Personal injury mediation in Connecticut can be an effective way to resolve cases.
You are going about your daily routine. And then something happens. A dog bites you. A car comes crashing into you. You fall on ice and break your leg. Your lawyer tells you your cases been dismissed for failing to file paperwork. Life changes on a dime.
No one ever expects to become a plaintiff. But it happens.
Like many folks find out, The insurance company refuses to do the right thing. And suddenly you find yourself in the lawyers office. Suddenly your injury is a case. And you have questions. One of those questions is “how will this case resolve?”
The statistics tell us that 97% of Connecticut personal-injury cases resolve prior to a jury trial. Sometimes they resolve prior to filing suit. This post explores mediation in Connecticut personal injury cases. Mediation can be an effective way to resolve cases.
What is personal injury mediation in Connecticut?
Personal injury mediation in Connecticut is a voluntary process. A process in which the parties agreed to sit down, discuss, and attempt to resolve their case with a neutral party. The neutral party is called a mediator. A mediator cannot force the parties to settle. All a mediator can do is attempt to facilitate settlement between the parties.
Who are personal injury mediators in Connecticut?
Personal injury mediators in Connecticut are frequently judges, attorneys with experience in personal injury litigation, or retired judges. The state of Connecticut judicial branch as a judicial mediation program. The Mediation program is free for litigants. Parties select a judge and schedule a mediation. Sometimes, private mediators are used. Private mediators are paid for by the parties. Both parties must agree to any mediator.
The decision of who mediates a case is an important one. Experienced Connecticut personal injury attorneys are effective at matching cases with the right mediator.
When does personal injury mediation happen?
The answer is it depends. I have successfully mediated cases prior to filing suit. And I have successfully mediated cases on the eve of trial. It often depends on the willingness of the parties to resolve the matter. Sometimes, legal issues need to be sorted out first. So parties have a better understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of their case. Mediation can happen at anytime.
Do I have to mediate my case?
No. Even a participation in the mediation process is voluntary. Sometimes cases resolved over a phone call, sometimes in the pretrial with the judge, and sometimes during trial itself. Mediation is just a tool to bring about resolution of a case.
In my experience, mediating a case at the right time and with the right mediator can bring about a quick and effective resolution of a case. Mediation done properly is a lot of work. A case needs to be presented in a way that the mediator understands the significance of the claims being made. Clients also have to understand the mediation process. It is much more then just relaying numbers back-and-forth.
If you have been injured in a Connecticut car accident, dog bite, slip and fall, or by the negligence of an attorney – you can contact attorney Ryan McKeen to discuss your case. And whether or not mediation maybe appropriate.
Contact Connecticut Personal Injury Attorney Ryan McKeen 860 471 8333.
