Often, a case that arose due to an accidental injury can be settled before a trial. That statement might surprise more than one of the people that read it. Lawyers are known to make a substantial amount of money. How do they collect all that money, if their clients do not allow a given case to move forward, so that a decision gets reached in a court of law?
If an injury lawyer in Georgetown does not always seem eager to present an argument in a courtroom, how do they make their money? Have members of the legal profession learned a different way by which to get rich, while helping victims of an accident? Thus, exactly what have they learned?
Why do so few cases go to trial?
If a lawyer elects to take a case to trial, he or she usually feels that a good argument can be presented, in defense of the plaintiff. In other words, it looks like the plaintiff is likely to win the case. No sensible lawyer would agree to cover the expenses linked to a trial, if he or she did not expect to come out as the winner.
On the other hand, a lawyer might realize that a good defense lawyer could poke holes in any argument that might be made for that same lawyer’s client (the plaintiff). Hence, the lawyer would encourage his or her client to settle out of court. When that happens, the proper authorities must get notified.
What is the notification process?
In cases where there has been a pre-trial settlement, the lawyer for the plaintiff notifies the court, concerning the agreed-upon decision. Then the defense lawyer writes a letter that includes the terms of the settlement. That letter gets sent to the plaintiff’s lawyer, and it has to be approved by the recipient of that same letter.
At that point the stage has been set for distribution of the payout. Still the payout could be delayed by a government or medical lien. Such a lien could be placed on the settlement, if the plaintiff has failed to pay his or her health insurance company, or has neglected to pay bills from government agencies.
Who gets the check with the settlement money?
If there are no delays, and the process for distributing the payout moves forward, the lawyer gets a check. The amount on that check represents the monetary reward, as established by the settlement. The lawyer deducts from the money in that check the amount equal to his or her fees and expenses. The lawyer then writes a check to the plaintiff. The amount of that particular check equals the money awarded in the settlement minus the fees and expenses, owed to the plaintiff’s lawyer.