The Intake Process for Car Accident Litigation

A lawyer who specializes in litigation involving car accidents can assist you in determining how strong your case is as well as how the settlement may be worth. However this is only possible if you have all the information needed.

The initial step in a lawsuit involving a car accident is known as discovery. In this stage, attorneys and their teams will communicate with each other and ask questions under oath.

Documentation

Documentation is a large part of the work in a car accident. This may include evidence such as photographs, medical records or witness statements. The more evidence you have, the more convincing your case will be.

A police report is the first document you should have. The police officer who arrives at the truckee auto accident lawyer scene is likely to prepare a written report. It will provide important details about the accident and who was responsible for it.

If necessary your attorney has to use the police report to gather additional evidence. If the incident occurred at the workplace such as a place of business an employee might have recorded video footage. If this is the case a copy of the tape should be requested from the company as soon as possible.

It is also important to document any expenses you incurred due to the Glencoe auto accident lawyer. These could include medical bills or records of treatment, receipts for medication, rental car charges and in-home care or assistance, transportation costs and more. It is also important to document the loss of income due to your injury. You can use your old tax returns and pay stubs.

You should also try to get the names of witnesses. They may be able provide valuable information, especially if are able to get them to testify in court. It's important to remember that witnesses could alter their stories and forget details regarding the accident as time passes.

Intake and Investigation

The process of intake is crucial to getting an adequate amount of compensation for your accident injuries, whether you have made an insurance claim or are suing the at-fault party. Your attorney will start by reviewing your medical treatment records, obtaining copies of accident reports as well as other evidence. They will also visit the scene of the crash to document and observe what they can.

This information will allow them to comprehend the severity of your injuries both in terms of future and anticipated costs for your emotional and physical suffering. They will then review your current and future financial losses in order to estimate the value of your case. The damages you suffer could include not only current and future medical expenses, but also loss of income and property damage.

Your lawyer will also conduct an investigation into the incident, including questioning witnesses and analyzing any evidence. They will also obtain the driving and cell phone records of the drivers who were at fault to determine if they were using their vehicle during the time. This is especially important if the collision involved an Uber or Lyft vehicle or any other indicator that the driver was on the job, as this could impact the ability of them to pay damages.

As part of the discovery procedure Your lawyer will ask about the defendant's criminal and traffic conviction records. These details are generally not admissible in court, however they could be helpful to undermine the credibility of a defendant during cross-examination.

Negotiating a Settlement

After obtaining the medical records after which your lawyer can start negotiations on settlement. The insurance company will often make an initial offer that is much less than the amount you demanded in your letter. This is a way to assess the credibility of your argument. In the counteroffer, it's crucial to emphasize the most important arguments for your side - for instance, that the insured was fully at blame and that you were afflicted with serious injuries that resulted in high medical expenses. Negotiating back and forth will eventually result in an acceptable and reasonable amount.

A skilled lawyer for accidents can effectively argue your claim's merits including presenting evidence to prove your losses. This could include photos of the car damage along with a police report as well as witness testimony. We are able to calculate various elements of your claim like loss of income along with pain and suffering as well as a police reports.

At this point, if the insurance company continues to refuse to offer a fair amount, we can decide to make a claim in court. A trial usually lasts one or two days and is usually ruled by an individual judge (called a bench trial) or by a jury. If your case is settled prior to reaching this phase it could take months. Or, your lawyer may be eligible to file a motion for summary judge. This involves asserting that all evidence is in your favor and arguing that it's impossible for the opposition to prevail.

Filing an action

In the majority of car crash cases, the parties are able to settle their disputes without the need for court. Our team will help you negotiate with the insurance company of the driver who caused the accident or directly with the driver at fault. However, if there is no agreement our lawyers will initiate a lawsuit against the defendant. The complaint contains your claims and allegations regarding the accident and the reasons why you are entitled to compensation. The defendant will be served the Complaint and given a particular period of time to respond to it.

The discovery phase is where our attorneys and the defendant begin to exchange documents and other information while asking questions through interrogatories or depositions. Our team will pose questions to the lawyer for the defendant about their version of the events, including the injuries you've sustained and how they believe it happened. We will also look for experts to back our claims.

During the discovery phase, your lawyer can submit legal documents, also known as motions in court for the decision of the judge. This could include asking the court to block evidence or to schedule a trial. It can 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 find a knowledgeable Long Island car accident attorney early in the process.