Los Angeles Mediation Attorneys

Mr. El Dabe and Mr. Ritter have mediated cases on a volunteer basis in Los Angeles and Orange County.  Due to their experience and reputation, they are regularly called upon by trial lawyers, plaintiffs-lawyers, and defense lawyers alike, to mediate cases.  They have also been called upon by the office of the Los Angeles Superior Court to serve as voluntary settlement officers.  Local courts, overburdened with filing and cases set for trial, promote mediation and voluntary settlement conferences as a method of settling cases before trial.

What is Mediation? 

Mediation is a process that involves you meeting with the liable party and a third-party mediator who will try to encourage compromise and communication between the two parties. It is important to note that while you should have goals in mind when you enter mediation, both sides are likely not going to obtain everything they want. 

All parties can meet together during mediation sessions, or a mediator may meet with the two sides separately. It is important to work with a Los Angeles mediation attorney during mediation, as they can protect your rights and ensure you receive the fairest settlement possible. Mediators do not make any decisions, and they also do not provide legal advice.  An attorney will provide the legal counsel you need, so you can make an informed decision.

Benefits of Mediation 

Mediation holds many benefits over going to a jury trial. It is for this reason that judges often mandate opposing sides to attempt mediation before a trial date is set. The litigants in a claim can also enter mediation voluntarily and many do because the process does hold many benefits over litigation.

Mediation, when compared to a court trial or jury trial is:

• Fast: Although litigation can take several months, or even years, a settlement agreement can often be reached during mediation sessions in just a matter of weeks.
• Effective: A government study has shown just how effective mediation is. According to the study, mediation has been shown to resolve 78 percent of all cases. Although a trial will resolve the issues of a personal injury case, mediation will do so much faster.
• Affordable: The cost of private mediation varies and can be anywhere between $200 and $1,000 an hour. Although that may sound costly for some, compare it with the cost of litigation, which can cost tens of thousands of dollars, and it is easy to see how affordable mediation is.
• Confidential: Anything that happens in court becomes a matter of public record. That means anyone can look up what happened in a personal injury case and see all the details, including the number of damages you were awarded. You can keep this information confidential and out of the public eye by entering mediation.  

Many cases are settled in a mediation setting.  Our mediation attorneys in Los Angeles encourage both sides and their counsel to come together and exchange information confidentially, in an effort to ascertain the viability of the merits of their cases, with the hope of a settlement.

Mediation can benefit the litigant’s toes; a settled case will avoid the protracted time and expense of a trial and litigants can avoid the emotional toll of trial. The neutral party in the mediation is often a retired judge or experienced lawyer, whose goal is to bring all sides closer to an agreement on the case, or in some cases, a specific issue.  During mediation, all sides get an opportunity to evaluate witnesses, hear the evidence, obtain a better understanding of the arguments, and (attempt to) predict the results of the trial.

When Should You Attempt Mediation?

You may think that if you and your personal injury attorney have reached a stalemate with the liable party or their insurance company, there is no point in continuing conversations. However, many people are surprised at just how effective it is to bring in a neutral third party who can advise on the case and help foster communication and compromise between the two sides. Bringing the two sides together face-to-face rather than just exchanging paperwork is also sometimes enough to break the deadlock and reach an agreement.

Still, it is important to remember that while more affordable than litigation, there is still a cost attached to mediation.  You must keep this in mind and determine when mediation is worthwhile. For example, if you and the insurer are in disagreement about. $2,000, mediation may not be as worthwhile as it would be if the amount in question was higher, such as a $10,000 disparity. Our Los Angeles mediation attorneys can effectively negotiate with the insurer and advise on when it is time to try another solution, such as mediation.

Mediation Service

Mediation or settlement conferences can take place either before or after a lawsuit is filed, which can be done with the help of a Los Angeles mediation lawyer. Mediation can also take place over several days if they involve multiple complex issues or a large number of parties.

Contact Our Los Angeles Mediation Lawyers Today

Our founding attorneys mediate cases regularly in the Southern California area.  If you are interested in obtaining the services of our experienced mediators in Los Angeles, contact El Dabe Ritter Trial Lawyers.