Personal injury settlements can be life-changing, especially if you have been seriously injured or you are dealing with the side effects of a personal injury. When it comes to lawsuits for personal injuries, sums can be moderate, or the award may be significant. You may be wondering if your personal injury settlement is public record, or you might want to look up someone else’s personal injury settlement out of curiosity. Our guide tells you more about personal injury settlements and whether you can find these details on the public record.
What Is a Personal Injury Settlement?
A personal injury settlement refers to a legal decision that occurs to conclude a lawsuit for a personal injury. Generally, the person injured will receive compensation, typically monetary, from the at-fault party that caused their injury. Personal injury lawsuits and settlements can occur in all aspects of life, from car crashes, work accidents, or negligence in a public place. Depending on the type of injury and the significance of its impact on the person injured.
Are Personal Injury Settlements Public Record?
Personal injury settlements are not typically public record. This is because settlement amounts are private, and they are typically decided as part of the lawsuit settlement out of court. In many cases, settlements occur to stop the personal injury case from proceeding through court, and they can be more beneficial to both parties affected in the lawsuit than pursuing the case through court.
Because a personal injury settlement may be handled out of court, these documents are private, and there are generally no requirements or laws that state they should be public or made available for review by others.
When Does a Personal Injury Case Become Public?
A personal injury case may become public in certain circumstances, though these circumstances are not as common. Typically, if a personal injury case goes all the way through court and has a verdict made by a judge, these records will become part of public court records. That means any member of the public can complete the steps required to look into these cases and review the details of the personal injury case.
Another instance in which a personal injury case might become public is if the records of a private case are subpoenaed or requested to be used as evidence in another court case. The majority of court records and documents are public, meaning the personal injury settlement involved will also be public.
How Do I Find a Public Court Case?
If you are searching for a public court case, there are a few different ways to find these details. The most common method is to access the website or records office of the local courthouse or a state courthouse; all courthouses and records offices in your state will usually have websites or even in-person offices you can utilize to find public court case records and information.
If you want a simpler way to find public court case documents, you can utilize a public record search engine to look into both civil and criminal court records. These tools can make the search process much faster and streamlined than looking through courthouse records individually.
Can Anyone Access My Personal Injury Settlement Records?
If your personal injury settlement was handled outside of court, then no one can access these records. The amount of money you were awarded and the details of the case will be private in this instance, and no one will be able to access information about your personal injury settlement.
However, if your personal injury settlement was part of a larger case that went all the way through the legal system and was decided on by a judge, there is a chance these records will be part of the public record.
Maintain Your Personal Injury Settlement Privacy
Personal injury settlements can involve large amounts of money, so it makes sense if you are worried about the privacy of such information. Fortunately, it is easy to maintain your personal injury settlement privacy if your settlement is decided outside of court; these records are not accessible by the public, and they will not be part of the courthouse record or other public record directories.