California Offer of Judgment — Personal Injury: A Detailed Description California Offer of Judgment — Personal Injury is a legal mechanism used in the state of California to settle personal injury cases before they go to trial. This offer allows either the plaintiff or the defendant to propose a specific settlement amount, potentially saving time and money by avoiding a lengthy court process. The California Offer of Judgment enables both parties involved in the personal injury case to evaluate the strength of their claims and make informed decisions about accepting or rejecting settlement offers. By making an offer of judgment, the offering party signals their willingness to accept a specific amount as a settlement. The California Offer of Judgment is governed by the Code of Civil Procedure Section 998, which outlines the rules and requirements associated with making and accepting offers. This section aims to encourage settlement negotiations and prevent unnecessary trials by imposing financial consequences on parties that reject reasonable settlement offers. Different Types of California Offer of Judgment — Personal Injury: 1. Plaintiff's Offer of Judgment: This type of offer can be made by the injured party (plaintiff) to the opposing party (defendant). The plaintiff proposes a specific amount they are willing to accept as a settlement for their personal injury claim. If the defendant rejects this offer and the final judgment exceeds the plaintiff's offer, the defendant may be required to pay additional costs and fees incurred after the offer was made. 2. Defendant's Offer of Judgment: In contrast to the plaintiff's offer, the defendant can also initiate the Offer of Judgment process by proposing a specific settlement amount to the plaintiff. If the plaintiff rejects this offer and the final judgment is less favorable than the defendant's offer, the plaintiff may be responsible for paying the defendant's legal costs and expenses incurred after the offer was made. Keywords: California Offer of Judgment, personal injury case, settlement amount, legal mechanism, Code of Civil Procedure Section 998, settlement negotiations, plaintiff's offer, defendant's offer, settlement offers, personal injury claim, final judgment, legal costs, expenses.