From motor vehicle accidents to workplace accidents and incarceration abuse, all these belong to personal injury laws. Suppose you or your loved one has been through any of these incidents or experiences. In that case, you have to meet a legal practitioner and seek compensation for the damages inflicted by the other party’s fault or negligence. Your case may either go in the court or settle outside. The lawyer will make sure you get fairly compensated for all the wrongs and tribulations you faced because of the others. They may not take fees from you until your claim gets settled with the at-fault party.
Whether you approach a Gio Law office or some other place for help in these matters, you can expect your lawyer to perform a set of activities.
Collect information
As soon as you hire a professional, they will start looking for case details to gain in-depth knowledge about it quickly. The activity will help them assess your injury and the liability of the other party in the case. In this process, they may gather medical bills, medical history, police reports, photos of the accident, official government records, CCTV footage, testimonies, etc. After this, they may contact the insurance company of the third party with the initial demand.
If it brings a settlement offer, your lawyer will examine the same and discuss with you the next steps. The initial offer may not be the final one. So you will have to keep patience and trust your attorney. They sometimes wait to understand what will be the fair amount and how far it covers your requirements. If negotiations don’t work out, the lawyer will take the matter to court.
Start litigation process
The lawyer will officially file your complaints in a legal document that states facts and arguments in your support so that you get relief. After this, the defendant will respond to your complaint. At the next level, an exchange of information will occur between both parties, which essentially involves presenting evidence. The discovery stage involves interrogations, documents, depositions, etc. It can be a lengthy procedure. Once done, a trial will take place, which is quite rare in personal injury claims. Usually, people settle their damage claim during the process. No matter how things proceed, you will get updated reports from your lawyer about the litigation and progress.
Get the claim
Whether you enter a settlement with the third-party outside court or win at trial, your lawyer will get the money from the defendant. You can recover it from your attorney. If you settle out of court, you may have to sign a few documents to end the lawsuit.
Any legal process has its ups and downs. With that, your emotions, personal loss, and hurts can add another layer. However, you have to keep patience and allow your attorney to do what they can do best. Sometimes, they may not immediately respond to your calls or emails. But it would help if you did not get panicky. Wait for their response because they may be busy with some other case also.