My father was once driving with a friend when his friend, Dave, said, "Hey, look at that black Datsun."
My father immediately - and for no particular reason - lied, "All Datsuns are black. That's how they save money."
Years later, Dave wrote him a postcard with one sentence: I saw a red Datsun!
(yes, I'm aware of the Ford quote)
Each lawsuit has its own reasons, of course. But here are a few common issues:
In short, there are many practical reasons why legal matters are settled rather than going to trial. It may not be the kind of justice you want to see done, but it is often the best option in an imperfect system.