Personal Injury Law Blog

Personal Injury Settlements: Myths vs Reality

How do we separate the myths about personal injury lawsuits from reality? If you listen to too much chatter from friends and family, you may be steered in the wrong direction after suffering an injury. You could end up with an unsatisfactory result.

There are many stigmas and myths about personal injury lawsuits. These can negatively affect how you handle a complex legal matter. You need to be able to separate myth from reality if you have been injured in any type of accident and have sustained serious injuries.

Personal Injury Cases Take Forever and Always Go to Trial

This is a common myth. Actually, 95 percent of cases settle and never make it to the inside of a courtroom. The news media tends to report on unique headline-grabbing cases that have been litigated for years. However, most cases are settled quickly with the use of other legal tools such as arbitration.

Arbitration is a type of alternative dispute resolution. An arbitrator hears evidence, decides who wins the case, and sets the amount of damages to be awarded. Many people choose arbitration because it can be faster and less expensive than going to trial.

You Must Have Life-Long Lasting Serious Injuries to Sue

Another common misunderstanding. While you might not get a mega-payout if your injuries are minor, you may still need help covering all of your medical expenses. This is where a personal injury attorney can help.

Insurance companies often attempt to lowball the settlement offer for minor injuries. These low payouts may not adequately cover the level of medical care that you need.

The Party At Fault Will Suffer Serious Financial Consequences and Have to Pay Significant Costs

This is another misconception about personal injury cases. Many times, people are hesitant to file a personal injury claim because they are afraid that the party at fault will suffer severe financial difficulties. This is rarely the case. Typically, the other person’s insurance company pays the settlement award.

I Have Insurance, I Don’t Need a Personal Injury Attorney

This could be a costly misunderstanding. An insurance company is looking at their bottom line, not your best interests. They will typically offer you much less than your coverage actually provides. A personal injury lawyer in Los Angeles knows how to negotiate with insurance companies. They will make sure you receive a reasonable settlement that includes other expenses beyond strict medical costs.

I Have Plenty of Time to File My Case

This is another myth that can have drastic consequences. California has set a time limit during which you can file a lawsuit. This is referred to as a statute of limitations.

For a personal injury case, you have two years from the date of the injury to file a claim. If you didn’t know you were injured right away, you then have one year from the date you discovered the injury if the two-year limit has expired. An attorney can help you navigate within these timeframes.

If My Lawsuit Fails, I Can Always File Again

False. If you fail and are denied relief from a judge you can’t simply file again. You may have grounds to appeal the judge’s decision. However, there’s no guarantee that your appeal will be accepted or successful. This is why it is so important to do things right the first time. Have an experienced Los Angeles personal injury attorney assist you and increase the odds of success.

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      “Mr. Glotzer represented me after I was involved in a car accident. I was badly injured,but the insurance company refused to offer me a reasonable settlement. I decided to find an attorney and decided to hire Josh.

      His law firm did a great job on my case. They were very responsive to all my questions and obtained a great resolution for me. I received way more money than was originally offered. I would recommend their firm to friends and family.”

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      “Mr. Josh Glotzer is a great attorney. Over the last 15 years he has helped me on a number of cases with professionalism, and more importantly a positive outcome in my favor. I have referred him to a number of friends and colleagues, all of which have been equally as happy with his legal representation. I trust him and confident in legal ability. I highly recommend his law firm.”

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      “Don’t try to deal with insurance companies on your own. They strung me along for almost two years before I gave the case to Glotzer & Leib. Josh and his team quickly obtained a settlement that netted me many times what the insurance company was offering. Thank You!”

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      “My wife was in a car accident last year and Josh did an amazing job representing her. It’s very refreshing to see someone in his profession that actually cares and puts his clients first. He’s the best in the business and I feel so fortunate that I was referred to him. Keep up the great work and thanks for everything you did for my family!”

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      “I was in a rear end car accident last year and hired Mr. Glotzer’s office. It wasn’t a big case but their office helped me with my property damage claim and did a good job resolving the injury portion of the case as well.”

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