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Cincinnati Car Accident Lawyer: Should You Settle Your Case?

A lawyer talking to his client with a gavel on front.

When we first meet with a car accident victim, we always explain how the legal process works. Before our Cincinnati car accident lawyer even discusses the idea of damages with a client, they spell out what will happen throughout the process of their case. One aspect of any personal injury case is the idea of a settlement. Most people are surprised when we tell them that more than 95% of all personal injury lawsuits are settled before trial. Nobody really wants to go to trial. Trials are expensive and time consuming. There is also the risk that you could lose if you go to trial and walk away with nothing. If you accept a settlement, you will likely have your money within thirty to sixty days. It is usually paid in one lump sum. Even if you go to trial and win, it could be months, or even years, before you receive a dime of your money. If you sue a defendant who has no insurance, you may never get paid.

We ask our clients to trust that their Cincinnati car accident lawyer has their best interests in mind. Of course, there are ethical rules that attorneys are required to follow. But, as a professional, our attorneys would never force somebody to settle their case if they didn’t want to. We may strongly encourage them to, but we would never force them to. If we are presented you with a settlement offer and you choose not to take it, we will explain what the possible ramifications of that could be. However, the final decision is yours and yours alone.

If you happen to have been involved in a car accident recently, you may be entitled to damages. The only way to know for sure is to meet with a Cincinnati car accident lawyer, show them any information you have, and let them thoroughly review it. If we feel that your claim has merit, we will more than likely be willing to represent you in court. If, on the other hand, your claim seems valid but not worth a significant amount of money, we will be upfront and honest with you. The last thing we would ever do is get somebody’s hopes up unfairly.

We offer new clients a free, initial consultation. Worst case, you should call our office and set up a date and time to come in and meet with one of our Ohio injury attorneys. Since it costs you nothing, you really have nothing to lose.

There is a Good Chance Your Ohio Injury Attorney Will Suggest You Settle Your Case

As mentioned above, more than 95% of all personal injury lawsuits are settled out of court. What this means that there is a good chance at some point, your Ohio injury attorney will communicate a settlement offer to you. If the offer is something you think is fair, let you attorney know that you’re interested in accepting it. They will draw up the necessary paperwork. It is important to understand that once you settle your case, you can never go back after the defendant for money down the road.

Some of the factors that may cause you’re Cincinnati car accident lawyer to encourage accepting a settlement include the following:

  • Your Ohio injury attorney feels that you may not have sufficient evidence to win at trial
  • your attorney believes that it could be over a year before your case was scheduled for trial
  • the settlement offer is fair and will cover any of your out-of-pocket expenses
  • your attorney is concerned that even if you win a trial, it may be very difficult to solicit payment from the defendant
  • your case is the kind that will cost over $10,000 to prosecute due to expert witnesses, depositions, costs, and other fees

Your lawyer would never push you to accept a settlement that doesn’t cover your out-of-pocket expenses. It’s just important to remember at times like this that your attorney’s job is to make you whole. It is not their job to make you rich. This is nothing personal, but a lot of people have misconceptions about what kind of money they may receive in their car accident lawsuit.

It is Against the Rules of Ethics for a Cincinnati Car Accident Lawyer to Force a Client to Settle

Not that it should ever come to this, but the rules of ethics for attorneys in the State of Ohio prohibit them from forcing or pressuring a client to accept a settlement. This is something attorneys learn in their first year of law school. A client depends on their attorney to be honest and forthcoming when dealing with their case. They should not have to worry about a lawyer forcing them or pressuring them to a settlement that they don’t think is enough money. At the end of the day, your Ohio injury attorney works for you- you do not work for them.

It is Also an Ethical Violation if an Ohio Injury Attorney Fails to Communicate a Settlement Offer to You

We believe it is worth pointing out that, not only does your attorney have an ethical obligation to not force you to accept a settlement, but they also have an obligation to communicate all settlement offers to you. If a defendant attorney or insurance company offers a settlement, your Cincinnati car accident lawyer is required to communicate that settlement offer to you. They must do so directly, and they must do so within a reasonable period of time. When they communicate the settlement offered to you, they will give you their opinion as to whether they think you should accept it or not. Once you’ve had ample time to review the offer, simply let your lawyer know what you would like to do.

Your Ohio Injury Attorney Simply Has Your Best Interests in Mind

If you have been injured in a car accident recently and think you may have a valid claim, contact our office. As we stated earlier, we offer new clients a free consultation which means you can have an experienced attorney review your case and let you know if it has value. If your Cincinnati car accident lawyer thinks that your case is worth pursuing, they will let you know and offer to represent you in court. The final decision is up to you.

Jay A. Bolotin is a partner at the injury law firm of Young, Reverman & Bolotin. Serving the people of Indiana, Kentucky, and Ohio, Jay dedicates his career to helping clients in the tri-state area obtain financial compensation after suffering serious injuries. He focuses his practice on cases involving car accidents, trucking accidents, dog bites and animal attacks, and other types of personal injury incidents.

Years of Experience: More than 25 years
Registration Status:: Active
Bar Admissions: Illinois, Kentucky, Ohio, Indiana, and Cincinati Bar Association