Why do so many personal injury cases settle at mediation rather than go to trial?

Most personal injury cases settle rather than go to trial because trial is expensive, slow, and uncertain for both sides. A plaintiff who wins at trial may wait years and face appeals before seeing any money, and a defendant faces the risk of a large verdict. Mediation gives both sides a structured opportunity to weigh those risks honestly, with a neutral who can help each side see the weaknesses in its own position as well as the other’s. It also gives the injured person control over the outcome rather than leaving it to a jury. When both sides realistically account for the costs, delays, and risks of trial, a negotiated resolution frequently makes more sense — which is why the great majority of cases resolve at or after mediation.