How To Know If Your Car Accident Case Is Worth Pursuing
Many car accident cases are settled without much hullabaloo; the victims don't even have to file lawsuits for their injuries. However, if you have been injured in an accident, you may have no option but to file a lawsuit if the responsible party doesn't seem willing to compensate your damages. Here are some tips you should use to confirm that your lawsuit is worth pursuing before taking action:
Confirm the Defendant's Liability
This is the first thing you should do because suing an innocent person is just a waste of resources. If the defendant is refusing liability, could it be that they are actually innocent? It might also be that they actually caused your injury, but have a legal loophole that allows them to escape liability. A good example is a government official who was acting in their official capacity at the time of the accident; the immunity that usually applies to government agencies may bar you from suing such a person.
Confirm That the Defendant Can Afford the Damages
The next thing is to confirm that the person you want to sue will be able to pay your damages if you win your case. This is necessary if, like most people, you are mainly interested in the monetary compensation part of the case. The most obvious way to do this is to confirm the person has insurance coverage that covers their negligent act. Other than that, the defendant needs to have significant assets that can be used to settle the damages. There is no use suing a person for compensation if they don't have the resources to do it.
Take Stock of How Much Evidence You Have
If your case goes to trial, you will have to prove it to the judge or jury in order to get your award. The strength of your proof is largely determined by the nature of the evidence you have the testimony of your witnesses. Pictures of the injury, records of your treatment, surveillance videos of the accident, and witness accounts are some of the things you can use to prove your claim. The more of these you have the higher your chances of recovery.
Put a Dollar Value to Your Damages
It also helps to value your claims to help you understand if you will remain with some money after taking care of the case expenses (such as expert witness's fees and transport costs) and legal fees if you win the case. You don't want to spend fifty thousand dollars chasing a forty thousand dollar case.
This evaluation is best done by someone who has handled similar processes in the past – an experienced car accident lawyer. You can also have a peek at this website, or others like it.
