The Long and Winding Road to a Settlement

It is abundant in our society correct, and despite havinghas been arrived at peacefully. Another is that it saves
all the possible ways of avoiding such occurrence stillmoney on the part of the antagonists in the dispute
being inevitable it could not actually be avoided.particularly in going through the tedious process of filing
Accidents happening on the highways, or any place ofcauses of action in our courts. It is also a testimony of
transport for that matter, have been so rampant. Inthe rational being of man, that disputes or
fact our courts of law have been clogged with socontroversies may be resolved without adversarial
many claims involving vehicle accidents that our benchproceedings in our courts of law. Finally, it would save
has made it a point that before these cases would beprecious time and effort for our judges, that would be
elevated to them, all efforts to settle the same mustutilized to ponder on more pressing issues and more
first be exhausted.complex cases.
There are several modes of settling a claim forA long and winding road indeed, but at the end of the
negligence resulting to physical disability or damage today when everything has fallen into their own proper
property. This may include but is not limited to,places and a settlement has been arrived at, at least it
mediation, arbitration, settlement, or the ordinary bargain.was not an effort in futility. The parties having learned
These modes are all extra-judicial, meaning that theytheir lessons from such occurrence, proper restitution
are means of finding a solution to erring claims withouthas been made, a chance to change has been given
resort to our courts of law. These has been viewed inanother, and a day in court has been saved, these are
a positive light by magistrates, the fact that finding amerely some benefits that an extra-judicial settlement
common ground and answering a dispute without anymay provide. As the old proverb goes, clearer minds
taxing and rigorous court battle has been the lineageprevail and adversarial court proceedings are no longer
for the past decade or so.warranted for such types of claim. Peace of mind,
Extra-judicial modes of settling disputes have severalclarity of senses, and repentance for a wrong done,
advantages, it actually prevents the further severanceare the principles upon which extra-judicial settlements
of the relationship of the parties because a bargainare actually based.