The Intake Process for Car Accident Litigation

An experienced lawyer in car accident litigation will be able to help you determine the potential strength of your case and the amount of settlement you can receive. This is only possible if all the information you need is available.

The initial step in a car crash lawsuit is called discovery. In this phase, attorneys and their teams will exchange documents and ask questions under the oath.

Documentation

Documentation is a significant element of an marengo auto accident law firm accident. This could include evidence such as medical records, photos or witness statements. The more evidence you have to support your claim, the more convincing your case will be.

The first piece of documentation you need is a police report. The police officer who arrives at the scene of an accident will usually prepare a report. It will provide important information about the accident and who was responsible.

If required your lawyer has the option of using a police report to gather additional evidence. If the siler city auto accident lawsuit happened in an office, for example an employee could have recorded video footage. If this is the situation, a copy of the tape must be requested from the company as soon as it is possible.

Record any expenses you have incurred as a result of the accident. Document any expenses you incurred due to. This could include medical expenses, records of your treatment, medication receipts rental car costs for in-home assistance, care at home, transportation costs and more. It is important to record any income you lose due to your injury. You can utilize old tax returns and pay stubs.

It is also advisable to get the names of witnesses. They may be able to give valuable information, especially if you can convince them to testify in court. It is important to keep in mind that witnesses are prone to altering their story over time and forget details of the accident.

Intake and Investigation

The intake process is essential to getting fair settlement for your accident-related injuries regardless of whether you've submitted an insurance claim or are suing the responsible party. Your attorney will start by looking over your medical treatment records, and obtaining copies of accident reports, and other evidence. They will also go to the scene of the crash to record and observe what they can.

This information will allow them to assess the severity of the injuries you've suffered as well as the cost and projections for your emotional or physical suffering. They will then analyze your financial losses to estimate the value of your case. Your damages may include not only current and future medical expenses, but also lost income and property damage.

Your lawyer will also investigate the incident, including questioning witnesses and analyzing any available evidence. They will also obtain the driving and cell phone records of the driver at fault in order to determine how they operated their vehicle at that time. This is particularly important if there was a collision with an Uber or Lyft car or any other indication that the driver worked while on the clock.

As part of the discovery process the lawyer will inquire about the defendant's criminal and traffic offence records. These facts are usually not admissible, but they could be used to undermine the credibility of the defendant during cross-examination.

The process of negotiating a settlement

After obtaining the medical records and obtaining the medical records, your lawyer can begin settlement negotiations. Initially, the insurance company will make an offer that is often significantly lower than the amount you requested in your letter. This is an opportunity to determine the credibility of your argument. In your counteroffer, it's essential to highlight the most compelling points that you have to your advantage. For instance, if you claim that the insurer was at fault and that there were serious injuries as well as the medical costs were high. The process of negotiating back and forth should eventually result in a fair and reasonable amount.

A skilled attorney for accidents will effectively argue the merits of your claim, including presenting evidence to support your losses. This may include photos of your car damage, police reports and witness testimony. We also know how to determine the value of each element of your claim, such as loss of income, suffering and pain.

If the insurance company is unwilling to pay a reasonable amount at this point, we may bring a lawsuit. A trial usually lasts between one and two days. It is supervised by a judge (called a bench trial) or jurors. If your case settles prior to reaching this stage the process could take months. Your attorney may be able to file an application for summary judgment. This is where you present all the evidence to your advantage and arguing that it is impossible for the other side to win.

Filing a Lawsuit

In the majority of car accident cases parties can resolve their disagreement outside of court. Our team can assist you negotiate with the insurance company of the driver who caused the accident or directly with the person who was at fault. However, if an agreement cannot be reached our lawyers will initiate an action against the defendant. The Complaint will contain your claims as well as allegations regarding the accident, and explains why you are entitled to compensation. The defendant will be served the Complaint and given a particular period of time to respond.

The discovery phase is where our lawyers and the defendant will begin to exchange documents and Vimeo other material while asking questions through interrogatories or depositions. Our team will ask the attorney for the defendant questions regarding their interpretation of events, focusing on how they believe the crash occurred and what injuries you've sustained. We will also seek expert opinions to support our claims.

During the discovery phase, your lawyer can file legal documents known as motions with the court for a decision by the judge. This could include requests for the court's decision to exclude certain evidence or to schedule a trial date. It could take up to one year for the discovery process to be completed and a trial date to be set. This is why it's important to work with an experienced Long Island car accident attorney early in the process.