You might think that people are too quick to sue, especially if you get some of your information from non-legal education or popular media. In fact, The Washington Post estimates that only seven percent of civil suits involve torts. That is, the section of the law that contains personal injury lawsuits.
Of that seven percent, most are motor vehicle accident injury cases. In other words, you do not have to worry about overburdening the court system by pursuing what you deserve.
The function of trials
Trials are processes that let you explore all the facts in a systematic, logical way. Everyone gets a turn to talk. Everyone gets enough time to prepare evidence and arguments. There is always a legal expert there — your judge — putting the facts of your case in the correct context and controlling courtroom procedure.
Your right to have a trial is important. However, it might not be necessary for you to exercise that right in full.
The option for settlement
If your personal injury case is like most, then everybody would want to avoid a trial. For all of its virtues, litigation is slow, costly and public. It also tends to be relatively predictable. For example, if you had serious injuries and strong evidence that another party was to blame, it is likely that a judge or jury would award you a considerable amount of money.
The question that arises why you would go through a trial if you did not have to. The answer: Most people never reach the litigation stage. They settle early on a fair amount, avoiding legal fees and public spectacle.
Of course, this type of settlement is only possible because you could take your dispute into the court system. That is why it is essential to build cases that could win at trial, even if you wish to settle.
