Los Angeles Car Accident Arbitrations
Many victims of personal injury claims, who have often been involved in Los Angeles car accidents, want to know about every option available to them in the aftermath of the accident. One of the most misunderstood options available is arbitration. Arbitration is a popular alternative to going to trial in order to reach a resolution. Though arbitration is a viable and popular alternative to trial, Los Angeles car accident claims rarely go to arbitration. Most parties to a claim tend to settle out of court before, or after a lawsuit has been initiated.
Settlement agreements are always encouraged by the legal process, and are often desired by the parties themselves, but if agreements regarding a Los Angeles auto accident cannot be reached, a judge will order, or the parties themselves will agree to, an arbitration proceeding. During an arbitration, an objective third party, called an arbitrator, will oversee the entire process, taking statements from the plaintiff and the defendant, and coming to a ruling which must be honored by both parties. The only time parties may ignore an arbitration ruling and seek out a full trial is when the arbitrator and the parties to the arbitration sign a non-binding agreement. In all instances, arbitration for a car accident claim is different from a trial in that a trial involves a judge and jury making ultimate decisions as to the outcome of the dispute, while an arbitrator essentially serves the function of the judge and jury on his or her own. Similar to trial, the Plaintiff and Defendant can present evidence to the arbitrator to take into consideration, whether it be police reports, medical records, or pictures. The arbitrator will then decide how to rule in the case depending upon the merits presented by each side, as well as any amount that should be awarded to the Plaintiff.
Arbitrations are often encouraged because they are much faster than trial, and much more efficient. Furthermore, they are not slowed down by the typical rules of evidence which help dictate the proceedings of a drawn out trial, making the work of a Los Angeles car accident attorney much easier to represent you.
The experienced, skilled personal injury lawyers at California Attorney Group have years of practice under their belt. They know all the ins and outs of the trial and pretrial process. If you decide to engage in the arbitration process, make sure you have excellent Los Angeles personal injury lawyers advising you on what to expect and how to handle best presenting your case to the arbitrator. Contact the best Los Angeles personal injury lawyers today at California Attorney Group by calling (866) 650-0505 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting (866) 650-0505 end_of_the_skype_highlighting.
