A common maneuver for defendants in a personal injury case is to offer an out-of-court settlement to plaintiffs. These settlements often involve a figure that reasonably covers some of the cost of damages, but will exclude others. For the defendant, this keeps the case from proceeding into further litigation. The final decision to accept this amount is up to the plaintiff. While accepting the settlement can bring closure to the suit, it may also leave out funds for emotional damages and other contentious compensations. However, accepting the sum also rules out some of the uncertainty of going to court.