The Intake Process for Car Accident Litigation

A lawyer with experience in car accident litigation will be able to assist you determine the strengths of your case as well as how much settlement you could get. But, this is only possible with all the necessary information.

Discovery is the first stage of an auto accident law firms (the full report) accident case. In this phase, attorneys and their teams exchange documents and ask each other questions under the oath.

Documentation

A significant portion of the work involved in a car wreck case is collecting documentation. This can include evidence like medical records, photos or witness statements. The more documentation that you have, the more convincing your case will be.

A law enforcement report is the first piece of paper you should have. The police officer who arrives at the scene of the accident will usually prepare a report. It will provide important details about the incident and who was responsible for it.

Your lawyer may also utilize an official report from law enforcement to pursue additional evidence, if needed. For instance, if the incident took place in a commercial or office, an employee working at the location may have recorded footage of the incident. If that's the case, a copy of the tape must be requested from the company as soon as possible.

You should also keep track of any expenses you incurred in the aftermath of the accident. These could include medical bills, records of your treatment, receipts from medication rental car expenses and in-home care or assistance transport costs, and many more. You should also document any income you lose due to your injury. You can use tax returns and pay stubs.

It is also advisable to obtain the names of witnesses. They might be able to provide important information, especially if you are able to get them to appear in court. However, it's important to keep in mind that witnesses may alter their testimony over time and forget details of the incident.

Intake and Investigation

If you have filed an insurance claim with an firm or are beginning legal action against a negligent driver, the process of intake is essential to obtaining the full and fair amount of compensation for your crash injuries. Your attorney will begin by reviewing your medical records and then obtaining copies of accident reports as well as other evidence. They will also visit and auto accident law Firms document the scene of the accident.

This will allow them to comprehend the extent of the injuries you've suffered in relation to current and projected costs for your physical or emotional suffering. They will also review your financial losses to estimate the value of your case. The damages could include not only current and future medical expenses, but also your loss of income and property damage.

Your lawyer will also conduct an investigation and interview witnesses and analyzing all available evidence. They will also collect driving and cell phone records of the drivers who were at fault to determine how they operated their vehicle at that time. This is particularly important when there was a collision that involved an Uber or Lyft vehicle, or any other indication that the driver was on the clock.

As part of the process of discovery Your lawyer will ask about the defendant's traffic and criminal conviction records. These details are generally not admissible in court but they can be useful to discredit the credibility of the defendant during cross examination.

The process of negotiating a settlement

After receiving the medical records, you're able to begin negotiations for settlement. The insurance company is likely to make an initial offer that is lower than the amount you requested in your letter. This is a way to determine how strong your case is. In the counteroffer it is important to emphasize the strongest arguments in your favor, for example, that the insured was completely at the fault and that you sustained serious injuries that resulted in significant medical expenses. The process of negotiating back and forth should eventually result in a fair and reasonable amount.

An experienced accident lawyer can successfully argue your claim's merits, including presenting evidence to back your losses. This may include photos of your car damages, auto accident Law firms police reports and witness testimony. We can calculate various aspects of your claim such as loss of income along with pain and suffering as well as a police reports.

If, at this point, the insurance company continues to refuse to provide a reasonable amount, we can decide to make a claim in court. A trial typically lasts up to two days and is usually ruled by a judge (called a bench trial) or by a jury. If your case settles before this stage it could take several months. Your attorney may be in a position to file an application for summary judgment. This is a way of claiming that all evidence is in your favor and arguing that it is impossible for the other side to win.

Filing an action

In a majority of cases involving car accidents, the parties can settle their dispute out of court. Our team can assist you negotiate with the insurance company of the driver who caused the accident or directly with the driver who was at fault. If there is no agreement the lawyers of our firm will initiate an action against the defendant. The Complaint will contain your claims and allegations about the incident and why you are entitled to compensation. The defendant is served the Complaint and given a certain amount of time to answer.

During the discovery phase, our lawyers will exchange documents and other materials with the defendant and ask questions via interrogatories and depositions. Our team will ask questions to the lawyer for the defendant about their perspective on the events, such as what damages you've suffered and the way they believe it occurred. We will also look for experts to back our claims.

During the discovery process, your lawyer could make legal motions to the court to a judge's decision on. This may include requesting the court to block evidence or schedule a trial. It could take a year or more to complete the process of discovery and to set the date of trial for your case. It is essential to speak with an experienced Long Island auto accident attorney as early as you can during the process.