The Intake Process for Car Accident Litigation

A lawyer that specializes in the area of car accident litigation will assist you in determining how strong your case is, and how the settlement you receive could be worth. This is only possible when all the information you need is available.

The first step in a lawsuit involving a car accident is known as discovery. During this stage, attorneys and their teams exchange documents and ask each other questions under oath.

Documentation

Documentation is a large aspect of the investigation in a car accident. This could be evidence like photos, medical records or witness statements. In general, the more evidence you have to support your claim, the stronger your case will be.

The first document you should have is a police report. The police officer who arrives at the scene will usually prepare a report. It will give valuable information about the accident and the person responsible for it.

Your lawyer can also make use of a law enforcement report to seek additional evidence, if needed. If the accident occurred in the business environment for instance an employee could have recorded video footage. If that's the case, a copy of the tape must be requested from the business as soon as possible.

You should also record the expenses you incur due to the accident. These could include medical bills and records for your treatment, receipts for medications rental car costs, in-home care or assistance transport costs, and much more. In addition, you should keep track of any income loss due to your accident. You can utilize old tax returns and pay stubs.

You should also obtain the names of witnesses. These people may be able to provide important information, especially if are able to get them to be a witness in court. However, it's important to remember that witnesses can alter their stories over time and could forget specific details about the accident.

Intake and Investigation

The intake process is essential to receiving an adequate amount of compensation for your injuries from an accident regardless of whether you've filed a claim with an insurance company or are suing the responsible party. Your lawyer will begin by reviewing your medical records, as well as obtaining copies of accident reports, Vimeo.Com as well as other evidence. They will also visit and document the accident scene.

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

Your lawyer will also conduct an investigation by interviewing witnesses and analyzing all the available evidence. They will also take data from the cell phone and driving records of the drivers who were at fault to determine if they were using their vehicle at that time. This is especially important in the event that there was a collision with an Uber or Lyft car or any other indication that the driver worked while on the clock.

Additionally the lawyer may inquire regarding the defendant's prior criminal and traffic offence history in the discovery process. These details are generally not admissible in court, however they could be helpful to discredit the credibility of the defendant during cross-examination.

Negotiating a Settlement

After obtaining the medical records then your lawyer will begin negotiations for settlement. In the beginning, the insurance company will offer an offer that is often considerably lower than what you have requested in the letter. This is an opportunity to assess the strength of your argument. In the counteroffer, it's important to highlight the strongest arguments for your side - for example, the insured was at blame and that you were afflicted with severe injuries with high medical expenses. In the end, a lot of back and forth bargaining should result in an amount that is reasonable and fair.

An experienced accident lawyer can successfully argue your claim's merits including presenting evidence to prove your losses. This could include photos of the car damage, police reports, and witness testimony. We can determine the various elements of your claim such as lost income, pain and suffering and police report.

If the insurance company is unwilling to pay an acceptable amount at this point, we could bring a lawsuit. A trial usually lasts about two or three days and is supervised by a judge (called a bench trial) or a jury. If your case is settled before this point, it can take several months. Your attorney may also be able to file a summary motion for judgment. This involves arguing that all evidence is in your favor and arguing that it's impossible for the opponent to prevail.

Filing an action

In the majority of car crash cases, the parties can settle their disputes without the need for court. Our team will assist you in negotiating an agreement with the insurance company or directly with the at-fault party. If no agreement can be reached, our attorneys will file a lawsuit against the defendant. The Complaint outlines your claims and allegations relating to the accident and the reasons why you are entitled to compensation. The defendant will be served the Complaint and given a specified period of time to respond to it.

During the discovery phase, our lawyers will share documents and other materials with the defendant and ask questions via interrogatories as well as depositions. Our team will ask the defendant's attorney questions about their version of the events, including how they believe the crash occurred and what injuries you have suffered. We will also search for expert opinions to support our assertions.

During the discovery process your lawyer could make legal motions to the court for a judge's ruling on. These could include requests to the court to exclude certain evidence or to schedule a trial date. It can take as long as one year for the discovery process to be completed and a trial date to be set. It is essential to speak with an experienced Long Island baltimore auto accident attorney accident attorney as early as possible during the process.