When you have been involved in a serious accident and have received injuries that will result in extensive medical care and an extended time away from your job, filing a personal injury lawsuit against those whose negligence and carelessness led to your accident is a smart and necessary decision. Yet as your case plays out, you may be asked to sign a confidentiality agreement by the defendant’s attorneys or their insurance company. As to why these cases should be kept confidential, here are some important reasons you should keep in mind.
Damage to Reputation
Depending on the circumstances surrounding your accident, it is possible revealing various details could cause extreme embarrassment to one or both parties. From the types of injuries sustained to how the accident occurred, keeping everything confidential will give you and your family peace of mind.
Affecting the Settlement
As you work with legal experts like Jeeves Law Group, P.A. to bring your case to a conclusion, agreeing to keep certain aspects of your lawsuit confidential could affect the amount of money you receive in a settlement. Rather than play hardball on this, your attorney may recommend you sign an NDA. In doing so, you can get the compensation necessary to pay your medical expenses and replace thousands of dollars in lost income.
Quicker Resolution of Your Case
Even if the defendant is not eager to see you get thousands of dollars in damages awarded by a jury or through an out-of-court settlement, they will still likely want the case wrapped up as quickly as possible. Should you balk at signing an NDA, this could create an unnecessary stumbling block to getting you the compensation you need and deserve. After talking with your attorney, it may be to your advantage to sign the NDA and let your case move toward its conclusion.
Your Financial Future
Finally, keeping your personal injury case confidential will mean only you, your family, your lawyer, and a few select others such as a judge will know the actual amount of money you received in your settlement. Whether you want to simply maintain a high level of privacy or have concerns you could be targeted by criminals if it is revealed you have come into a large sum of money, confidentiality will ensure you can keep your financial future to yourself.
Before agreeing to any confidentiality agreement, always discuss it with your attorney. By knowing your rights and how your lawyer can make sure those rights are best protected, you can get the compensation you need and have the details of your case remain confidential.