Pennsylvania Personal Injury Lawyers Share Legal Options from Offices in Lancaster County, PA

Do you know your personal injury legal options after you have been injured in an accident when an insurance company is not paying you full compensation? If the insurance company refuses to pay fair compensation for your personal injuries and damages in Lancaster County and Central PA,  there are a number of ways that your case could be resolved. Below is a description of the different legal options for personal injury in Lancaster and Central PA.

Court

There are two types of court in Lancaster, Pennsylvania: the Magisterial District Court and the Court of Common Pleas.

Magisterial District Court
The first is rarely used for personal injury cases, but it can be a quick and cost-efficient way to resolve smaller personal injury claims.  This level of court is called a magisterial district court or more commonly referred to as the “District Judge”.   These courts are spread throughout the county.

Lancaster County Court of Common Pleas
The second type of court is where jury and bench trials are held.  This is called the Lancaster County Court of Common Pleas and it is located at 50 North Duke in downtown Lancaster.  A jury trial consists of 12 people from Lancaster County who are chosen to hear your case and decide the outcome.  A bench trial is when a Judge hears the facts of your case and then decides the outcome.  Bringing your case to this level is becoming rarer and the below types of case resolution have become more common.  However, your attorney must be able to get you results at a jury or bench trial or the insurance company may not pay the fair amount for your injuries and damages.
The attorneys at RG Injury Law have the guts to go all the way for their clients and the skill to succeed. 

Arbitration

Arbitration can be a much cheaper option to resolve your case than going to court (in other words a jury or bench trial).  There are two main types of arbitration.  The first occurs when you file a lawsuit but agree that your damages are less than $50,000.  In this case, court administration would select three attorneys from Lancaster County who would hear all the testimony and evidence in your case, then decide the outcome.  The attorneys selected to hear your case are called the “arbitrators”.  Either side may appeal a decision in this type of arbitration.

The second type of arbitration is when the parties agree to present the case to one or more attorneys for a binding decision by the arbitrators.  The decision from this type of decision is almost always final because there are very limited reasons that either party could appeal a decision in this type of arbitration.  The attorneys at RG Injury Law have handled many arbitrations.  They know who should be selected to arbitrate your case and which attorneys should be avoided.

Mediation

Mediation has become a common way to resolve cases.  A mediation usually involves one attorney or judge who has been selected as the mediator.  The mediator’s job is to hear from both parties and attempt to get them to settle the case.  A mediator never decides the outcome of the case, but rather attempts to have both sides see the pros and cons of moving forward to court if the mediation does not work.  Your attorney should be experienced in mediations as many insurance companies are now using mediations to get the injured person to take low ball offers.  The insurance company preys on the moment and the desire for the injured person to put the case behind them and move on with their lives.  You will need a strong attorney to resist this tactic and help guide you through the process.  Chad Rankin and William Gregory have mediated many cases to a successful resolution for their clients.