rather than the evidence presented. If they feel or think the other side was more convincing, you may lose the case, even if you have the evidence to prove your side of the story.

Trials Can Take Longer

It’s not to say that insurance claims get resolved quickly, but you can potentially reach a settlement a lot faster. In a trial, both sides will present their evidence, and there is a lot of back and forth, which can drag on the process a lot. Additionally, there’s no way to know how long it will take a jury to reach a decision.

Trial or Insurance Claim?

Make no mistake, in some cases, it may be better to go to trial. For instance, if the other driver intentionally caused you harm, but they have not been arrested for whatever reason. To know what you should do, get in touch with a St. Louis car injury lawyer to see what your best legal options are. Give us a call 24/7 at (314) 361-4242 for a FREE consultation.

Related Posts:

  • St. Louis Car Accident Attorney
    St. Louis Car Accident Attorney
  • When to Get a Lawyer in a St. Louis Car Accident
    When to Get a Lawyer in a St. Louis Car Accident
  • St. Louis Car Accident Involving an Uninsured Driver
    St. Louis Car Accident Involving an Uninsured Driver
  • Pre Existing Injury Aggravated in Car Accident
    Pre Existing Injury Aggravated in Car Accident
  • When Is It Too Late to Hire a St. Louis Car Accident Attorney?
    When Is It Too Late to Hire a St. Louis Car Accident…
  • What You Can Do to Avoid a Car Accident on Your Next Road Trip
    What You Can Do to Avoid a Car Accident on Your Next Road…

Filed Under: Whiplash St. Louis Blog Tagged With: Car Accident Claims

Footer

The Hoffmann Law Firm, L.L.C.
130 S Bemiston Ave # 603
St. Louis, MO 63105
(314) 361-4242

Free Consultation Request

    RSS St. Louis Car Accident Attorney – Car Accident Lawyer St. Louis

    • 5 Common Types of Accidents Caused By Drunk Drivers
    • Daylight Savings Time Car Accidents – St. Louis Accident Lawyer
    • The 5 Steps of the Mediation Process for a St. Louis Car Accident
    • Step to Appeal a Denied St. Louis Car Accident Claim
    • 4 Unique Driver Distractions St. Louis Uber and Lyft Drivers Face
    • 5 Tips to Prevent Texting and Driving Car Accidents in St. Louis
    • Soft Tissue Injuries From St. Louis Car Accident – Common Misconceptions
    • Foot and Ankle Pain From a St. Louis Car Accident
    • Spinal Cord Injury Pain After a St. Louis Car Accident
    • Injured in an Uber or Lyft Accident in St. Louis? Know Your Options for Compensation

    Copyright © 2023 The Hoffmann Law Firm L.L.C.
    The images included on this site are not actual attorneys, events, or clients. The choice of a lawyer is an important decision and should not be based solely on advertisements. The information you obtain at this site is not, nor is it intended to be, legal advice. You should consult an attorney for advice regarding your individual situation. We invite you to contact us and welcome your calls, letters and electronic mail. Contacting us does not create an attorney-client relationship. Please do not send any confidential information to us until such time as an attorney-client relationship has been established. Attorney Chris Hoffmann handles car and truck accident claims throughout Eastern Missouri and Western Illinois. He represents injured clients in St. Louis, St. Charles, St. Peters, Clayton, East St. Louis, Alton, Hillsboro and Belleville, and other cities in St. Louis County, St. Charles County, and Jefferson Country, MO, and St. Clair County and Madison County, IL.