In most cases, a settlement offer will be less than the maximum amount of compensation you might receive if you took your car accident claim to trial. This lower amount reflects the risk that, if you take your claim to trial, you might end up losing and receiving nothing, or may end up receiving far less from the jury. However, filing a lawsuit in court in your car accident claim often has the effect of putting pressure on the other side since they obviously face the risk that you might win your case.