What is Mandatory Arbitration?

Mandatory arbitration is arbitration under Washington’s Superior Court rules to allow a quicker resolution of those cases where the only thing sought is money damages of $50,000 or less. The upside is speed, but they are easier to appeal than traditional arbitration. This leads to the second upside, which is that if your opponent appeals the arbitration award but fails to improve their position at the following jury trial, you can be awarded the legal fees and costs it took to go to trial. This can be a strong incentive to encourage insurance companies to stop delaying payments that are owed to injury victims rather than face the risk of a much larger payment after trial.

If you would like further information on this topic or have any other questions, contact our Spokane trial attorneys today.