Cases of personal injury arise when someone gets injured resulted from the negligent or intentional acts. Personal injuries are divided into two parts: physical injury and psychological injury. If you think you might have a personal injury claim, it is always good to be informed about the process and timeline of a personal injury claim and lawsuit.
Medical treatment.
First of all, you need to make sure to get medical treatment after getting injured or being involved in an accident. Go to the nearest hospital or see your doctor. This is not only for your health, but if you don’t see a doctor soon after the accident, the insurance adjuster and the jury may consider that you were not truly injured.
Contact a lawyer.
You should contact a lawyer as soon as you can. This is the best step to receive guidance in the process and start with the right foot. Be sure to ask about the process, requirement, and any concerns you have.
Initial investigation.
The first task for your lawyer is to interview you about what happened, your background, medical condition, and treatment received. This initial interview is important because lawyers don’t want to be surprised; therefore, make sure to answer all the questions as accurately as you can.
Your lawyer will also get all of your medical records and bills related to the injury. This is the first big step in the process, and in some cases, it may take up to 2 months to get all the documents and information.
It is after this step that your lawyer will tell you if there is a case.
Settlement.
Many smaller personal injury claims are settled before a lawsuit is ever filed. If the lawyer thinks that the case can be settled, they will make a demand to the other attorney or the other side’s insurance company.
The lawsuit is filed.
This step initiates the process to go to trial. In general, it will take 1 or 2 years for a personal injury case to go to trial.
The discovery process.
This is the procedure put in place in which each party investigates what the opposite legal claims and defense is. This process can take 6 months to a year depending on the court and case.
Mediation and negotiation process.
Before the discovery process ends, lawyers will start talking about settlement or mediation. Mediation is a process in which both clients and both lawyers go in front of a mediator to try to settle the case.
Trial.
A personal injury trial can last a day, a week, or even longer. This will be the final step of the process and will determine the result of your lawsuit. Be aware that sometimes, the date for the trial is canceled or rescheduled.
Having a professional and experienced lawyer by your side is very important to help you navigate through this process and have the best chances to get a positive outcome of the lawsuit. Contact Maidenberg Law Group toll-free at (888) 520-9617 or contact us online for a free consultation.
