How a Personal Injury Lawyer Prepares Your Claim for Trial
When you’ve been injured in an accident, you need a personal injury lawyer who can help you understand your rights. A good personal injury attorney will evaluate your case, gather evidence and prepare your claim for trial. They’ll be able to evaluate the damages you’ve suffered and help you get fair compensation.
Your personal injury lawyer will first meet with you to discuss your situation and decide whether a lawsuit is necessary. This meeting can take place in person or over the phone, depending on your needs.
A personal injury lawyer typically has a degree in law or another legal field and may have completed a certification program for civil trial advocacy. Depending on your state, these lawyers may also have to pass the Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination (MPRE). You can visit this page to learn more about this.
The personal injury attorney will likely ask you for copies of your medical records and any other documents that detail your injuries. They will then use the information to begin the liability analysis of your case. This involves extensive research to establish a legal basis for your claim.
This is usually the most time-consuming phase of your case, but it’s critical to getting you the compensation you deserve. It also involves gathering medical records and interviewing witnesses.
When the attorney feels the evidence is strong, he or she will file a complaint in court and send it to the defendant. It will include all the allegations, legal theories and facts about your case that are required for the plaintiff to pursue damages.
During this phase, the attorney may send interrogatories to the defendant for answers. He or she may also request and receive depositions from witnesses.
If the defendant refuses to provide the information needed by your attorney, he or she will then contact other parties that could be responsible for your injuries and file a lawsuit against them. The lawsuit will state that the defendant was negligent and that you’ve been damaged by their actions.
Once the court has filed the lawsuit, the defendant will have 30 days to respond and answer it. Once the defendant has time to respond, the case will enter discovery, where the parties exchange information.
After discovery, the personal injury attorney will need to get a doctor’s report about your injuries, as well as any proof of wage losses. This is especially important if your injuries are severe and you’re not able to work. Click to read more about an injury lawyer.
A serious injury can result in high medical expenses, long-term disability and lost wages. To determine these damages, your lawyer will need a medical expert to confirm the diagnoses and project future impairments, restrictions and treatment costs.
The injury lawyer will also need to hire economists to value the income you’ve lost and any other damages you’ve sustained, such as pain and suffering. These estimates will be used to calculate the total value of your damages.
Once the case has gone through all stages of the law, a settlement is usually reached. If the insurance company offers a lower amount than what your attorney believes you’re entitled to, your lawyer can then file a lawsuit to seek even more compensation for you. Check out this related post to get more enlightened on the topic: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Personal_injury_protection.