Why The Defendant Might Accept Liability In A Car Accident Jury Trial

In the majority of car accident personal injury cases, you will settle out of court. However, there are some cases where the defendant refuses to cooperate and you will then be required to take your case to trial. If this occurs, either you or the defendant may opt for a jury trial. With a jury trial, the defendant might "accept liability." It's helpful to understand what this concept means in a civil court case.

The Importance of Liability

In most car accident cases, it's essential to prove that the other party is negligent. Even if you are injured, you will not be entitled to compensation unless you can prove that your injuries were the result of the negligence of the other motorist. Therefore, with the help of an auto accident attorney, you would need to gather the evidence necessary to support your case. Then, you would present this evidence in court.

Accepting Liability

To win a personal injury case, you will need to prove that the defendant is liable for your injuries before you can then determine how much you should be compensated. However, in some cases, the defendant will choose to accept liability.

In this case, the job of the jury will be to determine the extent of the damages that you, the plaintiff, have suffered. The defendant's lawyer may advise her to admit liability when it is clear that she is liable and to cause the jury to not hear the circumstances of the accident. For example, the defendant might have been committing a crime at the time of the accident and does not want to admit to this. 

Calculating Damages

One of the reasons for choosing to admit liability is to reduce the risk that the jury might award punitive damages. For the jury to decide to award punitive damages, they will need to feel the need to punish the other driver for their actions. Otherwise, the types of damages you are likely to receive are car damage repair costs, medical bills, future medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering.

Regardless of whether or not you will take your case to trial or settle out of court, you will need help from an experienced auto accident attorney to determine if you have a chance of receiving compensation for your injuries. Your attorney will have experience with your type of case and will help you understand what to expect.

For additional information, reach out to a local car accident lawyer.