3 Reasons You Shouldn't File a Personal-Injury Lawsuit
Personal-injury lawsuits are a common way to get what you deserve after an accident. Many people have had positive outcomes from a personal-injury lawsuit, and because of that, you may wonder whether it is worth your while to file a lawsuit against someone or an insurance company. Although there are many situations in which you should consider a lawsuit, there are some circumstances when a lawsuit would simply be a waste of time and could potentially cost you more money. Here are some reasons you shouldn't file a lawsuit.
1. The Amount Disputed Is Small
If the amount of money that is owed you is pretty small, like under a couple thousand dollars, you should let the matter slide and avoid filing the lawsuit. The concern is that there are filing fees, attorney fees, and time spent working on the case. If you think about how valuable your time is compared to how much money you realistically could get out of the lawsuit, you will soon realize that this is not worth your time and could end up costing your more money than just taking the loss. This is why you should realistically assess how much money you can get out of the lawsuit and determine whether the matter is really worth a lawsuit. If the amount is small, there is a good chance an attorney won't take your case anyway.
2. The Insurance Company Is Willing to Pay Out
Before you file a lawsuit, you need to try working with your insurance company or the insurance company of the person who caused the accident first. For example, if you were in a car accident and need medical expenses covered, try accessing the guilty party's insurance policy and see whether they will pay for it. In some cases, you can contact your own insurance company, let them know the situation, and get them to go to bat with you with the other insurance company to make sure you get what you are owed. This is a free and better way to deal with the lawsuit.
The only exception with working with the other party's insurance company is if the company is giving you the runaround and delaying your claim. This could be a tactic to waste time so that you can't file a lawsuit because you missed the statute of limitations. So beware of this taking too long.
3. You Are Doing This Only Out of Spite
Lastly, emotions should not determine your decision to file a lawsuit; your decision should be based on logic and what is best for you financially. If you are filing the lawsuit only to get back at the other person, you are doing things wrong.
By understanding these things, you can determine whether filing a lawsuit is right for you. Talk to a firm such as Vaughan & Vaughan to learn more.