Personal Injury Lawsuits and Mediation
When an accident caused by someone's negligence leads to serious, life-changing injuries, you need a personal injury lawyer on your side.
Accident victims may be able to recover compensation for their injuries and related damages through a lawsuit or alternatively through mediation, a process that can be used to resolve injury claims. At Froerer & Miles, our personal injury lawyers represent clients in personal injury lawsuits and mediation throughout South Ogden, UT. For help with your injury claim, please contact our attorneys today.
Mediation Basics
Mediation is a legal procedure in which a neutral third party, called a mediator, helps two parties resolve a dispute or conflict. Mediation may be done and is often court-ordered in an effort to avoid going to trial in a personal injury lawsuit, potentially saving time and court costs.
Through mediation, it may be possible to agree upon a settlement that both the injured party and the negligent party find fair. If neither party can come to an agreement, the personal injury lawsuit may need to go forward in court.
What to Expect During Mediation
During mediation, a neutral mediator oversees and facilitates communications between two disputing parties. The goal of using a neutral mediator is to keep the parties civil and productive in coming to a resolution.
Although each mediation experience is unique for clients at our South Ogden firm, during mediation, each party may be in their own room with their lawyers and insurance adjusters. The mediator spends time with each party, going between rooms to discuss the injury claim with each side.
Things that are said during mediation are confidential unless otherwise agreed upon and typically cannot be used if the dispute goes to court.
Once the mediator has heard from each side, they will work with each party to try to agree upon a settlement. The mediator can use information they received in speaking alone with each party, but will keep the statements confidential.
Why Consider Mediation?
Mediation can help accident victims get a fair settlement for their injuries and other damages when they've reached a deadlock with insurance adjusters while also helping them to avoid the time-consuming and costly expense of going to trial.
During mediation, both sides have the ability to accept or not accept a settlement offer. This gives parties some control over the outcome of their injury claim, unlike a trial that is decided by a judge or jury.
With that said, mediation may not be right for every personal injury claim. When both parties are at an impasse, the best course of action may be pursuing a personal injury lawsuit through the courts.
Contact the Personal Injury Attorneys of Froerer & Miles
Because any attempt at mediation can end in going to trial, it is important to have a personal injury attorney throughout the injury claim process. If you live in or around South Ogden and have been injured in an accident caused by someone else's negligence, you deserve the maximum settlement for your injuries. To discuss the details of your case and see how our personal injury attorneys may be able to help you, please call (801) 621-2690 or schedule a consultation online.
