Chicago Personal Injury Lawyer - Article

Civil Lawsuit Resolutions without Trial

The majority of civil lawsuits never make it through a trial. Despite the portrayals publicized by the mass media, most lawsuits are resolved without the need for a full trial. In fact, both plaintiffs and defendants are often better served by an early resolution or settlement than by a time-consuming and expensive trial, after which their fates are left in the hands of a judge and/or jury.

In many situations, the opposing parties may decide that going through a trial isn’t worth the time, money, effort, and risk. By negotiating settlement terms amongst themselves, they can avoid the hassle while coming to an agreement which is acceptable to both parties. The plaintiff gets a guaranteed award, and the defendant avoids the risk of being hit with a larger judgment. Once approved by the judge, a settlement can carry the same weight of law as a verdict after a trial.

Sometimes civil lawsuits are resolved without a settlement agreement. If, for example, a defendant fails to respond within the allotted time limit after being notified of pending legal action, a judge may decide to award a default judgment to the plaintiff which grants him/her the damages sought in the original complaint.

A case may also be voluntarily dismissed by the plaintiff, or involuntarily dismissed by a judge who decides that the plaintiff is failing to follow court orders and/or rules of procedure.

Summary judgment occurs when a case does not need a trial for resolution. In some cases, simply applying the law to the stipulated facts (facts that both parties agree are true) will yield a result in favor of one party or another. In such situations, a summary judgment may be appropriate.

If you are need of experienced legal representation in Chicago to file a personal injury lawsuit, look no further than the Chicago personal injury lawyers of Friedman & Bonebrake, P.C. Call them today at 312-466-8200.