Personal Injury Claim: The First Few Important Steps

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Prioritizing medical care is a necessity in any instance of personal injury. Once treatment and rehabilitation are underway, it’s probably a good time to start thinking about seeking compensation from the party that has caused the injury. A proper start to a personal injury claim is hiring an attorney who can help in establishing a direct link from the negligent person to the injury.

Seeking legal aid as soon as possible

Legal experts from Long Beach know that the most important aspect of any personal injury case handled by an experienced wrongful death attorney is to establish the viability of the case. Some lawyers will insist on an exploratory investigation after which he or she will decline or accept the case. Whether the same lawyer or another work on the filing of the case, it is essential that an agreement is made with the plaintiff. Once a lawyer accepts the case, they are bound by confidentiality, and the journey ensues. A plaintiff putting forward a personal injury case may choose not to hire a lawyer, but this may be unwise, particularly if the case is wrought with complexity.

Filing a personal injury complaint

A lawyer files the complaint against a defendant on behalf of the plaintiff. The complaint is more than just a formal statement from the injured party. It is the first official document and must lay out the details of the personal injury case. Once filed, the next critical step is to inform the defendant there is a case being filed against him or her. What does the law require? A compliant, which contains the date and time the receiver is to appear in court, must be delivered to the defendant physically, ensuring they receive it.

The stage of discovery — what you need to know

The phase wherein the parties involved in lawsuit exchange information is called the discovery stage. Everyone involved should exchange facts and inform each other of witnesses taking part in a personal injury case. The discovery stage may be completed prior to trial proper. The main activities during the discovery stage are interrogatories and requests for admission, production, and depositions.

Talking about settlement

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Oftentimes, only lawyers take part in settling the case. Talking about the settlement may occur with both client and lawyers present as well. The latter is called mediation, which involves a third party mediator. When the case is not resolved through mediation, the parties decide to go to trial. The grind starts with scheduling trial dates and ends after a few days or a few weeks. Sometimes, a personal injury trial drags on for months due to changes in schedule.A personal injury lawsuit can take much of your time, but you must do your part in making the negligent party accountable. If you dawdle and brood, and fail to file a personal injury case in time, you might lose the change to make someone pay for their actions. Ask a lawyer today about statutes of limitations surrounding personal injury cases and take the first important steps without delay.