Virginia Civil Litigation Settlements

A settlement is an agreement between two parties to resolve their dispute so as to not proceed in the litigation. A structured settlement is when the payment for the settlement is not made at one time but over a period of time structured to occur on certain dates and on certain amounts.

If you are in the midst of a civil dispute or would like to know more about settlements, reach out to an experienced civil litigation lawyer. An accomplished attorney is familiar with Virginia civil litigation settlements and how to fight for your right to compensation.

Benefits of a Settlement

The benefits of a Virginia civil litigation settlement are certainty and control. Also, settlements usually save money for one of the parties. It generally gives the litigants control over the matter and allows them to determine when and how the matter should be resolved. It does not leave the resolution up to the chance of putting the matter in the hands of a judge or a jury who may decide things against the plaintiff.

Downsides of a Settlement

The downside of settlement is that sometimes claimants feel a little less satisfied that they did not get complete relief, and that sometimes they got less money than they thought they deserved. People may feel dissatisfied because they wanted their “day in court” and they did not get it.

Evaluating a Settlement Offer

The attorney in NoVa will look at the facts and figure out as best they can what the value of the case is in a civil litigation. They will look at the records specific to that case to get an idea of what the damages are, talk to the claimant and look at other cases to see how they were resolved, whether there is a judgment entered or the jury entered a judgment in favor of the plaintiff or against the plaintiff, and compare that to what is being offered in the settlement.

Virginia Civil Litigation Settlements vs. Trials

An experienced attorney should never be telling the claimant how a case is going to turn out. Doing so leaves the attorney exposed to second-guessing by the claimant. The lawyer should tell the claimant whether there is a likelihood of success or not and make sure the claimant is fully informed about whether to proceed to a trial given the chance of success. However, an attorney will do the same exact analysis they would do along the line that is based upon the work they did to understand the facts and to uncover evidence in support of the theory of their case. They will then make a determination of whether or not it is a strong case or weak case based upon how the court is responding to their case, how strong they think their witnesses will be, how other cases with similar facts have been resolved, and then tell the claimant what their options are.

Call today if you have any questions about Virginia civil litigation settlements and how a lawyer could help you recover compensation.