How do I mentally handle being sued? Anyone been through it?

Question

I'm being sued over a minor car collision: no one left in an ambulance, no broken bones or sprained joints, and there were only scratches on the cars, no dents. (I was slowly backing up)

I have a lawyer and my insurance is on my side, and I'm confident that this will settle out of court and within my policy limits - but I still feel this nervous pang at the fact that I'm being sued and I don't know how to make the worry go away. I feel embarrassed, almost like a criminal...

There are good things happening in my life - like the fact that I'm about to move out for college; but it's been tough to enjoy it knowing that this is all going on.

This will take months of waiting for mediation dates, etc. and I don't have much control over anything - it's all in the hands of the lawyers...so how do I enjoy my day-to-day life and handle this in stride?

I'm sure this sort of thing happens for a lot of people everyday, and maybe I need to hear your stories so that I know I'm not the only one in this situation - and perhaps you'll all share your advice on how to handle this mentally and emotionally.

Answer 1

You bought insurance for protection.  They are protecting you.  Any pay out will come from their pockets, not yours.  95% of these suits are settled out of court

95% of these suits are settled for less than policy limits.

Sit back, relax, let your insurance company and their many lawyers do their job.  They are experts and go through this every day.  Trust them.

Answer 2

There is no need to worry.  The insurance company and the attorneys defending you will do everything in their power to resolve the claim within your policy limits.  It sounds as if the other party is simply trying to capitalize on the accident.  This happens all of the time.  This is the kind of society we now live in.  Suing has become the resolution of choice.

You did not kill anybody or seriously injure them either.  They are greedy.  Get angry, not worried.  They are likely vexatious litigants, and will strike again in the future.  You are the victim.  

Now concentrate on school, and let the insurance company defend you.  They WILL!  

Answer 3

The best way to handle it is to let the lawyers do their job.  That's what they're there for.  Don't try to interfere.  They know what to do and they will take care of everything.  This is also why you have insurance.  Since you had proper insurance at the time of the accident, you are covered no matter what happens.  Even if everything in court goes against you for some weird reason, you won't lose a penny.

Also remember that America is a very lawsuit-happy society.  So many times people sue for other reasons, like to pressure your insurance company into settling.  It may not even get to trial.