by winburnlaw

Will My Case Settle?

Most cases settle, but the insurance company will want to settle for as little as possible.  Cases can settle before they are filed, while they are filed and even after the jury renders its verdict if the case goes to trial.  If the insurance company is being cooperative then there may not be a need to file a lawsuit.  However, it is in the interest of the insurance company to pay a claimant as little as possible.  It may be that the claim needs to go through the litigation process to clarify issues for the insurance company.  The bottom line is that it is it is almost always a bad idea to accept whatever the insurance company offers unless you have an attorney on your side to interpret the factors involved in the case.

Our law office reviews cases throughout the State of Vermont – in Manchester, Bennington, Rutland, Burlington, Woodstock, St. Albans, Brattleboro, Montpelier, Woodford, Springfield, Wilmington, the Northeast Kingdom and anywhere else where there is jurisdiction in the State of Vermont. If you believe you have a personal injury claim feel free to contact us toll free at 800-640-5100.

by winburnlaw

Why Is Insurance Not Disclosed During Trials?

With few exceptions, Vermont juries are never told that the personal injury claim they are deciding has insurance.  That is because there is a rule of evidence that excludes this information because it is thought that it may affect the juries’ determinations and cause higher verdicts.

However, others believe that if the jury thinks that payment of their verdict will come out of the pockets of the individual defendants, this will potentially reduce the amount of verdict.  Juries are left to wonder where the money to pay the verdict will come from.  The allowance of this information to the jury causes the court system to engage in a “legal fiction” to the advantage of insurance companies and to the disadvantage of consumers.

We offer free consultations to help you make a more informed choice.  Our background and experience (see the “In The News” page of this website) can help in making a good decision about who should be hired to handle your case.  We have offices in Bennington and Manchester, Vermont and handle cases throughout the entire State.