Mediation in Personal Injury Disputes

Personal injury claims generally involve a claim by someone who has suffered an injury requiring medical treatment as the result of another person’s negligent or intentional conduct. The auto accident in which someone is injured is most familiar to everyone as the usual type of personal injury claim. Other claims can arise from slip and fall accidents in a store or home, medical malpractice, intentional conduct such as an assault and more. Often an insurance company is involved on behalf of the defendant in these claims. Personal injury claims are appropriate for mediation because the resolution usually involves the payment of money and the issues can usually be ferreted out by the mediator and the parties without a great deal of rancor. Sometimes these claims can also be resolved creatively with donations being made to certain charitable organizations as well.

Mediations with multiple parties represented are common in public policy disputes, and differs from private mediations in that the agreements reached are not usually self-enforcing. In most cases, a governing body or agency administrator implements the agreement.

AAM was incorporated in 1981 as the Austin Family Mediation Association. In recognition of the growing diversity in the field of mediation, in 1992 AFMA decided to expand its scope and became the Austin Association of Mediators.